Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1879-06-11
Written for the Spirit Of the Age,
PATHiOTIhm,


are the lrne patriots, The republican
party knows no south-at least they
arc not willing 10 extend to the peo'
pic OF the South tho hand OF friend
ship and love and welcome them as
friends and brothers, On the eonlIa'
| ~, IN their speeches they continue to
tan the flame Of animoslly, 40 as 10
keep the fires Of haired aud anger
continually burning, Ia this true pat
riotlsm, Mr. EditorI Are the
men who engage In this business true
patriotsi II 50, God keep me from
| thu clutches Of patriots, They call
our brethren seccssionlsts, owing TO
tho Iare rebellion, WIS the psop'e
OF the South the only "nes 10 blame
aod was they The whole cause of The
rebrlIiou7 Did the doughiaces OF the
North have nothing 10 do with the
rebelllonY Echo answers, did they.
The war WIS thought about by me
ItSo extremes coming IN oonlac''
These tNo fires had been smouldering
for number of ycors, but the mo-
ooul they came IN collision they ever
Icapod every barrier, and devastation
and death marked their track through
tho hest portion Of our country. il II
palriotIsm 10 continue 10 tan the
fame to keep these old fires oont'nn'
ally burning No, God forbid IT,
Yet this IL republicanism OF to-day
But | want no such patriotism as this.
Give me my whole country, no North
or NO South, but one united country
whose Lord il God, This IL true
patriotism, and no true patriot will
eudcavor by word or deed to SIR up
and keep alive those feelings OF hatred
and revenge which should have found
tomb when the South asked for
pardon for past offences. Those feel
ines Of hatred which has caused the
blood of some OF our best citizens to
crimson every field Of battle, Away
with such love of country, we want
nothing to do with it, for 1t is but a
false mockery. stood by the re-
publican party until ! saw them
grinding the South under their heels,
then / asked myself if this was patrl'
otism! Being convinced to the con-
trary, | took my hat and stepped
down and out and l never have had
any feelings of remorse, for, as the
Frenchman SAID, they grow no hette'
very fast. How is it with the dem
) ocratic pnrty7 Are tley patriots
, Do they love their country, or only a
part of it? They know no North or
no South. They seek for the good o.
the whole country. They would kind
" extend the hand of friendship ant
love to our erring brothers of tn
, South and greet them kindly as il
brotherly love they meet beneath thu
|, folds If the dear old flag of our be-
loved country. This, Mr. Editor, il
true patriotism. Again, 1t is said tina
. the people OF the South were not pat
riots, II they had been they neve
would have fought against the fla
> Of their country, granted, but did the.
Il have cause, thus to do? 1 ask my re
T., publican friends to place their hand
y ', upon their hearts, look up to thei
" God and ask themselves if there coul
be no blame attached to them. Wa
> their consciences SO pure and hol
that they could step to the front an
cast the first stone. The Democrat
:, party wish to have free and equ'
" rights in all places and conditions c
our country. They want no standln
" armies to control our elections. U
> the contrary they would have the ba
" lot box free as the air OF HEAVIER
~. where every freeman can 60 and de
y post his vote without let or hindranct
Is not this, Mr. Editor, true patrlo
" ism? May this principle of virtue g
" onward and onward until the who
world bel.olds its beauty, and are lie
to exclaim, surely there is a God VIII
~ presides over the nations of the eartl
- and may the principle of false patrlo
ism sink back into oblivion new
again to return to curse the huma
race. N. X. G
~ w. r Junction, June 7, 1879.
tie Y----------
is A Michigan lady writes to Mr. Viz