Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-08-25

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&c alpoost constant discontinue, which
had well nigh paralyzed the American
heart. It was the seed of the great har-
vest that followed. 1t was in the Ian
ouaqe of jefferson, "the first link in the
chain of successes which issued in the
surrender at Saratoga" Zone more such
stroke" said Washington, "and we shall
have no great cause for anxiety as to the
future designs of Britain"
Bennington was the breakwater which
first successfully withstood the tidal
wave of British tyranny. The wave was
here broken. From Bennington as from
Gettysburgh the refuence began. In the
political and moral bearing OF these pat
Ties as being the crises of two great strug-
giles involving the same principles, they
are equal in Importance. They differ on
ly in magnitude.
When hostile armies clash, the world
looks on with mingled feelings OF horror
and admiration, graduated by the degree
of civilization represented, the Importance
Of the principles involved, the magnitude
# the forces and the ferceness OF the bat
tie. In all these aspects the battle OF
Gettysburgh is scarcely outranked in the
history of modern warfare. AS mere
passage at arms its brilllancy is not
collapsed by the respondent glory that has
for more than half century steadily
rested upon the field of Waterloo. But
in its heroic aspect alone, as a held OF
brilliant achievement, a display OF the
science and art of war upon the exalted
! rlane which that science and art have at
tanned through the experience of CEN
turtles, and the learning of the schools,
the importance of Gettysburgh Is least
appreciated. Up through the military
fame of that great battle, the student and
historian stretch their vision to its moral
and political effect. 1t is in this respect
that the battle we to-day commemorate
assumes proportions scarcely surpassed by
Getty Properly, in this view,
may we call it, as has been said OF Get
tysburgh, "a turning point Of history and
OF human destiny" 1t is our glory that
Vermonters stood at those pivotal points,
and there directed the current OF human
affairs.
It would be pleasant for me, as so many
have done on these occasions before, to
dwell upon the incidents OF the battle ot
Bennington, and its Importance in secur-
ing a successful result to the American
cause in the war of the Revolution, but it
mas seemed TO me ludL tOull INC AlO4Ol ca
dead, whose bravery, devotion and sacri-
fee made this day and spot memorable,
open their sealed lips, they would say
the gratitude Of the Nation has written
our epitaph and sung our praises; you
will honor us most by devoting this hour
to discussion Of the principle which we
9 fought 70 establish as the basis Of govern
ment, and pointing out the means essen
till to its perpetuity.
, [ have said that the war of the Revolu-
ton and the war of the rebellion involved
the same principles This ia true; aud
they are distingnishable from most Of the
wars Of history in that they involved
principles, and principles that affected
the people. What matters it to the mas
p ses Of France and Germany as to the re-
salt Of the collision Of those mighty ar
mics on the Rhine Win the success Of
Napoleon secure greater liberty to French
men. or will Pruasian victory induce
KING Willit IN to lift any yoke from the
neck Of the German races Except in
the sentiment Of National pride, it is
' doubtful whether the people Of either
e power have any interest IL the result. II
| will be the mere accident Of events II
y either people gain anything but burdens
- / Itiln LIG war. 4ItL war - uOl W kICb
Oh account Of the people. If free govern.
meut is desirable to them on either hand
! its possibility will be greater with defeat
r than with victory; for the weakness and
humiliation Of the Government is the
! peoples opportunity, under a dtspotism
But when the flthers Of the Republic
incorporated the idea Of equality in the
organic law, it was an act If the people
i IL. Il Il, J
4ustain it. There was no CONSUMPTION
-" power repuired to compel hem to fight
The idea involved was their own, and thu
var was theirs. The moment they were
ready to yield up the idea, the war
g, would stop. But they accepted the war
Understandings as the price Of the idea.
| Mentally they were invaders, for they
advanced new idea in governmental po
/ lily. They conceived the plan of a
7 government of the people, for the people
5 and by the people. This was an invasion
, but the war Wa an assault upon the idea
e aud the people rose to defend it, In de-
l fence u principle founded in the right
e any people will be invincible. The peo
e pie rarely invaa". bat when they intelli,
e gently and earnestly attempt to, resist
q they can never be subduod.
q This explains why the regiments %
" Warner and Herrick and their c,mpat
rioJs of New Hampshire and MessaGhu
9 setts, crushed the trained veterans OF Eu
rope ca the banks of the Walloomscoick
Simply az soldiers, the latter Were vastly
sapetiur, but the idea, the principle in.
T. volycd, that stirred every he rt and uerv
r "a every brain Of the former, more than
t compensated for the hayonets and can.
/ uon the dieipline and experience OF the
p letr4r. The consciousness of the Justice
. # their cause made every man d host
9 nd Stark could but say of them as be
did, chad they been Alexanders and
Charlszs Of Sweden, they could not have
behaved better" This judgment Ameri
ca and the world have affirmed. The
is difficulty usually is TO determine when Z
Ia cause is founded on truth and iustiae
Both parties in every controversy ussum,
. that gni~'. This government was dedi
- Gated to the principle that all men AT
v equal under the law, and the victory q
b Bennington inspired the people with con
Is fidenCe in its ultimate establishment, anC
is in the end their anticipations We're realiz
= ed. Bat though success established the
theory, there was the misfortune of tn,
existence of an institution inconsistent
with the theory and this institution W.
7, so interviewer with the immediate indivi
. Yidual interests of the people, they besi
rated TO carry the theory to its legitimat'
results.
They at first acknowledged the inoon
sistenoy Of slavery with equality, ant
hoped and expected that time would cur
l. the evil, but portion blinded by self-in
% terest and prejudice, the most potent in
e. tiuencea over man, gradually beoam
n more and more strongly welded to tn
is wrong than to the principle upon which
Of the government was founded. This mad
a. the war Of the rebellion necessity. Tha
is war was the natural outgrowth and eli
max of the irrepressible antagonism
el Compromises could delay it, but coul
IS not cure the inconsistency nor eradicat
~ the wrong. But under the leadership @
re the foremost, if not the wisest men of tn