The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1864-04-15
WHAT TIE WAR TEACHES.

greater distinctness and emphasis than
any other, by the war in which this
country has been engaged for the last
three years, it is, that God presides
over the affairs Of Woodworking all
the plots of the politicians ordering
the results of all our battles, and sub
ordinating all our little plans to His
grand plan of purging the nation of its
sins, establishing righteousness rs the I
basis of national affairs and bringing
the nation to arecognition of His reign.
Many doubter Of Providence has been
converted by the war; and the almost
universal lack of a living faith in the
fact that God takes an intelligent IN
terest in human affairs and exercises
His correcting hand upon them, is
much less noticeable now than II was
before the war began. There are few
men who remain blind to the conyic-
ton that there is power at work in
the war which we do not see bringing
about results which we do not seek
and working out great and good ends
with wisdom and skill which alto
gether transcend the endow1nents of
statesmen and generals. The war has
cut knots that human wisdom could
not unite. We have prayed that it
might cease, but it has persistently
held the national iniquitios before the
nations eyes, until the nation has not
only seen their enor1nitY but has seen
that there could be no worthy and per-
manent peace until those iniquities
should be put away The nation is
convinced for instance that one Of the
special designs Of Providence, in this
war is the destruction of slavery and
all the black brood Of political evils of
which it is the mother; and it is com
ing more and more fully into the belief
that the war will not stop until slavery
is forever destroyed, with all those po-
htical powers and parties which have
synpathized with it. The nation is
becoming convinced that we are to take
new start, and travel more nearly
parallel with the Golden Rule than We
have hitherto done.
POLITICAL INFIDELTY.
We have only to look back to the
commencement of the war to see thai
the political infdeIty of the nation haC
become horrible. Men of the crosses
personal vices were supported for Of
fee by those who professed to be Chris
tian people Politicians who called
themselves Christians were often tn,
meanest hme-servers. Indeed, it wa
almost universally admitted that maj
could not be a politician success
full pohtician-and, at the same time
athoroughly honest man Philanthro
Ply was by-word and reproach il
the capitol of the nation. A man VIII
prayed and labored for the freedom o
the slave was accounted despicabl
fanatic, by that society which assume,
the first rank in Washington and in tn
commercial centres Of the nation Pat
riotism was at discount, and person
al and party interest were recognize
as the controlling motives among a
public men. The men who conscieI
tiously believed, and openly declared
that there was "a higher law" than tn
constitution of the United States wei
hooted at in the capitol Of a Christia
republic. Presses abounded whic
shainelessly apologized for, or covert
defended, the brutal beating Of sci
ator in his chair Commerce knelt
the foot of the slave power, and begge
for peace. The slave-trade itself ha
been resumed, and the people were &c
ting so accustomed to the aggression
of political sin, that they were becon
ing callous, and were not surprised
anything
We can see that in some way, WI
must come out of such state Of thin,
as this, and we are apprehending wi
greater distinctness the fact that Il
defenders Of slavery are not the on
ones who have been to blame for
coming. 1t is the elimination of n
tional impurities, and is intended to
their cure. We are seeing tir
(thank God , when il is not consid,
ed an exhibition of weakness 10 pi
claim and keep anational fasting. I
national heart responds TO the call
prayer, and rises more readily and n
nrally in THANKSGIVING when spec