Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1863-09-18
INDEPENDENT STANDARD.
A. A. EARLE. EDITOR.
IRASBURGH, FRIDAY. SEPTEMBER IS, 49,
Freedom on Trial--E n glan d.
France--Mexico.

The terrible struggle that has been 60
ing on in our country for more than two
years is the final trial for freedom-to
establish the fact whether this country
shall become all free or all slaYe, whelh-
er its groundwork, first extorted from
King John and set forth in the English
"Bill of Rights" and reafiirmed on a
grander scale by the American Revolu-
ton, shall be destroyed or rise even more
majestic than ever to reassert its power
and supremacy over the whole country,
from Canada to the Gull, and from the
Atlantic TO the Pacific crushing in its
onward march slavery with all its crimes
and errors-overriding those that were
exalted upon the sweat and blood Of the
debased, and raising to the dignity of
manhood those that were downtrodden,
thus reversing the order of things that
has existed since our government was
put in motion by those who taught Eng.
land her first great sad lesson that her
puissant arm was not sufficient to break
or bend the will of her daughter beyond
the seas.
We say freedom is on trial in this coun-
try; that our struggle is to determine
whether the few shall own the many and
lash them to their labors like dumb cattle,
or whether the few shall submit to the
many as becomes them. More than this.
Freedom is not merely on trial in the
states Of America, but she is on trial for
her life in nearly the whole world. The
great struggle is here, for here is the
heart of popular liberty here have the
veins, the bones and the sinews of the
goddess attained the fullest growth, and
hence the fight must be made here, and
if tyranny proves victorious, all the sci
ons Of the parent tree mrst droop and
waste away beneath the dark night Of
despotiSm and ignorance that would en-
sue through the coming centuries. With
liberty overthrow in America, it perish.
es forever in Europe; if it cannot be
maintained here where once fully estab- !
lished, it must certainly yield where it is |
only in its swadding clothes, and the long
suffering patriots of Poland, and of Italy,
and of Hungary, and the smaller states
of Germany, be forced to yield to the
pressure of events in America.
Everything proves our statements to
be correct. The leaders of the rebellion
declare that their purpose is to establish
a government based upon a different the
ory from our own, whose corner stone
shall be slavery, as ours is liberty, where
capital shall own labor as with US labor
owns capital. They declare that our gov
eminent is established upon false prin~
ciple and that the rebellion was to over
throw that principle. The extension of
slavery, to make it universal, to envel-
ope the poor whites as well as the blacks,
is their aim. The election of president
holding different views was their pretext
to "let slip the dogs of war" and inaugu-
rate an era of bloodshed upon their own
soil, of fire and famine at their own
doors.
And despotic Europe watches the con-
test with eager eyes, her hopes aud fears
alternating as the tide of war GIBBS and
flows north or south-struck dumb with
terror as the eagle flaps his wings over
the defenses of Richmond, or is jubiIant
as she sees the rattlesnake coil his Shiny
folds around the forts of Washington
All the good will and friendship that has
ever been expressed by the great powers
of Europe towards America, has been
but the kiss Of the knave, the Aattery Of
the hypocrite. The professions of CONT
mental Europe, and of England, too, have
been stuperdous lies, gross frauds. The
heart of Europe--we mean the govern
ments of Europe yet pulsated for
the welfare of America. Her professions
OF esteem were made from policy alone,
and not from any friendly feeling enter
tanned towards us. They came from era
ven hearts they feared us; they dared
not provoke our ire, for so long as we
were the United States we could defy
the combined despots of the world but
when troubles arose in our country and
state began TO war against state, we then
see their real feelings come to light, and
they exhibit in a manner that cannot be
where their real sympa-
thies are, on the side of despotsm and
arrayed against freedom when she is in
a bloody sweat, undergoing crucifxion at
the hands of slavery. National like per-
sonal troubles serve to discover friends
from foes, to reveal the true and the false.
Our national troubles are not without
their benefits in this regard. And why
should not the despots of the old world
sYmnaihise with the desnots Of the new d?