The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1863-07-03
The Fourth of July.

On each returning Anniversary of the Declar-
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. If the nation
had never departed from the principle that gave
character to our Revolutionary struggle we be-
lieye we should never have been torn and
wounded by civil war. 1t is because we have
despised the teachings of the men who founded
the Republic that we have fallen upon such evil
times because we have thought more of COM
nerce, wealth, and extent of territory than of
honesty truth and justice, that we have been
plunged into the gulf of internecine strife, and
we must return TO the fundamental ideas upon
which our Government was established if we
would expect success in the present, and perma-
nent peace and prosperity in the future.
We believe if 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 BE SELF EVIDENT
THAT ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL ; THAT THEY
ARE ENDOWED BY THEIR CREATOR WITH CERTAIN
UNALIENABLE RIGHTS THAT AMONG THESE ARE
LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF UAPPINEss
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 sever
years ago. the American Congress startled tn,
world, and shook every throne in Europe-no
mere rhetorical fourishes, not mere cunningl,
phrased logic, not truths of local and temporary
application, bat truths broad as civilization
comprehensive as humanity and lasting as Gov
ernment,-not lessons of wisdom for day only
but for all time. They were the very life bloot
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 a historic in
terest and value. 1t is not mere parchmen
which, having served its purpose, is hencefor
ward, like plea in court, to be kept only as
record Of single step in the proceedings
or, as some have said, like the stri@ on tn
ancient rock, by which biologists trace the pre-
cress of old couvulsions and upheavals of tn
earth surface, but it is rather like fountain
living waters struck from the rock by a mastt
hand and gushing inexhaustible in its perez
NAL fairness and sweetness, making the wilde
ness to blossom as the rose, and the solital
places to be glad because Of it while the wor
stands. f
The men who framed our Constitution, ar
established our Government, believed in til
Declaration, and, as far as they could and y
secure Union Of all the States, incorporat
self-evidsnt truths into our form of Cover
ment. Slavery was, however, left as q d
turning element, the single defect in the 9th
wise perfect fabric. And through the inaueu
of slavery, through Its ability to control IN
by appealing to their lust Of Office or Of mon'