Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1898-07-15
ESSEX County Atrala.
Where will il end 2

curious ana unCNpcClSu ISsulSi
and the current events now are
no exception. When resistance
to the mother country first COM
menced independence was not
thought of or expected. 1t be
gan simply as a protest against
unjust legislation. 1t was de-
veloped from the nature of things
and was actually accomplished
before any declaration of indie
pendence was made. In the civil
war the manumission of the
slaves was not among the pur-
poses of the government at all i'll
the beginning. Then Uncle Sam
put his foot severely on Gen. Ere
mont when he issued his offici-
Gus emancipation proclamation
looking to such an accomplish
ment. But the trend of national
events was stronger than presi-
dents or generals and DEGREES
were uttered by voices so loud
and continuous that individuals
could not be heard at all. And
when the emancipation procla-
nation was finally made it was
but a declaration of the manner
in which some kind of a divinity
had shaped things. nsuch rela-
ton it matters not whether such
divinity is an intelligent direct
ing being or whether it is in the
combination and direction of
events. In either case the events
are irresistible and what they
evolve are as unexpected as they
are incapable of being controlled
or directed by individuals. Dan
iel Webster stands firm in the re-
membrance and esteem of the
country, and will long after he is
dead, because he dealt in those
things to which it was possible
to apply some known logic.
Theories of government are
capable of being tested by reason
and from given conditions re-
suits can usually be safely calcu-
lated. But the action and physi,
cal forces of a government and
the results of national warfare
have not been subjects on which
prophets have succeeded, and
nothing but the obscurity Of
those who attempted them have
saved them from derision. Wher
a mighty nation gets an impress
sion and individual opinion is sc
unanimous as to become univer
sal it seems as though it must
be correct. But if we look back
a very short distance and com
pare our present naval achieve
ments with what was ther
thought and said we should b,
terribly surprised. We can al
remember how it was almost
universally said that there was {
power within this country and {
fire of patriotism backed by
physical strength that would
turn to ashes any force thai
should be exercised against tn,
government, but that we SHOULD
he completely and entirely at tn,
mercy of'any foreign foe; tina
we had no navy; that our Dor
ders were utterly defenceless
that our extent of sea coast wa
such that our population ant
industries hung so heavily o.
the shores that we should be er
tirely at the mercy of marin
raiders. And when the presen
war broke out it was said tina
we had an improved navy, blu
we had no trained officers or me
accustomed to the sea, and i
this condition we were Gale
upon to meet a force which b
nature, training and instinct
had come to be national buccal
GERS. 1t was also timidly sal
that it was the policy of TIL
government to keep it's feet O
dry land, that it was CROWN
strong, powerful and was d
veloping the country, and VIZ
growing rich, and inventin
wonderful means for prosperit
and happiness, and all by digu
fled industrious methods of min,
ing it's own business.
Now there seemed to be a GOO
deal of wisdom in this idea, b,
1,o,,, - 1,o.4 81 go