The Rutland County herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1852-1855, 1854-06-23


~inds--cach 10 take care of bis own in-
dtidaal interest. Hence each of us,
from separate locality, feels the SER.
Gus responsibility Of guarding the rights
Of ninciy-lhrce thousand persons, and .
30 harmoniaing te whole as not TO
trench on the risiss of lweniy-four mil
lions ia other localities. In this place, /
ns ia sounding gallery, we hear the
dashing waves q the Atlantic and Pa. 4
cihc mingliug with the murmurs that
rise from the beach of the southern gulf I
and the northern lakes A system Ike
ours was unknown 10 ancient Republics;
their freedom was cradled in single
cities No Representatives from States,
no Delegates from distant Territories,
assembled to take part in the General
Government, that ruled the whole. so
farss rulers were chosen by the people,
it was by the people Of central cities,
hence the gift OF citizenship was with
them something more than an empty
compliment. In the latter days Of Ro-
man power, that privilege was freely
extended to the provinces had Il been
done in the representative form, il might
have been Of great advantage; but Civ
en-, as il was, "a n personal right 10 all
the mass, it fastened her rapid descent
10 ruin for often the sharp contests of
political elections were decided 10y the
spear and bludgeon of soldiers, who
marched into the streets Of Rome under
provincial banners.
From whence, then, did our system
come? Certainly not from politicians
or statesmen. The first idea Of a rep
reseniative council began with the min
listers of the Gospel. As early as the
sixth century they had introduced all
over Chris,endom the most perfect sys-
TEN of representation. Every christian
minister, however humble, had his share
in the formation Of these great assem-
blies, by which the affairs Of the church
were regulated. The gathering Of po-
litcal parliaments, under the represen-
tative system, was not till the thirteenth
and fourteenth centuries in the Euro
pean States. Six centuries before the
time assigned TO representative civil con-
voca,ions, the councils of Nice and An
tioch had shown perfect models of uni
versal presentation, by delegates from
dioceses in remote portions Of Europe
and Asia, and covering field wider
and broader than the whole Roman En-
pire. This was done centuries before
William the Conqucror assembled his
sixty thousand men, for a political pur-
pose, at Winchester, or Clovis gathered
his whole army at Champs-de- Mai
While we are here, then, in the enjoy
ment of all the privileges of our repre-
sentative system was furnished by the
clergy in their ecclesiastical organiza-
tons
] call your attention to another mat
ter OF history, TO the reformation that
brought civil and religious freedom 10
the world. There is no question as to
its authors and there is as little ques-
ton that Wicklifie, and Huss, and Lu.
ther, and Melancthon, and Zwngis
were ministers of the Gospel. They
began, and for long time carried on
their great work of redemption, while
the whole civil power was frowning up
on their efforts. Princes and potentates
desired things 10 remain as they were
Those in power do not wish a change
for if the existing system pass away
they must pass with it, IL was so then
and 10 save repetition, ! ask you to con,
sider, as we pass on, whether il has moi
been so in every instance which shall
name since that time. BY the law o.
their nature and their office, rulers are
not reformers. Their judgments AND
feelings are warped to the belief thai
the system under which they live is tn,
best system. Their interests resist in,
noyaiion; and iftheir judgments are con
vicicd, they are bribed to silence by
their sel6shness. Against that strong
natural tendency the clergy then ant
since warred brayely and successfully.
In the English revolution of G8S ia,
clergy took the lead they first set tht
elements in motion. Ia that eyenifu
struggle, to which the world is so mucl
indebted, the pulpit was the lever ant
the fulerum that moved the mass Of tn,
people 10 secure their rights. Englisl
freedom had been indebted TO the pos
er Of the pulpit generations before
When liberty had expired in the grea
continental monarchies, and is las, fee
bic chickering's were seen in England
the English clergy, electrified by thi
spirit Of the reformation, reused the peo
pie to rescue their liberties. From th,
time Of Henry VII, through seven sue
ceeding reigns. they held their way IN
dsuntedly onward, hearing the crushing
veightof thrones and parliamenls. Th'
only light that eheered them was in th'
bright bot brief career OF Edward VI
There is no other bigotry on earth q
exclusive, iniolerani, and relentle. a
tho bigoiry Of inGdslityi and yet ib'
chief Of in6tel bigots gives 10 religion
men, led BY clergy, the credit of ,h'
great reform that planted the seed, 0
liberty iu English and American soils
In France the clergy took suborli
nate bat important parl 10 The reVola.
ton. Many u them we're heedless 0
Ihe sigus u The times. sag NOT lie storm