Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1853-02-17

/ the practical results which are to follow from the
experiment which we are making that the insti-
buttons under which we live are those which
are most emInently calculated to advance the
highest interests of man, and subserve the great
purposes of social and civilized society. 1t IS BY
the arts Of pace, by the multiplication of the
means Of internal communication, by railroads
and canals. by Commerce. by education, by the
general diffusion Of information. and by all the
means. winch are abundant, and which wealth
and power give US, Of doing what we can to
demonstrate to the world that so far rs the great
purposes OF the Creator may be understood in
the creation OF man. and placing him on this
globe to work out The great experiment of hu-
man probation, that here are embordied and
mere are concentrated the most favorable CIR
cnnslances Tor that experiment which the world
has ever seen.
While am up, let NE enreat gentleman, let
Inc enreat Senators, TO consider The poslt n in
which we are placed. will take up the re-
mark OF the honorable Senator from Michigan,
ana say with him, we do live in an epoch a
most remarkable one but it is an epoch that goes
back far beyond the mere exciting interests of
the day. 1t goes back to the time when that
II
ments were Instituted among men by their con
sent, and for their good, That is the epoch in
which we live; that is the experiment which we
are trying.
Sir, the history of the world, up to the time of
this experiment, shows that the efforts that man
had before made for the ameliora,ion of his con-
ditlon and the elevation of his character, had
slgnay failed 1t is true there were not want
ing revolutions. There were not wanting times
when the pei Pile, borne down bNoppressions too
Intolerable to be endured, had hsen up II, the
energy of despair, and thrown offhee Yoke Of the
master who oppressed them; bit i was only
that anoher tyrant might come IN klace. -
That was the history of the world up to Ne time
Of our experiment; and it would sceuG>f~i, be
not to irreverent to nnderlaket to scan the coun
ellis of Omnpotence, that the Almighty had be-
come tired of the successive attempts which men
had made to govern themselves, to submit them
selves to the mild sway of popular institutions
deriving their force and their support from then
own consent. But we may imagine the Genius
Liberty blending before the throne of Onnipo-
tcnce, and asking that one more experiment,
might be tired and then, when the fullness Of
time had come, there was revealed to the eye Of
sense this new continent; and The pilgrims OF
PATRIOTISM and plety come over here. that they
might lay anew the foundations of the grea
Temple ot Liberty, and build upon It's founda
ton snperstructure wide enough for the op
pressed OF all nations to enter IN and be at rest
Sir, this is the experiment which we are to try
and this IS the experiment which we are to trus
that was committed to their hands; and wheI
they cut loose from the country which had sent
them hcre-seut them here, not by its fostering
care, but by lis oppressjon-lhey proclaimed
certain great fundamental and eternal principles
as the basis of their action in all time 10 come
and these are eloqueny and forcibly embodied
in til d 4claratlnn Of Independence. But ou
fathers pledged everything they had. They
pledged life, fortune, and honor, TO the mane
nance of principles which they then avowed anl
put forth
Sir, that pledge IS binding upon us. We are
IN the possession and employment OF the pfveg
es VIII Oh they obtained and the part that we have
to perform is, to see that those principles char
actrrize our acuon and policy, and are carried
out TO a tull developenent and perfection, rha
| | Iuok upon as the mission of this country. Tina
| | look upon as the destiny OF this country If it Is
true-true 10 It's principles, and true to The pur
poses Of a bnneficienl Pro, idence, IN planting Us
| h re. If We forget this If we are led away and
d,z2 ed by the hpIo OF military renown If ou
Judgments are warped by the grasplngs of covet.
BUSINESS. which will never be satisfied as long as
an body else yns land Contiguous to us, then
| have been accused of prophecyiRg--lt need;
10 prophet, It needs no other prophecy than tina
which the .lghl OF experience gives US, to fore.
tell us that we shall tall utterly tall and we
shalt 90 tn" way OF the republics that have pre-
ceded us. Soue gentlemen think we have bull
our fortress 50 strong that it caunot be shaken
that we have established ourselves upon fonda
ton 50 strong that we Cannot be mUvod Sir
how old are we? Not IA hundred Yeas yet
How old was the Roman Republic when 1t wa
oyerthrown? | think more thar six hundred
years. When we have lived half that time
when the wisdom of our Institutions and the char
acter OF our clllzens have been tested by an eX
pprence one hat as long as that TO which TN
Roman Republic was subjected, 1t will be tim
enough Tor us to erect our trophies, and set VI
our monuments, aud say that we have succeed
rd; that the great experiment has been tried IN
great question solved. and the truth settled, tina
man Is capable "a se-government.
Mr. President AIN not one of those who's
hearts are toll ut tnrebodngs of evil; and the
honorable Senator cannot when I undertake +
say what believe wit be the result of things
reorl upon me the failure of the prophecies c
dlaasler that occurred in regard to the war OF 1871
tell the Senator that was but SIX years Old a
that time; and therefore, whatever rcproacle
there may be against those that prophecled ev
then | was no. one Of them. However much HI
may think have followed III their footsteps nov
md not begin 50 cary as thai. No, sir; N
heart is not deSparlng. believe that gIorlou
iuure Is before this county. | believe that
high and glorious destiny awaits her, bellev
that the only thing that can defeat her OF tn
g orlous destiny which lies waiting her grasp
her own unfdl'hIulness to the principles upo
which ouI Institutions are founded lose prl
ciples are not those of conquest; they are nc
those of raplne. We are not TO be the knights
Grant Of the world, to 20 abroad over the cont
neDts of the earth and islands of the sea, Pre-
claiming he gospel Of liberty, and fuIminatlu
the penalty Of our sword against those who wi
not be baptized into our faith. That is not gu
destiny. but our destiny Is at home. Oar de.
tiny u on our own continent, on our own shores
1t Il I" improve, TO elevate advance in what
In iennoIy? No, SIR we have got ough {
it. In military renUwn? No. sir; we have r,
enough OF that. Is any man, woman. or chi,
within the bearing OF my voice, disturbed wit
one single leaf that we cannot MAINTAIN success
fully everything which Is our right, against an
and all the powers Of the earth? | believe no
desire to call the attention OF the Senate t
another tact before leave this subject, and tina
Is the one alluded to by the honorable Senate
from Florida Mr.. Mallory the other Gay VIII
do you want to repeat this declaration? If 20
/ hat IF hot
Power Of Europe shall coonze any part of tn
American continent, or the islands adjacer
thereto, there Is TACT. "A O. fixed fact" OF whic
we ave notified ny the proclamation of the Brit
lsh authorizes, winch wlll put you to the test -
Great Britain has you do not want any nqnlr
about n-estanllshed colony OF the 8 Bay {
Islands" II the declaration OF Mr. Monroe ha
the broad meaning which The honorable Senate
from Michigan gives to 1t, there Is no occaslo
for repeating it over again. The time has con-