Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1856-12-13
OUR COUNTRY.

| What beautiful spectacle our country
now affords for the contemplation of the
world Little more than one month ago,
the most momentous and exciting political
contest that has ever occurred since the
foundation Of the government, agitated it
from one extreme border to the other. The
questions involved in that contest were uni
versaDy believed to be the existence of our
institutions-the safety of our blessed Union.
The stoutest hearts of Patriotic men trem-
bled while they beheld the last hopes Of
Freedom jeopardized. Three mighty par
ties divided the country-and each conf
IDENTIFY claimed the victory. The success Of
one alone, promised repose for the country
liberty and equal rights for the citizen.
OF the ether two-one was sectional, organ
lied with the sole purpose, boldly avowed,
of depriving one half the States of their just
rights. The other was vindictive-proscrip-
tive-seeking, under the false name of A
mericanism, to overturn the two most pecu-
liarly AmericaA features of our policy, viz
the right Of foreigners to naturalization, and
tie right Of all men to worship God accord
ing to the dictates of their own conscicnces.
These two parties fought together against
the Democratic party. The struggle was
tremendous our adversaxies, to make
sare Of victory either before the people or
III the House Of Representatives, resorted,
without hesitation, to Fusion, open and un-
blushing Fusion, in the WORTHWHILE their
Whole energies we're devoted to division of
the South, whore an attempt at fusion would
have shocked the public mind, and defeated
the end they had in view. The people every
where were honest aid patriotic, and severe,
indeed, viii De the account they will re-
quire Of those bad men who misled them on
80 vital and ,nonentous an occasion. Thou
sands Of h0nest men already see the snare
TINT was cunningl7 laid for them, and Bit
terIy curse the traitors who had oenspired
against their dearest rights, Thousands
mere are daily opening their eyes, North
and South, TO a clear view of the frightful
precspice, to tue brink of which they were
urged by their faithless guides But God,
Himself, defended the right. He would not
suffer government to be destroyed, in the
building up of which no less of his special
Providence had been manifested, than in
the leading of his chosen people away from
the oppressive tyranny Of Egypt. He sus-
tanned the failing power of the Democratic
party-sustained them in the Gght--and
glorious victory perched -upea the standard
Of the country. On the going down of the
sun On the memorable 4th of November,
1856, the ''hroad stripes and bright stars
Of thirty-ene United States, again foated in
majesty over the whole land, aud one uni
yersal shout went up to Heaven, that all
was safe.
Instantly, as if by the mandate of Om-
impotence, the great pillows of popular ex-
element subsidized into perfect calm. At
this moment, stranger, uninformed of the
history of the late Presidential contest, on
looking abroad over the beautiful repose of
our political sea, would be disposed to pro-
nounce us people incapable of agitation
untitled by nature for the tumult of politi-
cal contest, and, perhaps, unable to appre-
ciate the inestimable privileges involved in
eur recent struggle How far would such
a judgment have erred from the truth p
Had the same stranger beheld from some
elevated point of observation, the excited
struggle of our election day, his Judgment
would have equally mislod him in the op-
posite direction, lie would then have pro-
pouaced that no result would have been ac-
quiesced IN by a nation reused up to such
madness Of feeling-that anarchy and con-
fusion and civil strife must follow any pos
siblo result. But the patriotic philosopher
taking broad and comprehensive view of
The whole character of our people, combin-
ing tho power and EeIcemess of the lien in
aght, with the majestic quiet of that same
noble animal in repose, will augar there
from the perpetuity Of our institutions--the
inal and signal success of this great exper-
iment--the capacity of the people for self.
covarnman.