Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1879-12-26
THE REPUBLIC.

When the people Of this country think
for a moment of the miserable condition of
those lands over which the incubus Of des-
potism broods-whose rapacious, Unsuitable
demands upon the scanty means Of honest
labor to support costly military establish
ments TO menace the liberties of the peo-
ple-the people of our own country should
cling with unfaltering devotion and tena-
city TO the Republic of their fathers. All
changes in the form and structure OF gov
eminent spring from selfishness and ambi-
ton, and are prompted by no higher motive
Than greed and the lust Of power. When
the free born American turns his gaze
where tyranny and oppression reign SUI
preme-where the "rich rulo tho law and
the law grinds the poor" he should exault
anew in the enlightenment and freedom of
ais s Sis5s Snd 81 tf psstWeRlS levels in
ara op- -. snright, bequeathed to us, ) 81.
cred heritage from our brave and noble an
cestors. What country has greater freedom
Of speech, thought and actionS Look at
the oppressed, down-trodden people of Rus
STA whose rights and liberties have no higher
significance or value in the estimation of
their masters than the brutes of the field
whose condition of misery and abasement
is revolving to all sense of pride and man.
hood--living as they do under govern
ment steeled against every feeling of SYM
pathy or magnanimisy that recognizes no
nobler rule of action than blind, unthinking
obedience and submission 10 its cruel do
crees and pitiless exactions But the mailed
hand of despotism which has so long clutch.
cd tho throat of popular liberty begins to
relax its grasp-before the storm of human
passion, resistless from it song suffering and
patient endurance. Poor miserable cfligy
OF kingly powers prisoner in his own
palace, prey to his own conscience, with.
out faith in his mercenary followers, and
affrighted at his own shadow These are
the natural and legitimate fruits of despot-
ism-"bloody inventions return to plague
the inventor" The cry of liberty and equal
ity goes up from every land where the chief
powers Of government are lodged in single
hand, augmented and fortified by the pres
ence Of privileged class, where standing
armies fatten upon the industries of the
country, and bring want and starvation
TO Its people, where the farmer seeing
his labors increase without profit loses
all courage, the merchant despoiled Of his
gains ceases TO risk his capital in doubtful
ventures, where the multitude condemned
10 perpetual misery lose all spirit of enter
prise and produce only the necessaries of life.
Thus all productive activity ends-the
wheels Of industry stop-trsde languishes
and the'sails of commerce vanish from sight.
When this crisis In the history Of nation
Is reached, il must end either in speedy con-
cession or bloody revolution Under Bea-
confeld's foreign policy and existing abuses
in the laws themselves, ruin and distress
have been brought upon the working classes
Of England, and unless radical changes are
made the tide of popular discomfort cannot
be stayed. Let the advocates OF "strong gov
eminent" on this continent take warning.
The distant rumble on foreign shores which
proceeds the earthquake shock of lettering
thrones and fallen dynasties strikes audibly
upon the listening car and should carry cons
formation and dismsy 10 the bold and ambi.
uous in our land, who are seeking to found
an Empire with a standing army TO prey
upon the substance Of the people and over.
ride their liberties.
The feeling Of unrest and inquietudc which
now pervades the nations Of Europe is prin.
clpally due 10 the myriad evils and abuses
which have sprung up under the fostering
influences Of monarchy. They have reach.
I'd that point where endurance is no longer
a virtue. Il affords an instructive lesson and
should impari fresh hope and faith in the
permanence OF our own Republican institu.
lions The noble example Of our fathers
their patriotic teachings. can never wholly
perish from the memory Of their descend
ants. but will ever live to animate brave
hearts snd strong arms when danger threat.
ems the safety or integrity Of the Republic.
II the crisis should ever come, million
Of unarmed men who have sought, in this
land Of freedom, refuge from political perse.
ertion and religious intolerance would rise
up 10 their might and majesty and crush
out overy attempt 10 subvcr our form Of
government Here they have found con.
genial home, exempt from the "opprcssor's
wrong, the proud name contumcly," here
AMMAN liberty, under the protecting ngis Of
be constitution, expanding 10 beauty snd
'erecuon, has reached It's elimination.