Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-07-16
Vice-Prcsident COlrax at Providence.

THE Providence Journal publishes n
report of the address which Vice Presi-
dent Colfax made at the recent reception
rendered him in that city. We make the
following extracts:
"That able writer and profound think
er, Professor Draper, of the New York
University, in his interesting and instruct.
i've works, condenscs all history into q
theory for which he has written these
works that have been such an honor 20
his name, and added so much glory and
just renown to American literature. 1t
Is that nations are under law of growth,
like individuals; that they have their pc
riods of birth, Of infancy, of youth of
manhood, of prime and maturity, and of
decay and old age. And as IL is the duty
ot the physician, mini .tcring to the ills
that atllict the body of the individual, TO
endeavor to postpone that final consum-
nation which must at last come TO all that
Is earthly--tn prnlong the life by prevent.
ing the life blood from being exhausted,
keeping the flush of life upon the check,
and the bounding blood in the veins of
the individual, So it is the duty of the
statesman, and Of those who represent
you in public aillirs at your national cap.
ital, 10 endcavor 10 SO perform their du.
N'N' 'h'hN '"'' NUM- oNhhN va bANN1 ahi 'lh
age may be as far as possible postponed.
1t is that thought desire ~ bring before
you to-day, in the few words shall speak
to you. IL is that thought that has ami
mated my public life, and, believe, the
public life ot those who represent the pco-
pie of New England. conceive that some
times there must be exhaustion of the blood
that runs IN the veins of our great body
polite When great rebellion lifts its
black flag of treason, striking AT the
heart OF the nation, the nation must shed
its blood to preserve the rational exist.
euce. But there is no other occasion that
| can contemplate as within the range of
possibilities in which those who are
charged with the conduct of your public
affairs should willingly resort to war.
War drains the blood from the nation.
War cXhausts the resources of republic,
an empire or a kingdom. War carries
anguish and desolatiou into households
throughout the land War piles up debt
and taxes upon the shoulders of the peo,
pie, and although there may he glory, as
there is in the heroism of the battle-t field,
unless in sacred cause like that for the
preservation of national existence or
Tor the redress of wrong that can in no
other way be redressed, there is no justti
cation for war in great republic like
ours II is this, my friends, | say To you,
in antsgonism to the military spirit which
has been fnstercd IN some extent in the
great trial of the nation in its warfare
against rohcllion--it is this which il the
danger to u republic like ours With
peare at home, with concord restored in
all branches and sections of our Union,
we shall go forward with the stately step,
tNinuu ptA frianf N fhNt N N inf
where we shall stand peerless among the
nations of the world, Nor do agree with
those, who, fearing Il danger that may
possibly come TO us, speak of these
troubles that atiiict our body polite, and
of the evils that sometimes are in,
herent in our human legislation,
as the precursors of downfall of the ro,
public Nor do concur with those who
insist upon IL that in this nation of ours
the poor are troddon under foot | know
in this land, as in all other lands, there Is
in all portions of IL, To some extent, pnv.
erty, destitutiou and distress, IL is in.
SepaTahle from mankind, from the Garden
OF Eden until this time, that there shall
be misery among us, as we walk in llfe's
pathway, as q nation or an individual, to
the tomb. But looking over the world
FIR its verdict and for its Judgment, an.
peating tn all civilized lands for the proof
of what say 60 you, | assert that there is
no land existing upon any of the CONT
nents of this globe that is SO much par.
adiSe to the poor man as the Republic of
the United States of America Go with me
t. all other lands where poverty is the
rule and not the exception, as Il is here.
Go with me to the banks of the Rhine, to
the shannon to the Danube, and around
the Mediterranean, and far oil upon the
Pacific shores, and tO what land does the
poor man look with longing in his heart,
longing that he msy have means to emf
CRATE thither and enjoy the coveted civil
and religious lihertyy Do they talk of
eniga,ing TO England with its historic
renownY Do they talk of going to
Francey Do they talk even of going to
Prussia, that nation which has So lil(ei
itself among the nations OF the earth by
its military prowess, and the wisdom of
its rulers, within the last few ye4rsY Do
they talk of going to Russia or elsewhere
Oh, no. All around the world, from con.
tineut 20 continent wherever the poor
man seeks tn better his condition his
eyes, and his heart, aud his thought, and
his hopes are tent upon this republic of
ours IL is not my testimony, il is the
testimony of the tO'ling millions that in.
habit sll the continents OF the globe, And
80 II is and So it will be if we are
faithful to the inheritance that God has
gwen US. The lesson of the hour, the
duty OF the day, the imperative obligation
upon those holding the Teius of public
affairs, is 10 appreciate and to promote the
greatness and the development of this re-
public of ours NJ land las ever had, no
people has ever mad, such a birthright.