Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-09-08
SHARES and Delusions.

uOu III tno WOIlus IL IL DeJter hltuhbeu
geographically and climatically, its govern.
ment is based upon the soundest principles
and its people the most free and intelligent
Of any nation in the world. This statement
may seem to be superauous and unnecessary
for almost every American, from the beard
less youth to the tottering centenarian, es.
teens Il to be a part of his national creed,
never to be relinquished. But there are
some who, if judged by their remarks upon
the subject, are nightly afraid that fear
ful national catastrophe will occur unless
attention aud support are given to the theo-
ries aud plans which they thrust upon the
people. And it is to those who have heard
and accepted such prophecies that we present
the above statement. During the last two
or three months many Of the press, and
members of both political parties have been
filling the air with forebodiugs Of financial,
political and moral ruin to the whole coun.
try. 1t is true that times are very hard,
and that local disturbances are ruflling some-
what the peace of the country, and there is
o>harn in telling the people 50, if thereby
they are gamers, but there is no excuse
whatever for making such statements as ev-
day come to our ears. On the one hand it
is said that the whole South is in a state of
turmoil aud revolution, that men are shot
down in broad daylight, for no reason but
that their political preferences were oppo-
site to those of their assassins that under
certain conditions of party rule, the nation
will again be involved in war, and many
other assertions which have little or no foun-
dation for truth. On the other hand it is
said that we are on the very verge Of moral ,
political and financial ruin; that the men
that stand in the high places Of our nation
are totally corrupt; that they make only
such laws as will aid them in securing money
and influence for themselves aud personal
friends, and that few more years of such
rule will make the nation bankrupt.
These are but few Of the cries by which
parties try to frightcn people into sustaining
or placing them in power. Materially false
they are, and the party leaders know it, yet
they care not if thereby they can gain their
selfish ends. Civil war will never break
forth in this country, at least in the present
generation. The North and South have passed
through one fiery ordeal and the dread men,
DRY of that struggle will keep them in check
for many years, aud it is to be hoped that
the succeeding generation will DO more fra
ternal than the present one. There are such
6re.eaters as Ben. Hill aud j. Il. Tucker
and they represent large class Of people
but they will never be strong enough to gain
their ends in this life, at least
1t is very hard for the people of tht
north to thrust aside the memory of the
hundreds of thousands of their sous, father:
and brothers, and forgive the men who shot
them down, and who now claim an equal
share in the administration of the govern
ment with the defenders Of the Union. Yet
while we cannot do this, we should be a.
generous and forbearing as possible. The
negroes, 1t is true, are fruitful source o.
trouble at the present time. The southerner:
are in great measure responsible for these
troubles Yet we must not forget that the
negroes as class are as yet uneducated
and sensual, and VIC must do the best we can
by putting in power the party that will odu.
cate and beiriend the colored race, and in q
few years the negroes will solve the problem
of the race troubles for himself, by proving
that he is capable Of education aud self. gov
eminent.
As for the visions of financial, moral and
political ruin that float through the irenzied
brains of the party speakers, they are yet more
absurd. Though individual instances of cor.
ruption have occurred, We are shocked be-
cause the men have been held up before the
public view and hurled into everlasting oh.
livIOn and disgrace. Times are hard, to be
sure, but they can hardly be attributed to
party mal.administration. There are many
causes outside those which have led to the
universal hard times. People economize tc
the best of their ability, and because trade
is thus ightened, the cry is raised that the
country is going to ruin, when we are only
working slowly but surely to firm basis on
which to build future happiness and prosper
ity. The national debt is being paid, we
are getting down to specie basis. Taxa.
tion is being reduced and we are firmly
planted on a rock of industry and economy
that will bring to US riches and peace. Then
let us stop these insane and suicidal cries
remember the undying principles that form
our government, and do our best to bring
about the millennium Of honest government
and a united people.
"