St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1893-07-13

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already illustrated the great ideas OF
new civilization. The child nation
was within them though it had not
reached its majority. Already the
thirteen colonies had agitated and
really settled the rights and conse-
quences of free labor. They had ac-
cepted and published an entirely new
principle, the government OF the
people. Such ideas not only lead to in
dependency but they can only flourish
in an independent existence. The
new idea of political life is no longer
to exist as philosophy nor acolony
but nation. God made George Ill.
stubborn fool that he might the
more easily lead the citizens of the
colonies to follow the new states
manship. Sooner or later, says
Bacon, all great questions find their
time for agitation. The question Of
a peoples power to think justly,
decide wisely and act firmly for
themselves is one of the greatest
questions of history. Our colonies
were called on to settle this question,
greater than one of English or
American history. The great phil
osophy of liberty must die or be
changed into politics. The century
ended with a clear declaration to
England and the world--we and the
truth we represent are nation
In this truth is found the meaning
Of the second war,-we are a nation,
not a combination. The thirteen
states did not make the nation, they
simply affirmed, we are nation.
The nation made the states not the
states the nation. This is not an
abstraction a question of theory OF
government, it is practical and vital.
For a century the discussion filled
all political literature and was active
in the common thought of many
peoples. Are we nation or a
formal and contractual union of
states? The Articles of Confedera-
ton from 1871 to 1888 said the
"style of this confederacy shall be,
The United States of America" but
the Constitution of 1889 declared as
it's primal truth, 1--WE, the people of
the United States" Yet men still
asked is this a confedera alton or a
nation? "The spirit of history made
the nation and the nation made the
states" said one; 1.-THE spirit
of history made the states and the
the states made the nation"
said the other. The result of
the civil war made emphatic the
fact that 1.-THE association of IN
dividuals however numerous is not
the state; and the stipulations of the
contract however wide have not the
majesty of law; the concession of
private rights however extended is
not the institution Of public rights
What a contract makes the con-
tracing parties can break. On such
a foundation no nation can be estab-
lished. Marriage is not contract,
but the union of men and women
under the law of the family, law
that existed before men and women
married. When in 1861 South
Carolina said, the nation is con-
tract, you answered as the men of
1776 answered, eve are a nation;
what God hath joined together let
not man put asunder.' To affirm and
defend your faith you became soldiers.
You did not fight for theory of the
state, you fought for its existence.
You did not fight to destroy slavery
but for the nation. You did not
war with nor against the South nor
for the North but for the nation
against the enemies of the nation.
Your victory was not the victory of
the North nor the defeat of the
South but the victory of the nation.
The war was not between the
North and South but between the
South and and the nation. You are
not the Grand Army of the North
but the Grand Army of the Republic.
l wish that in theinterests of nation
al life that the date of your decora-
ton and commemoration day might
be changed. Having achieved a
victory for the nation you have
right to the national holiday. The
Fourth of July is yours, certainly
half of it. In this celebration the
sons of the South can join with you.
In the acceptance of their defeat they
do not acknowledge the victory of
the North, you never boast north
ern victory, but the victory of the
nation. They have already learned
that their defeat was for them a
real victory. Let the Fourth of July
henceforth have gladder and more
solemn significance, it is the declara-
ton of independence twice declared,
it is the bell of liberty becoming
chime of liberty. On this day
let the living and the dead of the
first and second war join in declar-
ing as their creed and psalm to our
selves and the world-we are a
nation.
Bryce tells us that a few years
ago the American Protestant Epis-
copal church was occupied in it's an
nual convention in revising its litur-
gy. 1t was thought desirable to in
troduce among the short sentence