Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-05-19
Centennial Consider

Our nation is Of age. What a hundred
years ago was a confederation Of feeble col
onies is now the republic Of the earth. And
instead of lamentiug for what We have not,
Il is we'll now aud then to rejoice at what
we have. Politically, the country does not
form so attractive picture to foreign guests
as patriots might wish to have it, Scandal
and corruption have been the topics of the
first half Of the centennial year. Let US
hope, however, that the public mind will
swerve toward other subjects now that cen.
gress is sooR to adjourn and the Exposition
has been so triumphantly opened. As is
often remarked, it seems exceedingly unfort'
innate that this should be presidential year.
The calumuy, the detraction, the white.wash-
ing, the bribery, the inglOrious caucus and
the chaotic convention are unhappy facts to
exhibit to the strangers in whose language
our nation has been the theme Of eulogy aud
song. But at all events they will see Amer.
lea as she is-the purpose for which they
come. The average voter will doubtless be
influenced but little by the reflection that
this year he is helping to elect centennial
president. The conventions will make their
candidates between whom the choice will be
made. 1t might be wished that each vote at
Cincinnati and St. Louis might be cast in
the same feeling with which an actress makes
her debut, not over-con6dently and with
blind zeal but cautiously and with regard to
the peoples wishes. For the material fea-
lures Of the Exposition no American need
blush. Ne nation on earth can equal ours
in point of invention and mechanical ingenu.
ity. In finished products, European states
may rival and excel us, but for discoveries
that mark the fertile and active mind, Amer.
lea stands unmatched. And herein is il
that this country has made her richest con.
tributions to civilization.
In fine arts our nation is still young
having hardly yet begun her career, And
if, as history seems to indicate, the art-period
is the last in national life, We need not groan
that no Raphael, Rembrant, or Angelo has
yet come. Utility is the law to which the
American subOrdinAtes everything in mate.
rial life, seldom pausing to consider whether
the structure he rears is according to the
principles governing the beautiful or the
music he pays for was written by the mathe-
MATES Of classic art. The muscular, sclf-as.
sorting ways Of one who is ever conscious Of
freedom, still belong to the majority Of A mer.
leans.
The progress made in matters Of educa.
ton since the founding of the first college, is
something of which our country may, as a
whole, feel proud. True, the unbending will
Of one great mind has not reduced education
to the perfect system that obtains in Germany
nor has the theory Of compulsory education re-
cSived as favorable treatment as 1t deserves
The undeveloped country is too large and
the interests too varied, to admit of any uni
form standard of education. As to the
value Of Schools open and free to all, uni.
versal opinion seems to prevail.
With respect to theology, the same slow
transformation is going on ia the pubic Opin,
ion OF this country that characteriEes theo.
logical discussion in Europe. Science is tax.
ing long strides and to the timid and those
whose ideas have taken deep root, many of
the results Of scientific research are simply
appalling. Theology and science are at pres,
ent in apparent conflict but who supposes
that all the essential of true religion will moi
survivor
From all these various data--the political
phenomena, the social, the material aud the
theological, optimist and pessimst will each
deduce his conclusions, aud iortify his preposs.
essions. The one can see mind aud conscience
reforming, renOvating, rOvivifying and recon.
CLING the other beholds only the sure au,
guries of national decay. Certainly, since
Jan. LIST there have been developments in
every department Of life, we'll calculated ia
make us all shudder. But these instances
of corruption, of murder, of cruelty, of theft
indeed of the violation of every law both
human and divine, are only exceptional.
There is large segment of human nature in
this country as yet comparatively whole,
though not holy.
Let not signal cases of vice and evil lead US
to infer that all is bad. The period through
which we are passing is emphatically q
transition period and though for what is a
moment in the range of centuries, the IA.
tiOn may seem to be descending, it will ulti.
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