The Greene County Republican. [volume] (Waynesburg, Pa.) 185?-1867, 1866-05-30

10 the front ranks of the nation-the ad-
mlrcd leaders, as it seemed, of the pubs
lie mind, occupying the best positions OF
influence. They were men wise in
their generation, thinking they had their
finger on the public pulse, believed to be
on the high road to power, fame, office
Where are they now! Gods great
millstope of justice to the oppressed,
was revolving and they tried to stop it
with their puny fingers and were broken.
The stone, ont Of the mountains, cut
without hands, the stone of eternal right,
the rock of ages, has broken 10 pieces all
the men of mere expediency, and they
are gone.
"The Mills of God grind slow, but
grind to powder" But of late the mills
of God have been grinding very rapidly
the judgements of God have not been
delayed, but have arrived very speedily
Look for a moment, and see how. in ev>
cry case, quick and extract retribution
has followed the crime and LAID its heavy
hand on the offender. If we see by such
instances, that this is the day ofjudge-
ment, and that God is not to be mocked
or trifed wi,h-we shall better under>
stand what ought to be done in the
present crisls-we shall not be afraid Of
standing. by the right no matter what
seems the great expediency, clamoring
that We continue, just little longer, to
concede, just little something to the
wrong.
We had a nation a few years ago
which appeared great and prosperous
Our population and wealth were increas
ing every year with unexampled rapld>
ity. Coming from manly race with
good blood IN our veins lnheriling free
Institutions, and pure form of Christi.
anity, planned on continent where all
circumstances favored our progress, we
grew strong We took more credit to
ourselves than we deserved. Though
outwardly sufficiently religious, we had
not much sense OF God as reigning
over us. We sang our TIE Deums on
Sunday hut ON Monday and all the rest
of the week talked of ourselves as the
smartest people In the world. We chan
ted the 'Nonnobis Domiae,' slurring the
negation. But all the while, we were
like the image of Daniel. The head was
of gold, representing the golden ideas Of
freedom and equality in the Declaration
of Independence-ideas which were
afterward thought to be only false gold,
pinchbeck, 'glittering generalitles.'-
The breast and arms were of silver -
the pure cold silver of our Northern
stock, the belly and thighs Of brass, and
legs of iron the energy and intelligence
the practical faculty, the inventive skill,
which were the strong pillars of the
State. But the foundation on which
those pillars rested were half IRON and
half clay free institutions mixed with
slave institutions. We were the Fuller
and Collier of Esop's fable, keeping
house together to the discomfort of
both. r
The Mills of God ground on Then
came the terrible retribution. The
stone cut out of the mountains without
hands, the terrible war, which no one,
either North or South, expected or in
tended, came, and broke the old image
10 pieces. No longer should slavery
and fredom, like clay and iron mixed
be the inconsistent foundation
of the State, During four terrible years
the nation struggled for its life. At last
we made up our minds to do justly,-to
give freedom to the oppressed, to let
Gods people go,-and from that hour we
began to trinmph.
How exact have been the retributions
of God OH all concerned. The great
American Republic had been false to its
own ideas for the sake of outward pros.
perity and power, and during four years
all its prosperity and power were'taken
away. Like Christ, it hung on the cross
only he was the innocent victim for oth>
ers' sins but we were expiating our
own. There was darkness over the land
and the veil OF the temple was rent in
twain from the top to the bottom, For
every church in the United States was
torn apart. .d.. ~. .'Rl III i'ii-8
All who went by reviled us, waggiug
their heads. England said : "The
great democracy is surely destroyed, let
us help the rebels to oompletelts dsstruc
ton" The French emperor said -
"Now is my time. France helped
found the republic; but what Of that !
l will seize Mexloo, now that the Union
Is helpless, and cannot prevent me. -