Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1864-03-08

more alive to teach statesmen their forgotten
functions. A Government like ours, in which
the general principles OF equality, liberty, and
charity give spirit 30 the laws needs, as Its true
administrator men Of profound religious con-
yictons--nen upon whose hearts are craven
the two tables ol the law, love to our God and
love to man. A friend Of ours lately came
back rom Washington saying The great lack
there is Of positive faith in God
But what fitness have men, lacking such a
faith to administer what ought to be ID Chris
tian Government No man is fit to staDd ut
the head Of men who does not SIT at the feet OF
God, The only ruler who rules subllmely Is
he whose soul is touched Of the Holy Ghost
aud who 50 borrows greatness from Heaven.
And a nation IN a iieand death struggle for
liberty needs for its leader man with whom
liberty is not only a political idea, but relig-
ious ath-who carries it in his breast as an
unqueDchable enthusiasm, as a holy and purify
ing fire ln the time Of our tral--of our hap
tlsm Of blood not yet ended-let all devout
hearts pray tbai God may grant US the gilt oil
such man
AS another requisite, let the nation in elect
ing a man to preside, take one who was born
70 command The capacity to govern is native
with It's pJsessor it cannot be loaned to him
because he happens to be President Genius
l)r administration is made Of superior sense
quckness courage, and will-sense enough to
make a man his own best counselor, even though
be have a cabinet Of ministers besides quick
ness enou h 10 make one timely blow to tell
better than two tardy ones courage enough
to assume every responsibility except the re-
spousibility Of doing wrong will enough to
break through common mems impos5ibIties as
through egg shells " The will as Emerson
says that is the man. 1t is man with
will that we mean to hunt for next July, and
to vote for next November Also, let US take
man Of clean hands whose palms unyexed
with an itch for GAIN uncorrupted by bargain
and sale, ungreedy Of paid price. 1t is per-
haps impossible TO make any Government
honest. As the great Frenchman
says, Government will be as rascally az the
people permit" Bu. suppose We resolve, for
once, and for al experiment, to permit no ras-
cllity? Bale Peyion used to say that the city
OF Washington was 80 corrupt that the man in |
the moon held his nose in passing over IT, The
present Administration, though not perfect in
all the virtues, is in this respect, so great an
improvement on the preceding, as to create
desire that the forthcoming may be an equal |
Improvement on this A man Of incorruptible
integrity is 10 himself treasure to a nation |
- The kings nam: is tower Of strength" F"
We will not specify other requisite qualities
-ior if We can bad candidate with all these,
We promise to be satisfied
We hope our many readers and our brethren
)t the press will give heed to these suggestions.
II the time is ever 10 come in this country when
IN choosing a President, We ought to take the
glslst, strongest, brayest, best man, and no
lther we believe that time draws nigh. And
what shall hinder us from such choice
Such is the comparatively unpartizan state OF
I'D parties, such the general unauImity Of pur-
pose among all loyal and patriotic citizens, that
he nation is likely to be ireer In making its
minati0n for the next canvas than for any
previous presidential struggle for many years.
wi h 10 old political iayOries to be necessarily
old debts 10 be settled witt for
ner place.men and continuous office seekers
10 unavoidable bargains to be made with bal
.nce holding flctions-no needed consultations
Eith the ancient aud dry.rotted lobbymen of
Albany and Washington no enemy, domestic
" foreign, respectable enough TO be compro-
missed with--no other object to be promoted than
he interests Of the country-why should there
,e a committal to any other candidate than to
he best man for the highest place Nor. this
line, can the usual plea Of " availability" be
lsad as the apology for putting aside the ftteet
nan for some one more accidentally usable, be-
ause more politically influential We believe
mot over sanguinely, as we hope-that the
Oyal party will be strong enough at the next
lection to carry its candidate, whoever he may
,e The true Presidential campaign, therefore,
will be waged before and during the Convention,
ather than after the nomination. 1t will not
)e 70 hard TO elect the best candidate as TO nom.
nate him. This is q reason which not only
usllfes but urges an early survey of the entire
ied. Let loyal men unite speedily and heart.
ly, upon the one and only object Of choosing
he best man.
Who then is he? Let sober.minded citizens
londer the question. We repeat, it is not time
o be rashly nominating; but it is time for
everybody to be prudently considering The
nation, Just now, is busy with something be.
lde candidatlng-havlnga toilsome task on its
llnds, having bloody sweat upon its brow.
But while the blacksmith is hammering, he
nay be thinking. II is idle to say that because
he rebellion is ON our hands, therefore we are
% banish all thoughts OF an approaching
'hang9 of Admiustration-a change that may
,ither be the safety or ruin of the country.
aesides, If the country is expected to be able,
lext summer, to carry on Presidential and
military campaign, both at once, we see no
eason why It is not jusi as able, this winter
md spring, not to be only conquering the re
lellion, but at the same time taking a wise
orethought Of tn, future, first of principles,
md aterward Of men, The ship Of state toss-
Is on rough sea the bells will soon ring a
,hange Of watch who shall take the next turn
1t the helm2 Let it be the safest man to steer
n a storm, the sureet man to find the way into
port and safe anchorage. Give US the wisest
lead, the stoutess arm, the brayest soul And
nay God keep the ship