Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-09-22
Justice to Whom Justice is Due.


A prevailing, almost universal, habit of
the American people is one best described
by the saying, "Republcs are ungrsteful."
In tho history Of almost every celebrated
citizen Of the United States, whether his
fame may have been won on the battle field,
earned by years Of service on the floors Of
Congress, by long experience as IN expouud-
er Of the laws Of the nation, or as q private
citizen whose acts have brought him into
prominence with the people, there has been
a time when he could we'll feel the truth of
this saying. No matter how brave he had
been as q soldier, no matter how valuable
were his services in any civil capacity,
there is sure to be some period when all
these labors and sacrifices are forgotten or
buried beneath the enmity or contempt Of
the people.
We have not to go very far back in the
history of our country to find instances
where undeserved contumely aud contempt
has hurried some Of the best men the world
ever saw in their advance to the grave. The
late Horace Greeley is one who has passed
away during the last decade Of years, with
the thought that his services were unappre-
ciated, and through the partizanship of a
presidential campaign, his thoughts and mo-
tives were placed in the worst possible light
Charles Sumner, Of all men, also felt the
sting Of public censure, although the pain
was allevlated before he bid farewell TO life
and country. Who that knew the man and
his character would have thought that he
desired to wipe out the memory of the deeds
Of the brave men who fought for the cause
next his heart, that Of freeing,the slaves in
the South ? Yet this feeling reached such a
height that congress censured his resolution for
crasing from battle flags the names Of battles
won by Union soldiers during the late war.
He introduced this resolution, not to insult the
soldiers, but because, after seeing the negroes
freed be wished to effect reconciliation be-
tween the North and South. But congress
soon saw its mistake and wiped out its cen
sure from the records, while the people We'd
with each other in praisiug the generous
heart whose motives were not at first under.
stood by the unthoughtful partisan. Yet
there remained pain at the heart of Charles
Sumner because Of that hasty act, until his
death. Then, all was forgotten. People
saw nothing, remembered nothing but the
services of the dead statesman. But all their
| gratitude came too late to wholly take away
the feeling Of pain that hid in his breast
up to the last moment Of his hfe This
brings us to another habit which is probably
carried farther by the Americans than by
any other people. 1t is the habit Of eulo.
giving every public man after his death, even
though he may have been VIGOROUSLY cor.
rupt. Though certainly we should credit
the dead with all the good qualities we can,
yet it is hard to account for the extent to
which the Americans carry this habit, by
such reasons. 1t seems strange that while
good men are forced to live without the
thanks, or perhaps the respect Of the people,
the wicked, who have gone to reap the pen
elites Of their misdeeds are eulogized with.
out stint. 1t would seem more equable aud
just to give the living their dues than to
give the dead moro credit than they deserve
For while the dead can receive no good from
the praise and respect of the people yet in
the flesh, yet nothing is moro valuable to the
man who by long labor and selt-denial has
accomplished some great blessing to his fel.
low men. But as this seems to be only q
habit, and does not arise from desire to be.
little the services Of the good and to eulogizc
the acts of the wicked, we can well hope
that the spirit of the country in regard to
these things will undergo change, and each
receive, as far as possible, his just dues
while living, though he cannot then reap his
great reward in that state.