The Vinton record. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1866-1891, 1867-05-16
ADYERTIsING TERnIs.

with design refused 10 enter the
field Of mere party strife. I-have
avoided an expression of opinion
as to the merits of any one of the
great measures of administration
which divide our people. Power
to adopt them all resides some.
where in our system, either in the
State or Federal Government
Opinions will differ as to their wis
dom. The attainment of the re-
suit is only matter of expediency.
Their adoption or rejection would
not affect the system of govern
ment. And | did not wish to divert
your attention from the fact that a
great revolution in the framework
of government has been accom-.
plished, by any discussion of the
wisdom Of particular enactments
or of the desirableness of the ends
which they propose to attain. /
have, therefore, spoken only of the
tendencies of great movements,
and illustrated them by the general
effect of measures of legislation.
And | have dwelt on these 81
long only that l might ask you
whether We have indeed lost the
Farmer Republic forever. Did the
apostle Of Radicalism read the por.
tents arighti
| cannot certainly answer. All
history is written for our instruc.
tion. 1t tells us that liberty lost is
with difficulty regained; that con.
stituional law once dragged to the
dust by the passions of men, is
rarely again raised to govern them
in the same generation; that when
violence and arbitrary arrests, and
destruction of the press, and di.re-
gald of law, enacted by the ignor.
ance or prejudice or passion Of the
people, once destroy the pure ap.
probation of the value and safe
guards Of liberty, it is difficult to
restore 1t, even as it is difficult to
restore the face of beauty when it
is Scared, or to revive the lustrous
purity of innocence when it is do.
filed. .3.sa 81
Mr.. Webster, years ago, had oc-
casion to discuss the same subject,
and with that pomp and splendor
of diction which marked ali his po.
litical addresses, he said: .-
"Other misfortunes may be borne
or their effects overcome. If war
should sweep our commerce from
the ocean, another generation may
renew it; if it exhaust our treasury,
future industry may replenish it; if
it desolate and lay waste our fields,
still, under new cultivation, they
will grow green again, and ripen to
future harvests. 1t were but tri.
fle, even, if the walls of yonder
capital were to crumble, if its lofty
pillars should fall, and its gorgeous
decorations be covered by the dust
OF the valley.
GAIL these might be rebuilt. But
who shall reconstruct the fabric of
demolished government Who
shall rear again the well proper
toned columns of Constitutional
libertyG Who shall frame together
the Skillful architecture which
unites National Sovereignty with
State Rights, individual security
and public prosperity 2 Now, if
these columns shall fall, they will
be reared not again. Like the Co,
liseum and the Parthenon, they
will be destined to a melancholy,
mournful immortality. Bitterer
tears, however, will flow over them
than were ever shed on the monu.
ments of the Roman or Grecian
Art, for they will be the remnants
of more glorious edifice than
Greece or Rome ever saw-the ed
ifice of Constitutional American
Liberty" ..a .t.... ...r. .t.-
Gentlemen / feel the force Of
these words. | know that others
feel them more deeply, perhaps,
thanI. see among many good
men tendency to despair. l. see
among my own friends-those who
agree with me generally on public
affairs-a disposition to give up all
for lost. They have lost hope, they
have lost courage-their despond-
ency counsels inaction. The news
papers, the public speeches, but,
above all, the private converse.
tions, indicate this feeling. Gentle
men, l do not sympathize with it.
have high hopes for the future. ]
see the dangers which are before
US. I see a long and weary way.
| see a long and exhausting strug.
ole in which success will vary from