Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1862-12-16

hooespere, nor DR.. Francs, nor tNapoleo
i. or ILL. nor Cromwell even. Nor are the
Inc men to consume one another 10 ansrchy, or 1
play the part Of the Mexican. haveconfiderc
IN their essential civic worth and shelce hav
confidence in the future Of ihe Rep4Aic. The
are not the men that will see it dearoyed, O
their nghh and freedom wrested from them, O.
'hl' country given over to wicked and eorrup
government The essentials Of good govefnmen
are here, in the minds and he.ris Of the people
and in their stout arms; and such acor.rn men
.hey will hsve,-and such governnsnt is on,
like that we have now. | do no,-3tY 7fAt il viii
IN some way be destroyed by thsa tessAs shoe (
OF arms. It will live, in its essential integrity
ms grounded ia too many loving ,ouls and brain,
and muscles, all over the land, to tot.r and fall
IN our day, or our childrens day. Almost every
person you see is living pillar OF il, holding It
up With every pledge Of influence. property, and
llle. The exceptions are no, worth the mention.
lng' Despair not, my friends, ofihe Republic,
TIL this race Of Americans is no more.
! am confirmed in this estimate by the grand
spectacle now before our eyes. Of ht tl5rising Of
more than million Of armed men, 70 defend our
"altar' and hesrlhs," and save our country. Thi.
worth and mettle Of our people. The present i.
pledge and prophecy Of the future. a look upon
this uprising Of the loyal population, and their
enthusiastic and slupeudous movements, civil and
military, in favor of free and popular goyern-
ment, for ihs last eighteen months, With ave and
PRIDE. We, in the midst Of the scenes, see in
stances of poor gsneralship, ineompetency, blum
derIng, speculation, fraud, cowardce, ;saachery-
something Of the infinite waste and demorAI,zatien
incident to war but time will cover ap these
blemi,hes Of the subms and beautifu picture,
and bring ou. in vivid colors the Patris.sm, the
Herolsm, the Enthusi,sm, the Selfmcr fee, the
Give Glory and fifty years hence should not be
afraid to compare the lsss eighteen months with
The other golden eras Of history.
But have another ground OF hop. for our
laud. This isa christian land, not BY courtesy
OF Classification, but more; there is, compared
with any other people, large perctiage of
really cody and praying persons IN Il. They
supply the spiritual conditions Of vitality and cer
tinuance, and these are the most important and
lnhaental Of any. We have na reason 10 indulge
IN spiritual pride. Rtther we have reason, before
uod, 'or confession, humiliation, 10 view Of many
and great sins, individual, social, aaa national.
Yet you may always give yourself the benefit Of
the truth and the truth is, this ia y x,tid-as
Iss. snai Ser1se rSsty ssB. AZ
principle comes ia, that God will spare tue place
for the sake Of the MY, forty, t,e,niy, Ten rghi-
-ous IN ii,-a fact, doubtless, which ha' kept
many asemi-Sedom from destruction and S,eond
We have the independent power and efficacy Of
heir prayers, pleading for our Counlrs. Chris-
ian, IN themselves, silen and acne, are" the sail
'f the earth; "tnd praying christian, have power
si,h God and prevail, ana christians I'll over tho
oysl states are praying 10 God 10 save ard bless
IL.
Again, | derive comfort in remembering ths.
,ur fathers, in founding our institution, and civil
ystem, eorsndnied ,siih God. They dedicated
his land TO him. Their obee; was religious
,ne, their aim to honor him and they catered
nto covensnt-bonds with him, ior Themselves
md those who should live after them. 1t was a
mutual transaction. Their signature was affixed
n legbe human characters; his in the lavorng
Drovdeuces that followed. Thus their sons, our
Institutions, and the Republic Itself were all
1orn into the bonds Of tue covenant Msay Of
he sons have themselves scosnis.d and rs-rstii,d
he covenant feel that this is God' and, these
ire Gods mpered institutions and plead with
! coyenani.keepug God, to interpOse and save
lie own. | do not believe that God will dl,own
as, that he will forget the covenant with the
aIhers and sons, that he will cast of his inherit
,nee. Ne, soj rather, though We hse .trayed
rom him often and in many ways, ,eem to hear
him saying Like as pleaded with your
athers in the wderns. Of the land Of Egypt,
10 will plead with you. And will cause you
10 pass under tue rod, and ,riH bring you into
he bond Of the eossnant AVID | Via purge osi
from among YOU The rebels, and thsm that trans-
yress against me-"
Msrsover, /, strengthens my hopsfaaes 10 re
feet on the kind ot our civilization aud inss,su.
hons. With one cad exception, which nust BE-
highes, lgh, Of modern times. II i. the embsai-
men, Of the best ideas Of civil governnent Of the
Nineteenth Century. We had the advantage in
thi, country Of starting into national being but
short time ago, adopting the wisdom Of the Old
world, engr,fiug ii in the New, and rsPudiating
the folies and evils. We have no hereditary
wrongs-You must take along With you the tx-
cep,ion.-We have no obsolete and hnrdensome
customs. Society here is not strathea in fixed,
unsympathising, jealous classes. Government ia
no, lod ged in whole or in part, in the hands Of
a permanent or hereditary family, clique, party or
interest. No union of State and ChuTeh arrests
the freedom of ecclesiastical lite or vitiates the
purity of individual and public religion. There
is the freesi possible scope and incentive for man
hood the manhood, whatever it is, much or lit
tie, OF every citizen. Surely the elements and
possibilities of human progress and rich nation
.l,. Il .cl,l .,,,ctknt,,,,, If
humanity, exist here, if anywhere. Aud 1t seems
to me that the word--and say i, knowing the
danger and the sin of presumption, but say it
not as an American, but more, q man regarding
the interests of the whole race,-hni the isorid
cannot afford to spare US. But this sa danger
Gus point, and leave il. This al least is safe !;
unless there is some ot1er good reason Tor our
destruction, God certainly will not destroy us
because cur country has 50 many elements of