Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1864-07-05

Inc return OF our National Anniversary, al
though occurring this year in the midst of the
stern alarms Of civil war in which the people
are struggling for the continuance Of the national
integrity, can bring with it no more instructive
lesson than is found in the Declaration which
gives the Fourth of July its grand and hallowed
distinction among all the days of the year. There
was but one leading, central idea in theargument
upon which the men Of the revolution justified
their course to the men of their own and all com.
ing time. Whatever reasons might have inllu-
enced individual minds to take part in the revolt
OF the Colonies from the parent country, the I'M
answerable, and invincbe argument to which all
logical minds returned at last as the ultimate
reason, was the equality of man and his unallen-
able right to life, liberty anG the pursuit Of hap
pness, any form of government which had be-
come destructive Of these rights FORGETTING its
claim to the obedience Of the people. The des-
potism and the oppression of England could only
be answered by this logic. The divine right Of
kings to rule according to their own good pleas
ure, found here barrier against which it beat in
vain. Manhood arrayed itself here against the
accident of birth, Democracy stood up against
pretentious aristocracy, liberty drew its sword to
fight against prerogative. The principles and
their champions won the yictory,-acheyed
through unparalleled suffering and hardships,-
and established the independence Of the United
States Of America.
But just here, and as the young nation was
making for itself an organic law which should be
It's rule of action for all time, there appeared with
in itself disposition to deny to a part Of the
people Of the country the right to liberty and the
pursuit Of happiness and in an unfortunate lmo'
ment, and for the sake of Union among all the
States which bad shared in common the perlls oil
the war, government was formed which did not
secure to all its people the 'unaenable rights,
but left a portion slaves, II the trainers Of
our constitution could have foreseen the evils
which slavery would engender, they would sooner
have cut off their right hands than have left it
with single guarantee or immunity but they
hoped for its peaceable and early and total abo-
litoD, and therefore suffered it to live to reproach
their own Declaration, and all the magnificent
declarations for universal liberty which had kept
up the courage Of the struggling colonists through
the darkest days of contest with the crown. And
to-day, and for the last three years and more, the
nation has been eating, in suffering and tears, the
fruit of this tree of bitterness left in the garden of
our liberties.
Is il entirely certain that the nation has yet
learned thoroughly the lesson which slavery is
teaching l.? Are we ready and willing, hence
forth, to stand by the principle Of Democratic
Government, that all men are created equal DO
we vet understand that there is no refuge Of the
weak against the strong, Of the oppressor against
the oppressed, OF the honest, industrious, peace
able man against the greedy, selfish, mercenary,
schemng aristocrat, unless the government which
protects us exists by our consent, and the men
our votes DO we yet believe that what we claim
for ourselves, liberty, equality, participation in,
and enjoyment of all the rights Of citizenship
equally with the best man in the Republic, we
cannot honestly, or safely withhold from any
man except as punishment for crime Has even
the discipline of the war brought us to accept
fully, without mental reservation or qualification,
the great truths of the Declaration Of Indepen-
leace.
While we deny, with glazing injustice to our
cJored soldiers who are fighting side by side
with the white sons of the Republic for the
Of nationality, the equality of
pay and protection which we give to those Of
different color while the Government ADOPTS on
its own plantations and in its military departments
regulations which discriminate injurousy against
the black man, not only denying him the right Of
suffrage, but denying him also the right to bis
liberty; wtile States which still claim to stand by
the Old flag, adhere with tenacity greater even
than their devotion to country, to the nstitu-
ton OF Slavery and while the representatives of
one OF the great political parties in the country,
by solid vote in Congress, refuse to permit the
people TO so amend the Constitution as to prohib.
it Slavery henceiorth and forever on national soib
it cannot be truly said that the Nation has yet
become converted to an honest faith in the equal
ity Of man.
Yet the warmesl advocate for universal liber.
ty, and universal hatred of every species Of des-
potsm aristocracy and caste, can fud much to
strengthen his courage in the progress Of truth
in the last three years. Slavery has been ban.
ished from the national Capital. All Fugitive
Slave laws, those bots upon our statute book, have
been repealed. Slavery has been forbidden in
all the national territories. Maryland, by her
own act, has taken her place among the free
states. Hall of Virginia has been dedicated to
freedom. Hundreds OF thousands Of slaves as
our armies have advanced against the rebellion,
have been given their liberty. The prejudice
against color, which for many months kept the
Government from enHsting black soldiers, has
given way, and more than one hundred thousand
American colored men now wear the Federal
uniform. And, more than all these together,
national expression has been given 10 the popular
will against Slavery, in the Proclamation of Jan
lary /, 1868, which will yet be ratified and made
sure, beyond the power of courts to overthrow it,
by the victory of our arms, and an amendment to
our Constitution.
Thus much the discipline of the war, and the
providence of God, have accomplished in three
l., :.