Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1862-04-01
Nae Peorle and the Goyernment


DR. Russell, the special correspondent OF the
London Times, and who may truthlulIy be called
the false prophet Of that paper, ~ tins country
has recently come to the conclusion that be does
not yet thoroughly understand the Yankee ma
ton. The American people don do as he OK
poets them to- lie came here with the British
idea Of the tendencies OF Democratic institutions,
and with the most ultra phase of That idea. The
conflict just commencing had nearly sienced the
Old Word admirers Of our popular suffrage
our doctrines Of the equality Of man, and
the equal participation Of al men in making
the laws and administering the government,
which we're at the foundation Of our experiment
Of the capacity Of the people to govern them
selves and the Tories Of England were in great
glee over the prospect of the immediate bursting
Of the bubble of Democracy in the Western
Continent The Times accordingly sent oui
Dr. Russell to watch the symptomsand describe
the dying struggles Of the unwieldy monster =
The learned Doctor Immediately indu ged in the
most superficial, and scanty, and false diagnoses
of the patient, and made them the basis for the
most startling and dogmatic proguostcs Of inn
mediate and rretreyable ruin. But after about
a wear Of this kind of business, the correspon-
dent has at last found ont that lie don't know
anything about us We are to him strange
people. Wedont get up MODS. and riots, ac-
cordine to the Russell idea Of rabble Democ-
racy. We don't take advantage Of the disorders
Of the body polite to exhibit spirit akin 10
that Of the Red Republicans of Paris We don't
drive the President from the White House, be-
cause lie removes, or retans, apopular Uranium
popular officer We don't brow-beat the gov
eminent into war with England. We don't
refuse to honor the repeated drafts of the gene
raj government upon our money, our citizens,
or our patience, in the war for the Republic
We don t 60 foolishly crazy over a victory We
don't die of defeat. But we keep on in the
even tenor Of our way, exhibiting settled de-
termination, a stern patriotism, heroic lorti.
tude, which are utterly incomprehensble to the
man who has no faith in the people either Of
England or any other nation.
lie, who carefully and with IN unprcjudiccd
mind studies the history Of the free States OF
America since last April, will find IN it, in fact,
the strongest and best arguments in favor OK q
Democratic form OF government Any kind Of
government will do III peaceful and prosperous
times 1t is not the smooth sea, and iayoring
winds that test the strength of the ship, but ad-
verse gales, and tempesluous ocean. Last
March the National Government was on the
verge of ruin. An imbecilc executive, and a
traitorous Cabinet, had brought the country to
the brink of destruction. The North was dis
tracted BY divided counscls. The South was
united in the hope OF speedy aud an easy rev
olution. In less than month, however, the
North became unit, by voluntary, almost by
spontaneous action, and rallied as one man tC
the support Of the constituted authorities. Since
then, with an energy, a settled determination, Il
persistent activity, and united purpose, that
have disappointed the expectations of the mos
sangune, the people have gone forward in tho
work of SURPRISING rebellion, and have amazed
the world with the magnitude of the work ac
complished. There have been ungrudging toll
austere self-denial, unhesitaling submission, ant
almost unquestioning obedience, in answer t.
every requirement of the Federal power. 0ui
large cities have boen as quiet and as orderly al
the smallest aud most sparsely settled rural ds
tric;. Everywhere, outside tho domain OF slavery
our State and municipal governments hav
worked as smoothly n, in the most "pipin.
) times of peace" No police or cons.abular,
/, force has needed to be increased Elections hav
been more quiet than ever. And the sense 0
individual interest in the success of our cause
, and of individual responsibility for the goo
i namo of our nation have never, AT any momen
since the formation of the Republic, been NOR
universal than for the last six months of lis bls
tory. And as the consequence OF this free &C
, lion of free people, We have reached the re
suits which already illumine our cause, and hay
I. laid the foundation for the still greater achieve
# mcnts that shall make us again one nation.
d The danger, as free people, that weare nov
a in, is not all in The direction which has bee
n prophcsied by our enemies at home or abroad
y There Is not nearly SO much to bo apptehendo
= from the unbrded licentiousness OF the popu
ace as from the assumptions OF power by tn