The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1861-10-22
TILE Glory or LARoR.

THE GLORY OF LABOR.
Tie world Is coming rapidly 10 m IN.
derstanding Of the true position which it,
toiing millions occupy, or should occupy.
Years aeo the poet told us;
Honor and shame from no condition rise;
Act well thy part; there all The honor lies"
Asd The true poet is always the poet Of
truth. Bot that which he proclaimed as
tic prcrogaliyo of labor was not its reeog-
nizpd condition at lhe time Of ils uilerance.
Not only did the great ones Of earth de-
ride the claims Of that labor which made
lhcis greatness, not only did historians ex-
lol only the iayorites Of fortune, but men
Of toll themselves were divided against
each other and beli!tlcd each others trades
aud callines, thus playing into the hands
Of those who kept The whole producing
mass IN sahjecion. |! was in vain dat
rising along the course OF centuries, here
and there glorious representatives Of toll
stood up aud yindicaled The great doctrine
OF human equality. Their voices were
soon hushcd. But the leayen was fer
mcpting. Truth cannot always be en-
thraled it possesses vitality aud force
TO which error in vain lays claim.
Allcr aees Of successful tyranny, the
great French revolution At the close Of the
hist century burst upon the world like a
gigantic thunderstorm, and shook the
hoary institutions Of the past to their loun-
datons We deplore, in common with all
The friends Of humanity the sanguinary
cxcesses which affixed so dark stain on
the pages Of this period Of convulsion.
But itmust be remembered that the "rcign
Of terror was the reign Of a few indvid-
uals, not the rule of the people. Under
LAYING. however,, al the horrors OF that
period, was fundamental dea-the idea
of the pnnalitv nf nlnn On i.laa a"'h".'s'ri
Of course, the right Of the laborer to rec
onpeusc and recognition. And It was
because he was tie supposed incarnation
of that idea, tltat Napoleon !. was invest
ed with dieiatorial power, and could COM
mand all the blood and treasure hc need
cd to extend and carry out his views
We will MT say that he entirely justified
the confidence reposed in him. lie was
not The true friend Of labor in the highest
sense, bat he did much 10 advance lis in
terests. He surrounded himself BY men
taken from all ranks and callings he re-
warded industry he favored agriculture,
manufactures and mechanics, and he hid
broad and deep the foundations upon
which the future millions Of Europe wIli
stand IN their strength. Retarded by
armed combinations and by divisions art
fully fnmented, the social revolution has
YET moved forward in spite Of momentary
checks. If during one decade il lost
ground, il made up for it in the advance OF
anoiher as 4 staunch and swift steamship,
though her wheels cannot drive her against
the tempest, yet ultimately conquers wind
and wave, and arrives at her destined
port.
Not only is labor recognized as honora-
Die, but alI classes Of laborers receive their
share Of recognition. There is not the
jealousy between different trades which
formerly existed. The man who iorges
the sword Of the warrior does not set him-
self above the man who reeves the cord
age Of gallant vessel through the block +;
nor does the man who tolls with his hands
deny the merit Of labor 10 him who tolls
with his brains. Contempt is reserved
only for him who leads a life Of sloth aud
acknowledgement e,employing inherited wealth
for the qualification Of his own desires, IT.
stead ol employing it for the good Of his
fellows. Let those who doubt the pro-
gress Of the world look around them, and
see what honors aud rewards are paid 10
labor and contrast this state Of things with
/ that which existed century ago They
will be satisfied that the world moves,
aud that revolutions never 90 backward.
They will derive faith, that through what
ever toll, chaos and suffering, eternal
truth viii prevail at last. Tie progress
may be slow, but it is sure and certain