Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1869-12-09

THURSDAY DECEMBER Q, 1869.


sour Composite Nationality"
The lecture upon this subject delivered
At the Opera House last evening by Fred.
srick Douglass, of Rochester, N. Y, was
.ne Of the be-t We have ever had the
pleasure ~ listening Ia, and though We
were prepared 10 expect much from Mr..
Donglass, after hearing some OF his Tor
nsr efforts. coupled with the fame for
aratory which had preceded him, we
must, and we believe ws in doing 30 but
express the sentiments Of all who heard
him, confess that we were disappointed,
90 ably aud eloquently did he handle his
text. A gentleman in our hearing, fully
competent 70 Judge. who has heard Mr..
Douglass lecture some six or seven times
previous 10 last night pronounces this
bis greatest effort, aud thinks the dis.
tingnished gentleman ia improving rather
than falling off In eloqnenes 40 years
advauae upon him Tho hall WIS well
Gllsl by an audience composed u our
most Intelligent aud discriminating citi-
ems, nil ~ whom were NJ tho close of the
lecture loud IN praise 81 IL and its author.
Tho lecture WV are pleased o hcnr wins u
-aseeas in moro respeots than ono, 1t net
ting the Young Mems Christian Associa-
ton under whoss auspices II was deliy-
cred, a haudsome sum, after paying all
expenses. HID we room, ws would gladly
yive to the public this able lecture entire,
bnt ia consequence Of tho pressure Of
other matter which had prior claim on
our columns We can lay before our read
era but brief abstract Of It.
At the appointed hour. 8 p m, the lee
turer made his appearance on the stage,
accompanied by Mr. slader, President of
the Y NJ g. Association, who announced
that the next lecture before the Associa-
ton would be delivered on Thursday even
inu, Dec. OH, by Wendell Phillips, on
The subject OF Street Life in Europe" "
after which he introduced Mr. Douglass
% the audience, who said
feello,e Cttiaena In looking tn.
long list of eminent lecturers who offer
their services 10 associations, ! am some
ghat surprised that such one as this
should invite me 30 speak before them.
There Wis i time in The history Of this
Republic when / might have had word
10 say on another subject, bat that time II
gone by Othell6's occupation II como 30
Jar ~ that l. concerned. But | must
,.eed. say somethirg. and hence have pre-
pared lecture.
A. nations lro among the largest aud
most complete divisions of society aa
they raise 10 the surface the worlds
treate-t men and coll into reqniaition men
I tho highest ability for their guidance,
hoy are The most attractive subjects.
tuewledga Of tho character, resources
.ud Importance Of other nations afford us
81 opportunity for u comparison with our
Wn. without which WI would be thrdy,
tor !, Il by comparing one with another
that efrors are pointed out and salutary
and redoemiu9 measures adopted. But /
tm 70 speak only on our own nation and
5n one subject, which has three divis-
-ious l4t, What we are as nation.
u What we shall be in the remote fu-
ture and Sd, What wo ought to be-
There was u time in our history when
It was not easy for me to say anything to
add to our national oousplaeency and it
il not yet wholly past. The United
States to-day is in many respects the most
fortunate of all nations We are in our
youth and vigor while others are tottering
in old age and decreptitude they have
had their day of glory, while ours is still
TO come; they have exhausted the con-
ditions essential to progress, while we are
abundant in them. In European countries
craftsmanship was taxed to maintain their
supremacy; we are taxed to meet the
growth of our Republic So that it will
be seen the balance is largely in our ia
vor Like the grand old oak we seem
destined to grow and flourish, while others
'of az outward stately proportions fade and
die. Yet there are conflicting opinions as
to our progress, and there are some who
prophesy that it will not continue. These
are l.t, Those who are impatient with
our present Advancement. I'd, Those who
are constitutional oroakers; and Sd, Those
who are opposed TO our progress altogether.
The last are the fault-fnding class, who
elim that we shall never again SEQ such
times as in the early days of the Republic;
that we will not again have such statesmen
A. then that we ahall never see the general
government working happily, or tho
South restored. But all this remains to
be seen. They say the niger won't work
without II master During the war for
the Union the air WI full of such say inga,
and we we'll remember their deleterious
effects on our efforts tp crush the rebellion. |
II was well that thess remarks were con.
lined only to prophecy, otherwise the
Republic would have been overthrown
and destroyed by them. The class who
dealt in such language are those who
worship privilege and consequently power,
and who cannot look with compIacency on
government which derives its powers to
govern from the governed. As have said,
We are the most fortunate Of all nations. |
We are the best fed, best clothed, best
educated and sheltered, and those who look |
at the dark side give us fears instead of
hope. We have passed through period
Of dark days; when mighty forces worked
against each other; whea onr MANS vas 4
oy-word in the moath Of the prisi1sgedl
Glasses Of Europe whom ths clip Unisa
was dashed on the rock Of Disunion, sndi