The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1854-10-04
Hon. George p. Msrsh's Address.


'lflled the spacious Town Hall Tuesday
Afternoon, to hear Hon. Geo. P. Marsh
After a few words of grateful intro
duction, in which he spoke Of the
pleasure it gave him to be back once
more in his former home, and the COM
paratively slight changes he found in
the village, and especially in the ia.
ces of his friends, or in the number Of
their circle, Mr.. Marsh announced
that he should speak of the opinions
|held abroad of us as a Nation, and Of
some Of the questions involved in the
great contest now going on in Eastern
Europe.
In general. abroad, on every ques-
ton, tho Governments entertain one
class Of sentiments, and the people IN.
other: and there, as well as here, the
Government is usually less worthy
than the people. by the Government
of Europe, then, we are regarded as a
daring, unconsoientious and unscru>
pulous nation. The chief grounds of
this opinion are, 1st, Our rapid err
tension Of territory. This they be-
levc 10 have been uncallcd for by the
necessities of trade or national growth
to have been the rcsul. Of the sub,
mission of the North to tho demands
of the Southern States, and intended
by the South to secure the extension
of Slavery. ID, Tile change Of tone
IN public sentiment an the subject Of
.Slarery, especially among the Slave
holders themselves. Instead Of con-
fcssing, as they nsed to, that it is an
evil, they now defend it as q blessing,
and support it as the monarchics of
Europe support their thrones, py an
appeal to Dirine right. 3d: Tile
movements tomar,ls ouneraiion Of Lol e
territory. 1t has been declared in
this country that our system Of cx!cn-
sion is to 90 on indefinitely. This
ehreat Of universal dominion, while it
has not excited any actual fear lest
We should annex to tho American
Continent the Continent of Europe,
has had an unfavorablc effect Oil their
opinion of us. 4th, Our deposition to
political propayandism. Thy charge
us with exciting revolutions wherev>
er we can. 5th, The position taken
uith reference to our naturalizsd cit
izens, and those who havo declared
their intention Of becoming so. A
broad, some Governments admit the
principle Of eSpatriation and naturali-
cation. some do not but all admit it
with limitations. Our Government al.
lows no limitations. 1t says that he
who has declared bis intention to be-
come a citizen, Ion leaving tho coun.
try, clothed with all the rights of a
citizen, thus giving him the full rights
of an American citizen withom the
limits of our country, before he is en-
titled to all those rights with,n the
country. 9Th, Some circumstances
connected Nth our National admin
istration such as the making Office a
reward of political service to the enor.
nous extent to which it is carried ,and
which is without a parallel elsewhere ;
and especially the character Of the
Minister'S and Consuls sent out by our
Government. The administrations Of
both parties, for The last twenty years,
have sent out for the most part, to
represent us abroad, persons distir'.
guished only by ignorance, ralgdrify
and rice. They have not been on Il
par with the average at home, and
commonly arc ignorant of the language
manners and business relations Of the
country to which they 60, and even oI
the French, the almost universal Ian
guace of Europe.
Thus, while as yet no great nation
al harm has followed. We arc lowered
in the eyes of foreign Government.
They look upon us as bold, bad peo
pie. They regard us as the New York
Dutchmcn did the Yankees, with
"yreat respect and abhorrrncc." The
people of Europe. however, look upon
us with moro Indulgence. They re-
gard us as tho great source from which
universal liberty is to flow.
The increasing prominence of the
popular element abroad, is worthy Of
notice. 1t increases in spite of its re.
verses. The multiplied means of in.
accommodation, and the fact that
the officials on all public works, espe-
cially on the railroads, which on the
Continent are Government works, are
from the people, tends to increase the
direct relations of the people with the
Governments, and to bring up the pco
pie. The enormous standing armies,
now the ssle stay of some of the Gov
ernments, may finally become so large
as to cinbody majority of the peo-
pie, when they will turn on their ru-
lcrs and become instruments of saliva
ton instead of oppression.
! Increased attention is paid to our
affairs abroad. They watch closely
the new experiments VIC are trying i,
legislation, and, in England especially
If successful they arc adopted. The
day is coming. doubtless, when Gov
crnments of our form viii be found
scattered throughout Europe.
While France is quiet, Europe is
also quiet. Thus far, Louis Napoleon
has proved himself a wise ruler. lie
has built up a personal popularity by
multiply ing railroads, and by vast i'm
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