St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1870-07-15

I
institutions, laid the foundation of our
glorious Republican system. whose chic
corner stone was Human Rights anC
upon this they erected our noble and
symmetrical structure of free govern
ment, the grandest and most majestic
temple Of liberty the sun of heaven ever
shore upon, TIE protection Of the hum.
blcst American citizen, the refuge Of the
oppressed of all lands and all conditions
OF men, and the hope and glory of the
human race.
And now, after We had reached such
"A position as Il state, after we had dem
onstratcd The feasibility of popular gov
ernment after we had shown conclu-
sively TO the crowned heads Of the Old
World that a government founded upon
principles Of virtue and intelligence
among the masses secures greater happi-
ness 10 the suhJect-thc real end Of all
human legi>lation-than their cruel, OPP
pressNe systems, the question arises, and
II l. one pregnant with Intense interest to
every lover Of our glorious Constitution,
Is Il government founded in the affections
Of the people alone, strong! Having
demonstrated its ability to e>tuJEA all
our coveted institutions Of civil. polili-
cal and religious liberty is it capable OF
maintaining and perpetu"ting them, cs-
peclally in the case of extensive diSatfcC-
iion anon" its members Will the peo-
pie voluntarily assume burdcnSome
taxation and endure mercileSs cOnSGrip-
lion, 10 preserve their nationality and
Institutions! Fortunately, the history
of the past ten Years has answered this
question of the strength of Republican
governments with an emphasis that
makes the advocates OF monarchy be
yond the water sit uneasy on their
thrones. 1t i~ now nearly five wears
since we EMERGED victoriou-lv from Il
conflict. and worst oi all strife, Il cjri
war. which, whcn.wc consider the cN-
tent OF territory comprised in the battle
ticil. the number of comtaranis. aud the
immense Resources employed. has no
parallel i'll history. How kc,uiv We
have let tie r;lvagc> OF war need not
tell you. These habllmcnl> ot mourn
ing which | see before me to-dav. as
well AZ the frequent graves OF our sol
u'er "'au scattered al! over our f;ilr lhln!.
intimate, alas too plainly. the fearful
sacrifices we were forced /" W;Ihr' III he
lalc s;Id, sad strife.
let, Notwithstanding war l. such Il
Nconr1t ara always 10 b1 deprecated,
there are some PHASES OF our cohtes.
winch mitigate, III some degree, I;s as
peritle|. IL developed some "l the no.
best sentiments oi The human heart
winch otherwise had lain dormaul.-
W hen our country brave defenders
were pcnling their lives tOr liberty on
bloody fields. "r WAS .lng away amid the
mi;'sna- OF southern swampS and loath-
some Prisons, how iaburiou>ly fair hands
wrought, 10 alleviate the paim>, not OF
klndred alone, but ot the stranger sol
dIrr oi the heruhiic; anI when our VIC
torlou' lcgloms returned from the -Accl-
demas "t the south, manned, wounded,
bleeding, how tendcrly stranger, but an
-cllc hand-, mlni>tcrel t their nrcc>-i-
ties. VIII" can recall all these amenities
OF the w;tr without feeling of gratitude
TO God t,r a government that fosters all
tn t Is rOh!e and heroic in man: all
that i beautiful and holy in woman.
Besides demonstrating the power ot
our ovrrnment, the war showed u, the
utter observation-disclosures of cur Resources
and Il healthy development Ill all the ;v-
ocations ct lite. WAC supposed we couiu
recruit, arm, equip, cIotLe, feed, send TO
the front and pay one million men ,
Aud yet, tie machinery If society wa,
little dcranged. Schools, academies and