The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-01-04

VI '"N ''E '0'N
The Value of Character.

Abraham Lincoln once said .-"The
mystic cords of memory which stretch
from every battlefield and from every
patriots grave shall yield swceter music
when touched by the angels of our better
nature The past is past, aud many of
her hcrors are forgotten. The deeds and say
ings Of many men are laid with them in
the tomb, but those of Lincoln will be
echoed and rc-echoed by the sons of Col
umbia as long as "the earth bears Il plant
or the water rolls its waves"
1t seems fit and proper, that, for an ex-
ample of true manly character, we should
refer to one whose memory an admirng
world now yenerates.
The soldier on the southern plains mar
shallcd for battle, with the enemy in sight,
blessed the noble chieftain whose procla-
nation had brought them thithcr. The
devout worshipper knelt before high Hcav-
EN- to bless the character of the man whose
wisdom and patriotism was cleansing Il
land long cursed by the chains of slavery.
In him We see an example of the cs-
timation of character.
But the chords of memory that stretch
from his grave are not mystic, they are
holy,snnoblingl He who initiates him may
justly be called great.
Methinks | hear the silver tones of
memory swelling on every breeze that is
waited from the west whispering to every
young man Of our land-imitate the vir-
IL 1 t...l
more too, the virtues of his private life,
the virtues of his social life, the virtues
of the life he led in the closet, between
himself and God
l.. H. LAwarNcE
WOMAN SUFFRAGE Brattleboro
Record says:
Vermont, as the advocate, for woman
suffrage may say, has lost her opportun-
ty. The territory Of Wyoming has,
through her legislature and with the APP
proval Of the governor, given the ballot
to women, taking the lead in the move
ment which some expected OF our State
We are pleased to find that the odium OF
inaugurating female suffrage cannot un.
der any circumstances, he cast upon our
Green Mountain Legislature"
Vermont has not lost her opportunity,
for certainty, to be the first State to
adopt female suffrage The action of
Wyoming has yet to be submitted to
Congress, and if that body does not act
more promptly than it does on most ques-
tions Vermont may yet avail herself of
the golden opportunity Of giving to wo-
men the ballot. If she is not, it is to be
hoped Vermont will do herself the honor
and justice to be the second Of the Union
to give equal rights to women. 1t is
very probable that Congress will have the
justice, to say the least. TO confirm the
action of the territory of Wyoming Our
friends of the Record talk tiuently of the
odium Of nauguratng female suffrage.
Not so. 1t is no odmm to declare equal
rights before the law to all intelligent
persons, without distinction Of sex. 1t
will be Il pride to the State which has
ever led the vanguard for freedom, justice
and equal rights, to add to her already
well earned laurels by being the foremost
Of her sister States in giving to the wo-
men of the Green Mountains the right to
vote. She was the first to propose it
through her constituted tribunal. Now
let her be the first to ratify it, and thus
keep an untarnshed fame as people
for giving to all equal rights in political
action. The question is fairly presented
to the people of Vermont, and there is
no evasion of it. 1t must be met as was
the slavery question,a and the ballot to the
freedmen. Let it be met with frankness,
honesty and maniness. Let the agitation
of the question commence at once in every
town and district Let it be canvassed
in the home, in the social circle and IN
the public meeting. The friends of female
suffrage in Vermont desire its agitation
and discussion in private and public, and
are not fearful of the issue or the result
l-U1uM