Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1851-07-17

e the consequences which have followed, with
e profound admiration. This aunisersar,
il animates, and gladdens, and unites, all A.
l. merican hearts. On other days of the year
j.. we may be party mea, indulgng in contro-
:, yerses more OF less important 60 the public
b. good we may have likes aud dslkes, and
v we may maintain our political differences
j niien with warm, and sometimes with angry
= feelings. But today we are Americans. all
/ and all, nothing but Americans As the
= great lumiuary over our heads, dssipaiiug
mists and iogs, cheers the whole hemisphere
e 80 do the associations connected with this
day, dispense all cloudy aud sullen weather
2 and all noxious exhaialons IN the minds
and feelings Of true Americans. Every
mans heart swells within him-every mans
/ port aud bearing become somewhat more
/ proud and lofty, as he remembers that sew
enty-hye years have rolled away and that
the great inheuiance Of liberty is still his;
uDduninished and uuimpared, his, IN all
| IT'S original glory; his TO protect, and his to
transmit to future generations. Fellow CT
b tzens This inheritance is not only an
inheritance Of liberty, but of our own pecu-
liar American liberty. Liberty has existed
IN other times. IN other countries, aud in
other forms. There has beer Grecian lib
eriy, bold and powerful, full Of spirit, elo-
quence aud fire; liberty which produced
mutltudes OF great men, aud has transmit
ted one immortal name, the name of De-
mosthenes to posterlty. But still 1t was
liberty of disconnected States, sometimes
united, indeed, by temporary leagues aud
conlederacies but often involved IN wars
between themselves The sword Of Sparta
turned IT'S sharpest edge against Athens,
enslayed her aud devastated Greece, aud, 10
her turn, Sparta was compelled To bend be-
fore the power OF Ihebes And let It ever
be remembered especially let the truth
sink deeply into all American minds-that
II was the want of union among the several
States, which finally gave the mastery of all
Greece to Philip OF Macedon. Aud there
has also been Roman liberty, proud,
ambitious, domIneerng spiri, processing
tree aud popular principles, IA Rome ITSELF
but, even in the best days OF the republic,
ready TO carry slavery aud chains iuto her
provinces, and through every country over
which her eagles could be- borne Who
ever heard of liberty IN SPAN or Gaul, or
Germany, or Britain, IN the DAYS OF Ronel
There was none such. A. the Roman EN-
pre- declined her provinces not instructed
m the principles OF free, popular govern
mcut. one alter another, declined also; and
when Rome herself fell, IA the end all fell
together | have SAID, gentlemen, that our
inheritance IS an inheritance OF American
liberty. That liberty Is Characteristic, PEI
culIar, and altogether our own. Nothing
ike It existed ~ former times; while with
us Its principles have become interviewer
into the nuds Of lndWi iual men, connect
ed with our daily opinions and our daily
habits, until 1t is, # may 80 say, an ele-
meui OF social as well as OF political life;
and the consequence IS, that to whatever
region an Amerlcin ciuzen carries himself,
he takes with hun, folly developed N his
own understanding, our American prIncl-
pies aud opinions; and becomes ready at
once, IA corporation with others, to apply
them TO the formation of new governments. !
OF tins, a most wonderful instance may be
seen ~ the history OF the State of Cdliior-
MA. Ga former occasion have yentur-
ed to remark, tina, ut very difficult to es-
tablIsh Tree conservative government for
the equal advancement OF all the interests
Of society. What has Germany done
learned Germany, fuller of ancient lore
than all the world besides What has Italy
done What have they done who dwell Oh
the spot where Cicero and Justinlan lived !
They have not the power of sel-goyern-
ment, which common town meeting with
us possesses. Yes, | say that those persons
who have gone from our town meetings, TO
dig gold ia California, are more fit to make
a republican government than any body of
ala
learned this one great esson--that there is
no security without law, aud that, under the
circumstances IN which they are placed,
where there IS no military authority TO cut
their Threats, there Is 40 sovereign will but
the Will OF the majority; that, therefore, IT
they remain, they must submit To that Will.
Aud this | believe to be stricly true. Now,
fellow cluzens, If your patience will hold
out, will venture, before proceeding TO
The more appropriate duties of the day, to
state, ia lew words, what | take these A
metcan political principles IN substance TO
he. They consist, as | think, IN The first
place, IN the establishment of popular gov
efnmenIs 10y an equal representation; for It
Is PLAN that a pure democracy, like that
which existed IN some OF the States of
} Greece, IN which every individual had di-
rect vote IA the enactment of all laws, can
not possibly exist IA country of WIDE ex-
tent, Thus principle of popular represent
alton, prevailing either IA all the branches
Of governments, or ~ some OF them, has
existed IN these States almost from the days
of the settlement al Yorktown aud Ply
mouth, borrowed, no doubt, from the ex-
ample of the popular branch of the BRUSH
= Legislature. TIE representation OF the
people IA lie British House OF Commons
was originally very unequal, Indeed, ii
, may be doubted, whether The appearance of
) knights and burgesses assembling on the
summons of the crown, was not rather IN
tended at FIRST as an assistance and support
to the royal prero1 dtye, 10 matters of reve-
nue aud taxation, rather than as a mode OF
ascertalnlng popular opinion. NeyerIhe-
$ less, representation had a popular origin,
aud II sayofed more aud more of the char
acler of that origin, as 1t acquired by slow
! legrees, greater aud greater strength IN the
actual government of the country. Ii was
! IN fact, form of representation, however
unequal; numbers we're counted, and ma