Vermont daily transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1868-1870, 1868-07-13
Vermont Daily Transcript.
For he Vermont Transcript.
Are Republics UUyT0t,JiW ?
ST. ALBANS, VT:
MONDAY, july 10, 1868.

AhCiC 40 oif ouoSS iOht. III uSS NiiiN'
makes the assertion that Republics are
ungrateful. 1t Is assumed that despotic
governments are otherwise. The King
owes his own preservation and the per-
petuation of his Kingdom to the fidelity
of his subjects A wise ruler rewards
their deeds.
All are not to be trusted-trencher
often attains high places andis nowhere
10 dangerous as when it approaches the
fountain-head of the government. Gov
ernments are established for the welfare
of the people and should be for the pro-
lection of all classes. This is the chief
idea of n Republican form of govern
ment, and anything short of this is an
imposition upon the people.
Every individual is endowed by ma
ture with personal and property rights !;
hut he has no security in the possession
of either outside of government protec-
ton. Laying aside that protection
which the government affords, and left
to the mercy of the lawlcss, the rich
would become poor indeed, or the poor
would become miserable under an
aristocratic rule. The necessities for
the establishment of Government are
absolute, and the preparation of just
ones is of the highest possible import
ance. The American Republic arose
from its own necessities. All alike re-
ceive protection now, thanks to loya
Congress) and where protection is offered
responsibilities are incurred. If all
classes are remembered with equal care,
equally then are all classes under obi
cations to maintain the government;
but no class is under obligation to it
without protection.
Governments are either continued by
moral and intellectual education of all
classes, or by keeping in hand large
standing armies. The experience of the
more enlightened Nations has approved
of the Common School system; and
those who would receive the greatest
protection from the government are UNI
der the highest obligations to maintain
our Comman Schools. Intelligence is
the nursery of patriotism, and the great
est legacy country can bestow upon
soldier is the education of his children,
or it may be the orphans of him who is
no longer permitted to exercise faith
er's care.
The foundations Of the experimental
American Republic were laid deep and
strong in the wisdom of its founders,
and the war of the Rebellion could not
have arisen in any section of the coun-
try if the idea of our Common Schools
and the equality of all men had not been
mistaken or abridged. Prosperity had
followed and flattered this nation in an
unexampled manner, when suddenly
Its very existence was threatened with
humiliation. 1t was then the para
mount duty of every one who was un-
der obligations to the government land
oil had been except the slave) to rally
promptly or to encourage others to it's
maintenance. 1t may be said that the
government owes its gratitude to no
one for simply doing his duty, and in
repaying at such time the indebted
ness due the Government for the favors
OF lifetime received; but when we re-
fleet upon the strange apostacy of large
proportion of the American people-the
treason of hundreds of thousands of
those in whom democracy only existed
In the name, our gratitude as a people
Is due those who stood asa "wall of fire.
between us and the enemies of our gov |
eminent.
When the hour of trial came MANY
well meaning men We're found laden
with excuses. Qae, perhaps had recent
~ married @ wife; another had pur-
chased g yoke of oxen and another
would satisfy his conscience by paying
$500, instead. Not few who protested
loyalty, were in the habit of traducing
and bellittleing the service of the COM
mon soldier who acted in the discharge
OF his duty, expecting thereby to exalt
themselves in their neutrality. They
were no doubt concious of the fact that
the country needed their services with
the knapsack and. musket, and could
best excuse themselves in making sold
tering appear unpopular The substi-
tute brokerage was carried on upon
large scale, and by this met hod and the
payment of large bounties many of the
sons OF the weather. classes failed to re-
ceive call to come to time. Money
what was it, and bounties what We're
they? If any one expected the money
20 obtained was to repay him for @ three
years campaign-for the Inequalities offs
prison home::On Belle Isle or at Ander-
'onville, he was doomed to utter disap- ,