The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1865-05-12
Our National Strength.

the unnu OF an HsshhSln, tnuJ event
has produced no tumult OF confusion
Such an occurrence in Europe would
have been followed by riot and blood
shed. Here, although in state of
civil war and with half million of
insurgents against the Government
when the murder of our beloved
President took place, everything has
gone on without the slightest inter
ruption. The Vice President, upon
being officially notified of the sad
event by which presidential respon-
sibilities devolved upon him, at once
takes the requisite oath of Office and
enters upon the discharge Of his sol
omn duties; no jar in the machinery
no stoppage, even. Every thing is
done decently md in order. The
general and local governments have
gone on steadily, Notwithstanding the
atrocity of the crime, by which the
President of the United States has
been stricken from the roll of the po-
tentates OK the earth. These facts are
ofgreat moment. Adopting the words
OF Q CONTEMPORARY, we enquire, how
will the enemies of popular govern
ment account for this unprecedented
spectacle, which, they must acknowl-
edge, could have been exhibited by no
other nation on the globe under SINH
lar provocations to violence and an
archyP How can they account for it,
except by the fact that self-govern-
ment has educated the American peo-
pei to personal self-control. This is
the true explanation. Every citizen
feels that he is the government; that
he is responsible for the maintenance
of law and order; that the destiny of
the nation is in his hands as one of its
rightful rulers, and that wrong or VIC
lence done to one citizen is done to all
The republic is not only the property
Of all, but every man feels that he is
part and parcel of the republic. Men
may perish; the highest in Office may
be smitten down by violence, but the
constitution stands-the government
has in itself vital power and indie
structible means of perpetuation.
The conspirators seem to have
thought that if they could destroy the
chief executive officers of the nation the
government would perish, and con-
fusion and anarchy reign. They would
have been mistaken even if they had
succeeded fully in their diabolical
scheme. The shock would have been
more terrific, but the vacant places
would have been filled in accordance
with the provisions of the constitution
and the supremacy of low would not
have been disturbed for single day.
We have demonstrated to the world
what has never before been proved
the superior strength Of popular gov
eminent The statesmen of Europe
have been telling us for four years
that the maintenance of the Union was
an impossibility and we were shedding
our blood in vain. They judged hon
estly, no doubt, but they made the
mistake of supposing that the Ameri
can citizen is like the European sub
ject. They knew very well that any
government in Europe must succuml
to o rebellion as gigantic as tina
which prevailed here, and they ha(
no precedents and no theories of hui
man nature that could justify the ex
pectation of any other result. The,
now see what they thought impos
sible accomplished by the unyieldins
determination and force of free ant
united people. The lesson is one TO
the world, and its influence will b,
felt wherever civilized men exist
This lesson teaches us that our Ma
tional strength lies in the hearts ant
hands of the people rather than in tn
hands of those who are in power
Every thing that separates the peopl
from the government weakens it. Wha
binds them to it gives it strength an
vitality. Our country's glory is i
the hands Of free and enlightene
people. The nation is the people
The government is the people. S
long as the people are true to then
selves and their destiny, this republi
will live. This is an important lesso
and there could be no more opportun
time for profting by it than the pres
emit.
O. Row - C,,.,.oo m,