Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-01-02
lS66..IS61.

lS66--I 1867.
The events of the past year are now his
tory. We need not recapitulate them, for in
these days, when everybody reads the news
papers. the striking occurrences of the past
twelve months are familiar to all. We shall
only Tecur to one marked feature Of the year,
the agitation for the right of the people to
. voice in the government under which ttey
live.
In England this is known as the Reform
question. Early in the Iast year Gladstone
led the reform movement in parliament ask
ing only that part Of the disfranchised peo-
pie of England should be admitted TO vote.
The tories, by vari, us shifts, and by skilliul
parliams ntary tactics, defeated the bill. But
instead of suIprt ssiDg the agitation for the
suffrage, this action of parliament gave it
new life and power. John Bright, the leader
of the reinIm morf ment. arIealed from the
parliament to the people from those who
refused to oIen tie doors of the government
house to tie conmon people Of England, to
the common people tIenselyes--and these
people inscribed @ Manhood Suffrage" on
from end to end, in a movement which must
bring them victory at last
Even Fenianism in Ireland and this coun-
try is only a struggle, often misguided, and
generally led by tbofc wlo care nothing for
the hbeI ties of ITeland-to Tut Ireland III
the control of tie Irish people, to give the
natives of that island Tie right to own the
soil, to choose their religion, 10 make their
laws, to be an INDEPENDENT nationality. 1t
is sea rcely different iron tie contest hy Eng
lishmen in England for the ballot end it is
therefore natural enough that tie common
people of England should symIathize with
the lopgings of lrshmen for the control Of
their own island, and that John Bright should
be enthusiastically welcomed in Dublin, and
cheered to the echo VIXEN lie sp, Ike of the
wrongs and burdens imposed upon that
people.
Italy during the year has achieved a great
progress toward a nationality which has been
the dream and aspiration of her greatest
statesmen for generations. Venice. released
from the hated rule of Austria, has, by an I'M
restricted halle /, joined her fortunes to Italy.
Tie French troops. whose bay onets have alone
supported the temporal power of the Pope,
have been withdrawn from Rome, ard the
head of the Catholic Church Will soon be
obliged to yield to tie destiny that awaits
him, and surrender all temporal power in
Italy to Victor Emanuel and then Italy will
be enc nationality from the Alps to the Adri
attic, and will be ready to welcome a freer
civilization, and demand larger privileges for
the people than ever before.
The grand and splendid triumphs Of Prussia,
in the war with Austria, have given to Eu-
rope German nationality inspired by the
spirit of Ircgress, hberalized by education,
embracing the advancing civilization Of the
age. recognizing more fully the rights Of the
people, and more in han mony with the dem
ocratic ideas which underlic the agitations of
our times.
Russia is still holding fast in the way of
sneliorating and elevating the condition of
the common people, and manifests the earn
estness ard sincerity of its faith in humanity
and its work for IT, by copying from our
ample, initiating our institutions, and e1-
changing with our nation the amer tiles ard
hospitali,ies of the waImest friendship.
Such is the condition of Europe, swept
from sea to sea by tie inspiration of the new
gospel of liberty ard the rights of man, and
sgitated by convulsions which will never rest
until the people shall have their own and the
sovereignty. of nan shall be everywhere rec
ognised.
These agitations in the old world are only
the distant rulees that answer to the beatings
of the popular Ieart in the United States
During the twelve months just expired,
country las witnessed an agitation in behalf
of the rights of man greater than ever before
in our history. The problems of reconstruc-
ton have been submitted to our people, and
the ballot box has given their answer. Some
who look no deeper than the surface OF this
sgitation, and only read the catch-wordt
which politicians haunt On their banners, Ere
tend to sec only . struggle between parties
Sor tho control of the government and the
distribution of the epoils of Office. But this
ses Of humanity, upon whose surface these
time-serving politicians float their selfish ven