Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-08-12

We are celebrating the one hum
dredth anniversary of Republicanism
in America, but even at this mature
age it is only an experiment. 1t has
been repeatedly tried in the worlds
history, and in most cases however
well it began, ended in ignoble fail
IRE. The republics Of Greece, Rome,
or in u more limited sphere, Venice
and Florence. the Netherlands, the
attempt in France in 1892, and Spain
under Castellar,-where are they
now? From growing corruption,
from lack of religious principle and
intelligence, from inferiority Of size
to surrounding nations, from the un-
educated and total incapacity of the
people for self government and from
q variety Of other causes combined,
these republics have all disappeared.
But we had better commencement,
and are trying it on grander and
broader scale. The exceeding breadth
of our territory, the natural separa-
ton from other great nations, our Pro-
testantism and general intelligence.
gives reason to hope for perpetual
success. The trust is committed to
us to show to the world the power
and capacity Of the people for self
government. But are we not too
self confident? Are there not i'm
minent dangers and perils surround
ing US? Our vast territory gives a
conflict Of interests, a constant del
uge of foreigners, who have no knowl-
edge Of or sympathy with our insti-
tutions; the temptations of our ever
increasing prosperity, and, not least,
the moneyed power of political rings
are ever present elements of danger.
Vast magazines of powder and mill
tary stores, land bounded by forts
and defended by gunboats---these may
be instruments of defense, but the
great defensive power Of any nation
is intelligence.
On this basis we have some very
weak points. Perhaps the condition
OF things at the South, the war of
races, the bitter spirit that the rebel
lion engendered-the education and
effects of the old slave SYSTEMS our
great national weak point. The
great ignorance of the South is start
ling. OF the inhabitants of that sec.
ton over ten years of age, 25.5 per
cent. cannot read, while in the East
ern and Middle States it is 3.8, and
in the western it is but 3.4. The
South expends only one-third as much
annually for school purposes as either
of the other sections, and having one
million more people. All the south
ern States combined expend less for
education than does the State of New
York. Eight per cent. of the voters
at the North cannot read, while there
are 80 per cent. Of the voters al the
South who cannot read the names on
their ballots. Here is the field for
political demago.ues and tricksters.
Here true democratic equality fails.
Our great Declaration declares that
all men arc created equal. Calhoun
of South Carolina denounced the Dec
laration as "a self evident lie," and
later, Jefferson Davis in the Senate of
the United States re-afiirmed the
same doctrine. They only gave ex-
preston to the feeling that exists
everywhere at the South to-day.
There is no use in trying to Disguise
itor to cover up the truth. 1t ex-
presses itself in too many ways, no.
tably in depriying the negro of his
rights, especially to the ballot. The
wilful, malicious, determined murders
at Hamburg, are but the natural out
cropping Of the same sentiment and
feeling. In the same line are military
organizations to control elections,
bands of mounted rufIlans, masked
and armed, harassing the country by
night, numbering Northerners who