Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1856-01-04

stltute consent and free acquies-
cence as the bond of union between
the members of the State, instead
of armed or military force. This
operation of the principle is happily
illustrated in our own Republic,
which, although constituted by an
ever-increasing number of distinct
States, has nevertheless been held
together eighty years, and is, trust,
10 be held together forever, with
out, for that purpose, even the the
shadow of a standing army--an
anomaly as pleasing as it is full Of
profitable instruction.
1t has become a proverb
that Europe must soon become Ell
ther Republican or Despotic.--
When the compromise system of
limited monarchy shall have retired,
and only the two systems of Re-
publicanism and Despotism are left
to confront each other on that con-
tinent, in an age of still increasing
intellectual and moral energies, the
triumph of the former, thous h un-
certain in the points of time aud
manper and field of contest, will
nevertheless be assured.
What, then, shall be the rule OF
our own conduct Shall we grasp
and hold fast to existing constitu-
tions, with all their defects and de-
ficlencies, and save them from need
ed amendment, or shall we amend
and complete them, aud so prevent
reactions and the need of sanguiuary
revolutions Shall we comprom-
ise the principles Of justice, freedom
and humanity, by compliances with
the counsels of interested cupidity
or slavish fear, or shall we stand
fast" always in their defense 7 ]
know no better rule of conduc. than
that Of the Purtans. Indeed, ]
know no other that is sure, or even
that great rule be followed success
fully without adopting their OWL
noble temper and spirit.
Increase of wealth and commerce
and the enlargement of empire, are
not truly primary objects of the
American patriot. These are, in
deed, worthy of his efforts. BIZ,
the first object is the preservation {
the spirit of freedom, which is th
soul of the Republic itself. Ler
that become languid, and the r. =
public itself must languish and dc.
cline. Let it become extinct, al !
the Republic must disastrously fan.
Let it be preserved and invigoratc !
and the Republic will spread wid,.
and wider, and its noble institution $
tower higher and higher. Let it
fall and so its example falls, AMI
the nations will retrograde. Let 1t
endure and the world will yet BE-
free, virtuous and happy. Hitherto.
: nations have raised monuments to
survive liberty and empire. And
they have been successful. Egypt,
Assyria, Greece and Italy, are full
= of those monuments. Let our am
bition be the nobler one of estab-
fishing liberty and empire, which
shall survive the most stupendous
material structures which genius
can devise, or art erect, with all the
facilities of increasing knowledge
and public wealth,
The peroration of this admirable
political disquisition is in the fol-
lowing strain:
Here my reflections OH a subject
infinitely suggestive come TO an
end. They wall not be altogether
fruItIess, if | have been at all sue
cessful in illustrating the truths that
continual meliorations of society
and government are not only possi-
BILE, but certain that human prog
ress is slow, because it is only the
unfolding of Divine Providence con-
| cerning man; that the task of di-
recting and aiding that progress is
, rendered the most difficult of all
our labors, by reason of our imper-
feet knowledge of the motives and
: principles of human conduct, and
: of countless unforeseen objects TO
: be encountered that this progress,
nevertheless, must and will go on,
5 whether favored or resisted that il
+ will go on peacefully if wisely fav-
ored, and through violence if un-
} wisely resisted that neither stabil-
} lty, nor even safety, can be enjoy
ed by any state, otherwise than by
rendering exact justice, which is
l nothing else than pure equality, to
: all its members that the martial
1 heroism, which, invoked after too
long passiveness under oppression
, and misrule, sometimes achieves the
3 deliverance of States, is worthy OF
!. all the honor il receives but that
q the real authors of all benign revol-
: utions are those who search out and
l. seek to remove peacefully the roots
: of all social and political evils, and
to avert the necessity for sanguina-
, nv remedies that the Puritans OF
England and America have given
' the highest and most benefcent ILL.,
I ustration of that conservative hero
ism which the world has yet wit
, messed that they have done this
by the adoption of single true and
, noble principle of conduct, and by
f patient and persevering fidelity to
: it; that they thus overcame de-
/ moralizing political and social reac-
{ tion, and gave a new and powerful
/ al