The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-07-16
The a'utlana daily 6lcbe.
WEDNESDAY. JULY 10, 1874
Grafton Delivered before the Alumni
OF MiddIcDury college by Rev. Sam
ucI w. Ronrdmun, ID. ID, os Hu-

In the political conflict winch preceded
the removal of American slavery an illus
trious statesman las made two expressions
which the speaker considered as suggesting
his subject for the OCCASION These were
"The higher law and the irrepressible con
flicl" Original in part, in part contradict
ing. yet suggestive of the conflict which
had always followed the higher law. The
higher law had been chosen partly because
peculiarly obligatory 10 the studies OF eth
zeal and political science. The lawyer and
statesman in their study the Christian min
ister the scholar and the philanthropist,
are effected all alike in the contemplation
of that higher or unwrtten law, which
stands the universe of time 1t asserts it.
self when Gods image is known. 1t en-
braces the relations of all beings,
one to another and to their Gre
ator. All things do her bidding and all
with uniform consent advance in her paths
of peace and law Before Greek philoso-
pliers had known the Grecan poets had
sung of the ruler of all things. 1t was a
law not for day only but forever "Let
justice stand though the Heaven fall, was
an ancient provcrb. ''The Heavens shall
pass away but not one got or title shall
pass from the law This heavenly law
was the source of all just authority and
also principle well established by Black
stone, that no law was worth anything
without this higher law, and that from that
we devise our authority.
Yet governments had been built up of
other relations. Human laws had been
made up of mere brute force. As states
have advanced laws had been made by con-
sent and agreement of man. Yet it was
obvious that neither force nor consent were
any just foundation Of legislatures or the
country. The mere consent that theft was
allowed would not convey a right, nor
palliate justice. Might could not wrestle
with right successfully in this. The Gus
tom of nations to do evil established no
right. Yet the world opposed the higher
law based on mere force. Only seventeen
years ago the chief justice of the United
States declared that the general sentiment
of those who founded the federal constitu-
ton believed that Il certain class had no
rights which we were bounG to respect,
simply because no status wac established in
their land and by force they were compelled
to labor for us. This opinion was sustained
by the judges and the law Of God was thus
ignored. 1t was this atheistic force which
brought on the war. The cruel distinction
of caste pcrvades largely throughout ali
countries. Only in the elevation of Chris
tian society could there be a remedy. Why
does one person receive but half the wages
which is paid another for the same work
Is this credit to our laws and to oul
country. How chaotic still were all the
relations of labor and capital.
Again, there must be an irrcpressiblC
conflict before that higher law can over
ride the customs and abuses inconsistent
with it. Whatever Expresses Gods law
must soon melt away, as the snow before
the summers sun The history Of the
world was fast fulfilling this law. Tic
great empires of Assyria, Greece, Egyp
and Rome, who aspired to an universe
sway, were early doomed to decline ant
fall. Western Asia, the source of the
human race, with its pyramids, temple:
and walls, grander than all others, were now
in the ruins of buried greatness.
Charles Sumner once said that nothing
is settled which is not right The rise ant
fall of empires but marked the revelation
of its chariot wheels, which rolls
on to certain victory, subservienI
to nothing else. Constitutions anC
and customs antagonstic to it were snappcC
and broken like threads. Opposing ma
tons will rise The sense of wrong en-
trenched in custom must fall. Twilight
separates daylight from darkness and The
removal of American slavery was
notable instance of this idea. Refoimer,
often failed in their attempts and founC
when too late for themselves they had mis-
taken their time. John Browns career
was here cited. His body lies molderins
in the grave but his soul was marching on
Who can forget the Omin0us roll of thu
drum in 1861 as it was heard at Middle
bury college, the march to the south an(
the sad coming back of a coffin bearn.
the remains of our martyred student
Henry w. Belden. The conflict cost on
Chief Magistrate his life. lie had wade(
into the civil conflict cautious and feeling
his way and sending for us only when IN
felt bottom. From the assassination o
Lovejoy, from the hanging of the hero o
| Harper's Ferry, from the funeral ccrc
monies of our marlyred Lincoln, during al
this time the nation was in mortal conflic
with law.
But all human contingencies must ad
| Just themselves to the higher law as tn
bark of the tree to the expanding of tn
trunk. The progress of law is the progres
of IDEAS One man in favor Of highe
law is a majority.
Benjami Lundy was true pioneer o
emancipation. lie was distressed an,
tormented yet lie lived, says Horac
Greeley, heroic and courageous life
VIM Ladd was for n long time the president
secretary and treasurer of the American
Peace Society for its funds came ont of hi
pocket-book, and consequently he was
philanthropst.
lie printed the Peace JouRdl, doing
all with his own means, and by himself bu
the reading of it. lie said he would d
that if necessary, and he came near beln.
taken at his word, The patient faith o
this man, his hopefuness for the future
was glorious, and his work has made sub
stantial progress, as has been shown in In
settlement of the Geneva arbitration.
Mr. Seward was next spoken of and in
terestingly eulogized. He was cOnsideret
one of the foremost men to effect enamel
patton, and in the end left his countr.
without slave. He accomplished nobl
work for his country. In 1919, despite til
pride felt in him by his fellow citizens, h
committed an act which was rcpugnant {
the entire community of Auburn, by dc
tending Il poor eX-convict negro, who ha
butchered nearly whole family and wa
on trial for his life. This was done by MI
Seward on that high principle that ever
|
laws of the state. This act even incense
the people more than did his remaining /
the cabinet four years after President Lir
coin died. But Seward had purpose i
remaining, in forcing the reluctant Burlh
game to secure to one-third of the huma
race in Asia the rights of commerce an
civilization. Living in America, and holt
ing the helm of its foreign relations so long
he rendered the best of service to the son
of other nations. The speaker did not bC
lieve in worship; he would not Ques
ton the weaknesses which were obvious /
Mr.. Seward, as in every prominent mar
he yet questioned in his own mind whetho
the American people did appreciate full
the services of Secretary Seward.
The speaker then gave an affecting az
count of the death of Mrs. Seward, brougl
on by watching at the bedside of the Seer,
tary when stricken down by the assassin
knife.
Public opinion, continued the speaker,
superior and supreme in guiding publ
affairs. Especially is 1t suitable ON occ,