Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1863-07-07
The Fourth Of July.


alton of American Independence, we ought to
recur to the spirit and the ideas which controlled
the Fathers IN breaking the yoke that held them
in servitude TO the British crown. II the nation
had never departed from the principle that gave
character to our Revolutionary struggle we BE-
ieve we should never have been torn and
wounded by civil war 1t is because W. have
despised the teachings Of the men who fouaded
the Republic that we have fallen upon such evil
times, because we have thought more OF com
mercc, wealth, and extent OF territory, than oil
honesty, truth and justice, that we have been
plunged into the gulf Of internecine strife, and
we must return 10 the fundamental ideas upon
which our Government was established II we
would expect success in the present, and perma-
nent peace and prosperity in the future.
We believe il there were any ideas in our
struggle for National existence, those ideas
found expression in the Declaration OF the
Fourth of July l776. The colonies had been
rising to the hight Of those ideas, to the magui-
fed truths Of that Declaration, for years, and
The brilliant pen Of Jefferson then only gave
form and articulation to the thought of the Ma
ton. 1t was the grand argument upon which
our Fathers rested their case with the world
then and the generations to succeed them. On
these truths, on this argument, they asserted
their right TO BE.
We HOLD THEsE TRUTHS TO Ok SELF EVIDENT
THAT ALL MEN ARR CREATED EQUAL THAT THEY
ARE ENDOWED by THEIR CREATOR WITH CERTAIN
UYALIENABLE RIGHTS THAT AMONG THESE ARE
LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HArPINEss /;
THAT TO SECURE THESE RIGHTS GOVERNMENTS ARE
INSTITUTED AMONG MEN, DERIVING THEIR JUST
POWERS FROM THE CONSENT OF THE GOVERNED.
Such were the theses by which, eighty-seyen
years ago, the American Congress startled the
world, and shook every throne in Europe--not
mere rhetorical hourishes, not mere cunningly
phrssed logic, not truths Of local and temporary
application, but truths broad as civilization,
comprehensive as humanity and lasting as Gov
eminent, NOT lessons Of wisdom for day only,
but for all time They were the very life blood
that pulsed in the veins of the young Republic,
the soul that animated, vivifed, and gave char
acter to all our revolutionary struggle
This Declaration has more than historic in
terest and value. 1t is not mere parchment
which, having served its purpose, is henceicr-
ward, like plea IN court, to BIO kept only as
record of single step in the proceedings
or, as some have said, like the strie on the
ancient rock, by which biologists trace the pro-
gross Of old commissions and upheavals Of the
earth surface, but it is rather like fountain Of
living waters struck from the rock by master
hand and gushing nexhaustible in it's peren-
NAL fairness aud sweetness, making the wilder
mess to blossom as the rose, and the solitary
places to be glad because Of it while the world
stands.
The men who framed our Constitution, and
established our Government, believed in this
Declaration, and, as far as they could and yet
secure Unon Of all the States. incorporated
these elf.evident truths into our form Of Gov.
ernment. Slavery was, however, left as dis
turbing element, the single defect in tho other
wise perfect fabric. And through the influence
Of Slavery, through its ability to control men
BY appealing to their lust of Office or of money,
1t has continually grown stronger and more de-
Gant. until, at last, it has risen 10 rebellion
against the. Government, the Constitution and
the Laws, and openly and shameessly declares
that the Declaration Of Independence was lie,
and that the ouly true Government is one which
rests on Slavery. Thus the rebellion is endeay.
oring by fore to reverse the ideas for the main.
tenance of which this country separated from
Great Britain, and to give the lie to oil the
early history Of our Republic. And the ques
ton for this generation to settle is, Shall
such rebellion succeed Shall the ligh
which dawned upon the world eighty-sever
years ago be absorbed in the blacknea Of tn,
Shareholders treason of to-day. and the nigh
of despotism succeed the day Of libery'
These are no trining questions. The recent
movements of rebel armies, carrying the banner
of Slavery into free States, are only forecasts
Of what the nation must endure If rebellion sue
ceeds Slavery will never be content with di
vided empire on this continent 1t has takol
tho sword to establish military dcspotism
and there will not be peace again between tn
lakes and the gulf, till it has perished by th,
sword. The nation must return to the Decla
ration Of Independence, and fight from that
base, before it will conquer any valuable o.
lasting peace. Those truths carried US through
one seven years war to final triumph and SO
cured nationality, were our pillar Of cloud b,
day and our pillar Of fire by night, and the,
have vitality enough to carry US through anothe
war to grander triumph than we won over tn,
army of England, and to better and purer ma
tionality than was established at the FIRST. lie
us adhere to those truths now, never lose sigh
of them in this struggle. and in their supper
anew pledge our lives, our fortunes and our 50
cred honor.