Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1865-08-11
The First of August.

vi thiS uay = cav tho'"' S"'S' r. 'oS
carried on through nearly quarter of
century of toll, obloquy and self sacriic
! carried on against the opposition q
wealth, rank, talent, nd almost th
: whole power of great nation--in behal
of poor, neglected, despised and out
ragged race-triumphed, and their chain
fell from the limbs of 100000 human
chattels. And not that alone, but tina
great nation poured out her millions 0
money TO set them free. Amid the thun
ders and lightnings of heaven, on thei
Bonded knees, these victims of untold OPP
preston receive the boon-and yet only
their natural right-of freedom. To thu
salvos of the artillery of the skies which
greeted The suspicious hour, they respond
ed with thanksgivings and hallelujahs.
The tbirty-frst anniversary of thai
sublime day has come and gone. Noticed
by how few, and yet it contains teachings
of great joy for not only the black man
but for every human being. That day
began new era for mankind. 1t says
again and forever that Right, Truth and
Liberty shall triumph, though their enc
mics be mailed in triple steel and their
host as the sands of the seashore for
number.
In some respects this thirty.frst ami
verSary is more important than the first.
1t comes very nearly at the close of a
generation since what many thought "the
experiment of liberty" began. Many
looked with misgivings upon emancipa-
ton. The planter class prophecied its
total failure. If we may judge them by
their deeds, they were resolved that it
should fail. Emancipation freed only
their slaves, not them. They were bound
in the chains of a darker and lower
bondage, from which they are not deiv-
cred. Short>sighted, or proud and selfish,
or both, they hindered the freedman's
progress in every way they could. But
in vain. Their efforts were only hinder.
ing not stopping progress. The pro-
gress went on. In spite of enormous
Obstacles, the absence of help, the evil
habits and ideas created and lostereG by
ong bondage, the ignorance and hostility
# those who should have enlightened
nd be-friended them-and last, but far
rom least, the cold looks of an unsym- /
world, forward and upward to- &
ard higher manhood the negro went, |
ntil now he has justified his emancipa. l
on even unto sugar and corn True, a
is is denied-but it is denied for pur-
use and the denial cannot be sustained. CT
The day hos its lesson for us. We are "
the crisis of far larger emancipation
an that of the West Indies, an eman' RI
patton fraught with vast results to our. d
Ives and to our country. Heed we the a
'est Indian lesson. 1t tells US that ap> D
'enticeship absolutely failed, that moth u
9 but outright liberty would answer a
tells US, moreover, that the negro will c
rogress if free--if not with US, in spite
US. And so it tells US, most emphat-
ally OF all, to treat him as becomes a ii
an i. e., to lay on him the duties and L
,sponsibiliies and give him the privi- N
ges of manhood, to help him if ignorant, al
protect him when wronged, to make d'
, difference between him and any other e'
an. In this way shall we not only in III
marvellously short time add four mill p'
ms of good citizens to our population, I'll
cure splendid loyalty to our insttu, III
ms, get distracting element out of Sc
,litics, gain for our Southern country a Gil
owing population to whom it is dear az
ID native, and who can and will cultivate Su
and redeem ii from all the curse Of I"
avery; and thus win and deserve
bile prosperity; bat shall also win self vi
spect and the respect of the world, and tn
crown all, do a mighty work towards y
e deliverance and elevation of man. y
nd.-Phenir Il