The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1863-07-04
The Fourth Of July.
June Is, 1868,

{ On each returning Anniversary Of the Declar
alton of American Independence, we ought tC
recur to the spirit and the ideas which controlled
the Fathers In breaking the yoke that held then
in servtude to the British crown If the nation
had never departed from the principle that gave
character to our Revolutionary struggle we be-
lieve We should never have been torn anC
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
merce, 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 TO the fundamental ideas upon
which our Government was established if we
would expect success in the present, and perma-
nent peace ana prosperity in the future
We believe II 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 magni-
fed truths of that Declaration, for wears. 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-
NEAT 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 IIAppINpss
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-seven
years ago, the American Congress startled the
world, and shook every throne in Europe-not
mere rhetorical fourishes, not mere cunningly
phrased logic, not truths of local and temporary
application, but truths broad as civilization.
comprehensive as humanity and lasting as Gov
eminent, bot lessons of wisdom for day only.
but for all time They were the very life blood
that pulsed in the veins of the young Repablic,
the soul that animated, vNifed, 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 hencefor-
ward, like plea IN court, to be kept only as
record of single step in the proceedngs,-
or, as some have SAID, like the strie on the
ancient rock, by which biologists trace the pro.
gress Of old couvulsions and upheayals of the
earth surface, but it is rather like fountain of
living waters struck from the rock by master
hand and gushing inexhaustibe in ts peren
NAL fairness and sweetness making the wilder
ness to blossom as the rose, and the solitary
places 20 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 Union of all the States, incorporated
these selt-eyldent truths into our form of Gov.
eminent Slavery was, however, left as dis
turbng element, the single defect in the 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.