The Winchester journal. [volume] (Winchester, Ind.) 18??-1920, 1870-07-07

Only ten years ugo, and what n
change to.dny! Slavery Il gone like n
nightmare. The four millions Of freed
people, entering upon their new life
without the reaction which might
have bccu anticipated after such sud
den liberation, are fast becoming use
ful and reputable citizens. Commerce
and domestic Industry are rcyivIng.
The sears Of war are already nearly
oblltcratcd. For the new South "A fu.
turc OF uncSamplcd prosperity is
dawnlng, In which material improve.
ments are keeping pace with the
growth Of education and general In
tcllIgcncc. The degraded lower class
which was the curse Of the slave
States II disappearing. Free speech,
n free press, and equal rights are now
the privileges of NIL parts OF the coun-
try alike. For the first time we can
really offer ourselves To the world as
an example OF free government, aud
encourage the Liberals of Europe with
the spectacle of our success. As II
slayeholdlng republic, America had
little power Ia promote the progress of
mankind; as free country, she has
already given an impetus To liberty
every where. IL seems only yesterday
that we finished our war, but more
brilliant results have already followed
our victory than ten years ago the
most hopeful Of Us expected To witness
In n life time. The first effect of the
destruction of the rebellion which
threatened our existence was the de-
-truction OF the French empire which
threatened the nationality of Mexico.
The surrender Of General Lee involved
the ignominious retirement of Napo-
leon from his military occupation Of a
ncighboring republic, and with his
failure no doubt ended the last attempt
To establish monarchy on the North
American continent. In the domes-
tic administration of France the Amer
lean victory has also had its results.
Ii was nnquestionably in consequence
of the impulses thus given to liberal
ism that the Emperor found ii polite
To relax the severity Of personal gov
ernment, and Introduce some few re-
forms; and il is evident enough that,
In IN of of t,a nj
citum trick, still further concessions
10 the people will soon he necessary.
With Great Britain our relations are
more intimate than with any other
European country, and there the in
fluence of our revolution has been
enormous. 1t is hardly too much to
say that in Great Britain the moral ef-
feet Of our triumph over slavery swept
away in half dozen years the accu-
mulated abuses OF centuries. The re-
form of representation and extension
of the suffrage; the overthrow OF 4
tyrannical church establishment; the
redress of the Irish land grievance
great political achievements all of
them-were fastened many years,
perhaps many generations; 10y the sur
render of General Lee at Appomattox.
England has not rested, however, with
the spirit of reform. The abolition of
religious tests, the extension of educa-
ton, the Establishment of the ballot,
the introduction of complete system
OF self-government in the colonies,
are the tasks now pressing for accom-
and the present genera
ton may see a complete change in the
relative political conditions of the two
classes of English society. Finally We
have shamei Brazil and Spain into
doing something toward abolishing
slavery in their possessions, so that in
a few years more the last remnants of
the curse must be destroyed. This is
part OF what we have done during
the decade just closed. Ten years
ago we were IA reproach 10 civilized
nations. To-day we are the Liberal
leaders of the world. If any Ameri-
can wants To go back TO the old state
OF things we shall not quarrel with
him for being a fool; for ourselves we
like the new glory better than the
ancient shame and trouble.
Yet in the face of this brilliant his
tnvu tha ourvfvoVa Of thu oil lnepnt,.