The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-07-13
THE INFLUENCE OF THE MASSES.

After dwelling upon the past and pres
ent condition of the industrial classes, and
the pecuniary and social relations which
they bear to society, Mr.. Douglas proceed
ed to say. There is one point to which |
| have not alluded, and which, perhaps |
places upon us greater responsibilities than |
any other that is our political influence.
If there is one fact, which profane history |
has established more clearly than any |
other, it is that the stability and success OF
a republican form of government is de-
oendent upon tie Intelligence and girtue Of
its citizens. The industrial classes must
from the nature of things constitute a
majority in the body polite, and deter
NINE if they do not shape the course OF
the political parties which control the
government. The institutions OF coun-
try are what the people make them. Edu-
cation makes the people what they are.
The civilization of Europe makes Europe
what 1t is. The civilization of New Eng
land makes us what we are.
The conditions which ensure political
slavery are an educated and unprincipled
aristocracy, and ignorant masses. Those
conditions which promote political free
dom are general intelligence and virtue
diffused throughout all classes. We have
striking illustration of this, in our own
political history. In our northern states,
where the church and schoo-house may be
seen from every hillside. where general
intelligence and a good degree of virtue
prevails. our political institutions have
thus far been so conducted as to promote
the general welfare, and secure to us de-
gree of pr litical liberty which has had no
parallel il the history OF the world.
At the south, with the same general
governm mt and the opposite popular con-
ditions, a state of practical despotism has
long pre- vailed; and it, corroding faint has
at times poisoned tao general govern
ment itself and like me subtle malarious
influence in the PHI, ical system, it reached
the very heart of Inc patient, and nearly
accomplished our ruin. 1t was an educa-
ted southern aristocracy that attempted to
control our government and dictate the
principles upon which 1t should be con-
Quoted. 1t was he Ignorant southern
masses who aided them in their attempt to
execute their threat, that they would le-
gally call the Toll If their slave property,
under the shadow of Bunker Hill monu-
ment 1t was the intelligent masses of the
Of north who flew To the rescue and saved our
country, and pr, served from destruction
the brightest example of civil liberty, that
the world has ever witnessed
And in that great struggle we witnessed
another example of the important fact that
The unequal distribution of intelligence
may result in intensified barbarism. That
an ignorant people with an unprincipled
though educated leadership, are more to be
feared, and more wretched themselves,
than those in purely barbarous state.
That the enginery of civilization in the
hands of such a people, and even the NEIL
tai power acquired by the few, like fire.
arms in hands of the savage, make them
only the more dangerous foes to oil with
out, while it makes the condition of their
own masses the more wretched, by the
elevation of the unprincipled few. On
the principle that an educated villain is
more to be feared than an unprincipled
fool.
That conflict of ours should teach us and
the world around us not to look for true
worth to any particular class, or to those
of any particular calling. That the mate
rial of which heroes are made is moi
oftener found in the gilded palace than in
the frontier hut in the counting-room OF
the banker, than in the workshop of the
mechanic; in the offices of professional
men, than in the cottages of farmers.
What humiliating lessons to aristocratic
pride are recorded in our country's recent
history. When the nation saw not the
peril which awaited it ; when it was luled
TO quiet repose by artful deceivers; when
the poison of which | have spoken was
insidiously working its way to the very
heart of the body polite, and the true
source of that political malaria was yet g
matter of doubt; whence came the warn
ing of our danger? Did it come from the
politicians? From the wealthy anC
learned of the land? No; that warning
voice was first heard from the masses
Low and almost inaudible at first, it grad
ually swelled its volume, until even tn,
politicians and the would-be aristocracy
heard it, and at first scoffed at the plebiaI
dsturbers of the public peace, and sneere(
at their warning Of approaching evil. Blu
the crisis came as they had predicted. TIL,
republic was called upon to determin,
whether slave-drivers should rule, and tina
source of political malaria and death
African slavery should settle like black
pail over the land; whether honest labol
should henceforth be counted a disgrace
and the industrial classes should bt
crushed, to build up labor and laborel
despising aristocracy.
In that great moral contest which fol
lowed, and which at last aroused the Ions
slumbering sense of justice and right, anC
led the northern people to fully compre
bend the situation and present a uniteC
front to the common enemy, whose per
was welded more fearlessly or more effect
ually in the nations cause than that of tina
worthy, self-made man, the son of hum
bic farmer, who then stood at the head Of
the American press, Horace Greeley
When by cunningly devised schemes thu
rebels had robbed the government of al
means of self-defence, and had gathered
around the national capital, like the coil o
the serpent when about to thrust its fang
into its helpless victim when traitors II
disguise filled nearly every department o
the national service, prepared to do thei
deeds of shame when opportunity SHOULD
oifer; when blood-thirsty assassins at thu
south stealthlly watched for opportunitie
to murder in cold blood those who ven
tured to protest against their deeds of trea
son, and even thronged the thoroughfare
of the north, awaiting an opportunity T.
shed the blood of the chosen executive O
the nation when the stoutest hearts pale,
at the fearful prospect; whose powerful
arm lifted the cloud which hung over us
and with the might of Hercules bore u
the destines of the nation? Was it no
the 'rail-spitter," from our ranks, Abra
ham Lincoln?
Unlearned in the wisdom of the schools
he carried with him all his honest, pebia
simplicity. Though he had chosen tn
profession of the law, he yet belonged t
the class from which he sprung; and indu:
trial pursuits had given him that physca
development, that iron nerve, by whic
he was enabled to endure that fearful mer
tai strain, under which the modern schola
witbshis more effeminate education, woul
have been hopelessly crushed. Thong
pleben by birth, what royal lineage ca
boast such heroism? What house of lord
of noble descent can furnish an example G
such far-seelng craftsmanship VIVA