Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1862-04-18
For the Cedar Falls Gazette.
Revolution.

1t is proper, during the present crisis, to
enquire upon what foundation rests the right
of revolution '. ... ..a.-.t...
Eighteen months ago the position which
we shall take, would have been considered
hsterodor by many. Nothing SO far tends to
convince men Of the falsity of particular and
favorte theories as experience. Very many
men have heretofore considered the right to
rcvolutio,,ize government among those
called "iaalienable." The success that at.
tended the efforts Of "our fathers" and the
happy results, that we have experienced for
so many years, of the Revolution of 1776,"
have been considered strong proof in favor of
revolutions generally We hold it to be an
exception at most, and il critically examined
il too might he found to be based upon pio-
olation Of right. s.L .... go, s.,..
BY rerolution we mean successful rebellion
and when we assert that no men, nor class
Of men, are justifiable in attempting to revolu-
tionizc government, we do not mean peace
able revolution, one wrought by common con.
sent,-but revolution by force Of arms-rev-
olution based upon rebellion for the purposes
Of ambition or to redress an actual or i'm
agined wrong Too often are bayonets the
only remedy applied to oppression and want.
But bayonets have seldom produced other
than darker outrage against humanity and
deeper wrong upon society ...-
Liberty and rebellion are not in harmony
The most despotic Of masters il mob driven
by fanaticism to treason. We do not build
edfices in the current, but on the shore; and
so, stable government is not basel upon rev.
olutionary rapids and torrents, but upon en-
during foundations Of peace and conserva-
tism.
Continents are not upheavcd by tempests
and pillows, bu. result from the silent activ.
ity Of the coral down in the deep, still ocean.
Civilization is but the work Of busy human
corals, vastly advanced by peace, but fatally
retarded by revolution. A day Of tempest
may sweep away an age of laborious gather
ing. s...f. ,., esf ..n
On the principle that " desperate cases re.
quire desperate remedies" revolution may be
legitimate, even necessary. How far it is SO
or when, is most delicate question, and one
involving interests too dear to humanity to
admit of hasty answer. The tempest pu.
rites, but also destroys; there Is no bit to
curb the tOrnad0-and reuOlutiOn is rocky
and tempestuous sea, launched upon which,
states rush with started anchors and torn
sails to certain wreck and ruin. Like Sat-
urn it devours its own children, and, drunk.
en- with blood, runs mad riot over the most
sacred rights of humanity. @ ras
The fierce democracies" OF Greece, riding
to power upon the blood-crested waves ofrev-
olution, never secured liberty 10 the people,
but brought ultimate slavery and death. The
liberties Of France have perished in revolu-
tiOnary throcs, and the blood Of royalty up
on her soil has cursed it forever for the tread
Of freelnen. France, that, under the old
regime, marched like queen in the van
guard of nations, is bound to degradation by
iron bands that the rust of centuries will not
break up,-and these were forged in the
fierce fires of her revolutions.
When we are informed that Italy has wit
messed no less than seven revolutions in the
last half century. we have the sufficient rea-
son, without reference to the history of her
remoter past, for her degradation and pow
erty. Our own revolution Of l776 has not
yet developed its end, and in the course of
the next century, before we have had ma.
tiOnal existence for two hundred years, re-
suits will be reached which we dare not now
contemplate, yet strictly following the path
marked by the history Of the past. The
American revolution however was wholly un-
like the spasmodic efforts Of France, or Italy,
or of the Germanic states. While it demand
ed not SO much change in government as pro-
lection by it, they were waves Of popular
treason, sweeping of the foundations Of law
and order, and privilege, and oblitcratng the
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