Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1875-07-28
The Influence of the Masses.

The Influence of the Masses.
AN EXTRACT FROM TIE ADDRESS OF Hon.
Ed. DOUGLASS OF WHITING DELIVERED
AT TIE CELEBRATION OF THE PATRONS
OF IIrSBANDKY AT LYNDONVILLE, July
3. 1875.
After dwelling upon the past and pres
ent condition of the industrial classes. and
the llecunarv and social relations which
they bear to society Mr.. Douglas proceed
ed to ~ay-There is one point to which
have not alluded, and which. perhtp>
places upon Us greater responsibilities han
any other; that is our political influence
II there is one fact. which profane history
has esl sblished more clearly than any
other. it is thtt the stability and success of
:, republican form of government is de-
pcnde Mt upon the lMeNiy,nce and rirtue OF
It's citizens. The industrial classes must
from the nature of things. constitute II
minority in the body polite. and deter
mine. if they do not shape the course Of
the poll zeal putics which control the
government The institutions of Il coun-
try ,le what the people make them. Elu-
cation makes the people wlrt they are
rhc civilization Of Europe makes Europe
land makes rs what we are.
The conditions which ensure political
slavery are an educated and unprinciped
ari>locracv. and ignorant ma s"s. Those
conditions which promote political free
dom are general intelligence and virtue
litiu>cd throughout all classes We have
Il striking illustration of this. in our own
political history. In our northern states.
where the church and school house NAV he
/ seen from every hill side. where general
intelligence and II good drgree of virtue
/ prevails. our political Institutions have
thus far been SO conducted us TO promote
the general welfare. and secure TO us a de-
gree of political liberty which has had no
parallel in the history of the world
At the south. with the same general
government and the opposite popular con-
dtiun>. Il state of rlctirtl de>poli>m has
long prevailed: and its corrOling ttint has
at times poisoned the general government
itself. and like some subtle nl,l,riou> in
tluenre in the physical system. it reached
the very heart of the patient, and nearly
accom- li>licd oar ruin 1t wa G iu'-,-
ted southern ;trl>locrary that attempted To
control our government and dic:tted the
principles upon which it should be con-
Quoted 1t WAS the ignorant southern
mlS>es who ;li!ed them i'll their attcmp p, tu
execute their threat, that they would le
rlllv call the rol of their slave property
under the shadow of Bunker Hill monu-
mcnt 1t WAS the intelligent III .sses of the
north who flew to the rescue and saved our
country, and preserved from destruction
the brightest example of civil liberty, that
The world has ever witnessed
And in the great struggle we witnessed
another example of the imp"rttnt fact that
the unequal distribution of inteli~enc,
may result in intensified barbari>m. That
IN ignorant people with IN unprincipled
though educated leadership, ave more to BE-
feared, and more wretchel themselves
rhln thos" in u purely htrlarous state
That the enyincrv of civilization i'll the
hands of such Il people. and even the men
til power acquired by the few. like fire
arms in the hands of the savage, max,
them only the more dangerous foes to al
without, while it makes the condil ion o
their own masses the more wretchel.hv The
elevation of the Unprincipled few. On Tho
principle that IN uc;,ted villain is NOR,
t. be feared than IN unprinciplcd fool.
That conflict of ours should teach Us ant
the world ;,ronnd Us not to look for tru'
worth to any particular class or to tho>'
OF any particular calling That the mate
rial of which heroes are made is no
oftcner found in the gil,led palace than il
The frontier nut: in the counting room q
the banker. than in the workshop of tn
mechanic: in the offices of profes>iona
men. than in the cottages OF turner's.
What humiliating lessons to ;tri-t"crati
pride are recorded in our countrys recrn
history When the nation saw not tn
peril which awaited it; when it was lulle
to quiet reposc by artful deceivers; whr
the poison of which | have spoken W..
insIdiously working its way to the yer,
heart of the body polite. and the tru
source Of that political malaria was yet
= matter Of doubt; whence came the warn
inc of our danger? Did it come from tn
,, politicians? from the wealthy and learne
Of the land9 No: that warning voic
was first heard from the masses. Low
and almost inlu.lible 1T first, it gradual
swellcd its volume. until even the pOiti
clans and the woul l-be aristOcracv hear
it, and ut tir-t sc"tfed at the pleb,
disturbers of the public peace. and sreere
ut their warning of approaching evil. Bu
the crisis came rs they had predica;ed
The republic was called upon to drtermin
: whether sl,ve-drivers should rule. AN
that source of political malaria and deatt
8 African slavery, should settle like a blac
pail over the land; whether honest labc
should henceforth be counted Il diSyract
and the industrial classes should h
crushed. to build up Il labor and Lahore
:. desplsing aristocracy.
In thlt great moral contest which 70
Z lowed, and which ut last aroused the Ion
slumbering sense of Justice and right, an
led the northern people to fully comprt
bend the situation and present II unite
, front to the common enemy, whose pc
WAS welded more fearlesslv or more effrc
, uallv in the nations cause than that of til;
worthy, self made man. The son of II hun
ble farmer who then stood at the head {
= = the American press, Horace Greeley?
When by cunningly devised schemes tt
8 rebels had robbed the government OF IA
means of self-deftnce, and had gathere
around the national capital, like the coil
= the serpent when about to thrust its fans
IL into its helpless victim; when traitors
' disguise filled nearly every department
the national service. prepared to do the
y deeds of shame when opportunity shou
offer; when bloou-thir,ty assassins at tn
south stealthiIy watched for opportunit
= to murder in cold blood tho>e who We
II tured to protest against their deeds of tire
- son. and even thronged the thoroughfar
4 4 of the north, awaiting an opportunity
q shed the blood of the chosen executive
- the nation; when the stoutest hearts pail
e o at the fearful prospect; whose powert
1 e arm lifted the cloud which hung over l
" and with the might of a Hercules bore ,
the destinies Of the nation? Was it n