Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-08-18
Lincoln they achieved success and grasp

Republican party rose with the crisis. 1t
raised money in unstinted measure, or
ganized vast armies, created powerful
navies, fought bloody battles. crushed the
most gigantic rebellion of all recorded his
tory, and saved a nations life. 1t was
then, amid the clash of arms, that the Re-
publican party saw that slavery was the
relentless and unappeasing foe of the
country, was the inspiration, the heart
and soul of that civil war, and that its
death would be the humiliation of the re-
bellion, the unity of the republic, and the
development of free institutions. Against
cowardly fears, selfish instincts, and I'M
reasonable passions and prejudices, it pro-
nounced the doom of that hideous and
herrid system of human bondage, though
| it was upheld by the aggregated interests
| of three thousand millions of dollars,
hedged about by the accumulated pas
sions and preiudices, prides and ambitions
| of seven generations, and intrenched with
| in the social, political and ecclesiastical
organizations and affiliations of life. By
series of executive and legislative acts it
broke the chains and lifted from the
depths of chattelhood up to the SUBMITS
of manhood four and half millions of
hapless bondmen, who stood before the
nations with their riven letters in one
hand and their title deeds to freedom in
the other.
The war ended, the rebellion subdued,
the bondmen emancipated, the Republican
party entered upon the third era of its
eyentful history. Though conquered by
humane, and generous ideas of the victors,
1 4 60 HOW oil nTyy-
ance and loyalty to the government, but
still bemoaning the "lost cause" they re-
manned unsubdued in will and unrepent-
ant in spirit and purpose. Though made
free, the bondmen were homeless, without
property, without employment, subject to
the cruel laws against free people of color
which had always disgraced Southern
legislation, and in the midst of people
exasperated by defeat and maddened by
their loss of power still longer to hold and
Cypress. Property was swept away, in
dustry disorganized, society disintegrated,
and States were without lawful govern
ments.
Upon the Republican party devolved
the task of reconstruction. To its intrin-
sic difficulties were added III in'ehSe HOS
| tilitv of the oy-r~,eIs, the lingering pref
system, the timid counsels of conserva-
tism and the apostacy of the executive.
(! Great interests and powerful combinations
sought to so reconstruct the South as t.
place the power in the hands of the late
slaveholding class, and leave the helpless
| freedmen in the abject condition of prac-
teal serfdom. Seldom in history has
there been imposed upon any body Of men
work of greater magnitude or difficulty.
The Republicans might have shrunk from
and avoided it. They were sorely tempt
ed to do So But they resisted the tempt
alton of official power and patronage, the
| threats of executive dictation, and all
other adverse influences, and with sub
lime fidelity and courage addressed them.
selves to the herculean task.
| To aid in recognizing disordered in
dustry, caring for, protecting and instruct
| ing tho ornanoipatad hondmen in the new
duties of their changed Condition, the
Republicans established the Freedmen's
Bureau, which, by the wise expenditure
of few millions of dollars, did an meal
culable work for order, peace, and the re-
Mobilization of Southern society. To re-
construct rebellious States on the solid
basis of equal rights, they gave suffrage
| to the freedmen in the reconstruction
measures. To secure citizenship and civil
rights to wronged and hated race, they
proposed and adopted the Fourteenth
Amendment, and enacted the Bill of Civ
il Rights To establish by irreversible
guarantees equal political rights end priv
ileges, they adopted the Fifteenth
| Amendment, and as q crowning act of
| freedom they provided by law for tho en-
| forcement of those amendments thus
newly enshrined within the Constitution.
| Thus the Republicans, against lie steIn-
est opposition, against misrepresentation
against appalling obstacles, have strug-
| gled on until the rebel States, recon-
structed on the basis of impartial liberty,
have been restored, and the sublime doc
trines of the Declaration of Independence
made assured and practical realities. In
the progress of the ages it has been Civ
en- to few, to achieve in any form or by
anv mode, work 80 vast, so grand, so
benefcent, so sure to be recorded by his
tory, and applauded and remembered by
coming generations.
| Having achieved this grand work, hay-
ing passed through these eras of its his
tory, the Republican party, entering on
it's fourth era, was summoned to deal with
j questions relating to the national debt,
the currency, finances, and taxation, to re-
forms in the military, naval and Indian
service, and whatever remaining burdens
and legacies were left by the war. Con-
corning these questions there are apparent
diyersities of interests and real differen-
, ces of opinion. The solutions of some Of
them are embarrassed by grave difficulties
They require time as well as financial
E skill and practical craftsmanship for their
adjustment. Differences of opinion on
matters so reconcile and complex in an
organization embracing so many men OF
large intelligence, trained to habits of in.
: dependent thought, expression and modes
I of action, are inevitable. They are, in
- deed, to be expected and desired, for from
such freedom of discussion truth is elicit.
" ed, and proper modes of action are deduc'
: ed. The men, therefore, who stood sc
i firmly while in minority, amid the de-
Q nunciations, arrogance and scorn of pow
j.. er the men who met the stern exigencies
of civil war with such heroic courage
who assailed the slave power and extir
d pated the slave system; the men who
Q grappled so successfully with the per
S picking and pregnant issues of recon
i struction, lifted helpless freedmen up Il
citizenship, exalted them to the heights
of civil and political rights and privileges
j and made the nation free in fact as vel
as in name, should not shrink from thu
o less mOmentous and less embarrassing
= questions now before them.
!, Patriotism, principle, the continued ex
t istence, reputation and renown of the Re
:, publican party, and due sense of self
v respect and pride of character, demand
that Republicans now, as in the past
:, should have faith in this capacity to carry
u forward to completion reforms so aus
s piciously begun. 1t came into being as al
t organization of reform and progress, ant
: should be ever ready TO accept the living
issues of the hour and march abreast Will
. the spirit of the age. Unaided it ha
S fought the battles of reform with con
n stancy and courage. Nor in the work still
9 before it can it hope for aid from thos,
o who still cling to the traditions of thu
: past, pride themselves on their conserva
tism, and who, during the conflicts of tn,
past twenty years, have resisted all reform
9 and mourned over every effete and hateful