Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1854-07-07
For the watchma n a Journal
The Wisdom of the Past,

In many points of view, the life of a ma
ton may be compared with the life of an in
dyidual man. Empires have their infancy,
youth, manhood, and decay And rs inian-
cy and youth are the purest portion Of life
IN the same person (regenerating grace ex-
ceptedl so a nation is prone to degenerate
from its infancy and youth to mature age,
decay and final dissolution. Rome con-
quered the world and by its final corruption
fell mighty mass Of ruin. So with all the
great empires of the East from "pride
and fulness of bread" they fell as did Sodom.
Our own Republic, so upright in its COM
mencement, has made a fearful progress in
moral corruption, with its unbounded pros
perity, and unless upheld by an almighty
arm and purified by wisdom from above,
must fall at last after the example of all
other Republics Our boast is our peril, and
with great presumption will Young America
say, +" shall die in my rest" I he single
SIN Of oppression. had we no other national
unrighleousness, is enough to make the pill
lars of our institutions tremble 70 their deep
foundations. Our greatest peril is domestic
siarerg; and the greatest problem for this
nation to solve, is that which pertains to the
African race; becoming more enlightened
every day. and swelling the tide of suppress
ed indignation under such inexcusabe and
ungodly oppression, 20 the utmost verge of
endurance. THIS cannot continue many
years But were the bondmen even now
all liberated, a question will still remain Of
fearful inaenltude-of tremendous import
ance in its civil and religious aspects. II IS
never to be supposed that four millions OF
freemen nominally-and room to expand to
sir and tiCelre mifiions-wll be held down
under the prejudice stronger and more gall
ing than legal slavery which excludes men
from Office and all real participation IN the
equal rights Of life, liberty and the pur-
suit of happiness" Never. The oppressed
must have their rights either by evil ard re-
ligous identity with tins nation, OF they must
cmlgfate to some other country. In the ab-
sence of these remedies for the wrong we
have done a civil war lies In the distance, or
some signal judgments of the Almighty will
fall from their suspended point Shall not
my soul be avenged Of such nation as
this z" Now as Gmalgamotion with people
of color is not likely to find favor, nor seems
to be a matter of obligation on our part, emf
grafton becomes the sine qua non in the
remedial work. And the colonial enterprise
on the coast of Africa has received the most
signal iayors of Providence while ever 9th
or scheme of benevoence has failed to reach
the object All the indications Of Provi-
dence lead to the father-and and designate
there a mighty work reserved for the return
ed exies. Nothing darkens the hope that
the oppressed are yet to become on their
own free soil a nation occupying prominent
position, and attracting the admiration OF
all civiliz ed governments.
This train Of thought has been elected by
finding an Address to the churches without
date, requesting them upon some Sabbath
near the fourth Of July 10 take up collections
for the Colonization Society. he wisdom
Of the past exceeds tina; of the present, al
least on moral and political subjects and a
document reprinted from so esteemed and
Iudic a man as the late Judge Paine, will
not be without interest 10 those who knew
hin and love TO revere his memory, while D.
may subserve the noble cause of humanity
which he so much aided by his influence, his
talents, and his property. If in his day the
enterprise was worthy OF general patron
age, much more so Is It now, since the little
promblematcal colony has become a Re.
public, and triumphed over all opposition, and
Is attracting the sympathy and the admira
ton OF the civilized world. The Address q
the churches by former President Of the
Society is submitted without note or com
ment. A venerable " father being dead YET
eneaLeth ~