Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 July 1877 — The National Outlook. [ARTICLE]

The National Outlook.

HORACE E. JAMES.

One whose name is prominent in the history of modern times sentenuously said “'fhe Empire is peace.” Napoleon lIJ, a born absolutist, by t iis expression meant that a centralized goyernnoent controlled by a mind ambitious to make his nation eclipse in influence, wealth and grandeur, not only contemporaneous powers but also any that had flourished before their day, was better, calculated to achieve that distinction, and at. the same time establish a short, sure and safe road to permanent prosperity, than a republic of fickle subjects who were divided into jeaious factions by the scheming of those intent only upon promoting mere individual advantage. But whether this logic of a wily imperialist and consummate flatterer of the populace, plotting his own overthrow as the president of Republican France and to establish himself upon the throne of Imperial France, was true or false when spoken of the times and peotde lie was rapidly molding to his purpose,—we, today, referring to our own united nation of many republics, may substitute a single word for one in the apothegm and joyously say: The Outlook is peace. At no other time since our recognition by the powers of t he earth as an independent people and sovereign nation, could these words be spoken of our condition w r ith so deep and so perfect signifieahee. Besides the wars with England, Tripoli ami Mexico, our republic was disturbed internally nearly h{ilf a century by two antipathetical ideas struggling for mastery. This tierce conflict cuin\iu.ated in civil war. The whole "Wfih* (became interested spectators of tfjgo battle, anti wondered bow the problem of free government would be solved. Right and humanity prevailed. The Union survived. Freedom was perpetuated ua an everlasting inheritance in .America. The people *rc, to rut© by constitutional law forever. 1 The doctrihe of the equal rights of men was confirmed and established; and the Declaration of independence andtthe atntptes of the land are„no more a contradiction. The contest between a Sound theory anti u bad practice ended in the glorious triumph of the former. The civil war ended when Lee surrendered at Ap-j pom'altox rtiid .Tohnstoil laid down Hiss arms at Raleigh; but civil authority wpa not fully restored to its rightfu supremacy untß Federal soldiers were relieved of Hentfnel duty befrire tire capitols of Booth Carolina and Louisi J ana, and had stackeu their weariei; muskets to rest in the urinories of Charleston an«J New Orleans. Washington founded a republic; Liueqlr* emancipated a people; Brant eontiiuered a civil war; Hayes has established civil authority upon a foundation as firm as Uibralrer and u« enduring us the eternal hills. With the restoration of civil law reave brings liis family- Ilia spouse is benevolent Prosperity. She is clad with flue raiment; she rides iu a caii

J&Ufft drawn by.aleck in l&x. j left hand is ail overflowing eornuco- j [tia, and with b*‘r rigflf she showers j ilessings a poll the laud and scatters j seeds of gladness among tho poor, tho j widows and the fatherless. The daughter of this delightful couple is a ; comely maiden with whom all the youth are in love; and the aged beseech her U> gladden them with frequent visits. • Her face is as radiant as the glowing dawn; her eyes sparkle with mirth ; her cheeka dimple with laughter; per lips arg wreathed with perennial smiles. The name of this damsel is Happiness. Peace. Prosperity' and-Happiness! While these dwell in America the nations of the, earth and the angels above shall call us a blessed people. Not only have we peace at home, but our relations with other nations are friendly and most cordial. There- is no power on the globe that -does not respect the Republic of the' United Htatea. Our snips may sail unmolested In any waters:”' Our merchants may traffic with any people. Apd to-day is seen the extraordinary’ spectacle of tho! mightiest sovereign of the ago and 1 her proud subjects entertaining an unofficial: though distinguished citizen of our country with a splendor of hospitality they would extend to few ruling mouarolis. How different from our own happy' condition is that presented by a portion of the Old World! The fastnesses of Southeastern Europe and of i Western Asia reverberate with the i, thunders of hostile oanuon ;, the wa-, tera of the blue Danube mingle with t man’s crimson gore and roll mi, a | violet flood, to. the sea; yellow field* of ripened grain are trampled into the ground whereon they grew ; trade has lied in terror from the marts j wherein she held busy court; squadrons of cavalry', batteries of artillery, compact masses of infantry and long trains of supply wagons, choke up •hnd overflow the highway?*; eamp-j fires gleam on hillside ami plain ; the 1 smoke of burning cities ascends to obscure the day ; cries of anger, fear; and anguish freight the air; dimeter | flashes revengefully at saher; the baleful Crescent flaunts defiance to ( the sullen Bear. Aggressive, -covet-; ous Russia makes war on Turkov in | the name of humanity ami in defense \ of the true religion, and the sensuous Turk calls upon God to defend the faith of Islam and deliver him out of the hand of the unbeliever^---Bigotry | and Fanaticism are joined in,battle, and their Christian neighbors hover near to spoil,,the slain. The Empire of Russia was ever war; the Ottoman Empire was always war; imperial France was quenched in blood, and the third Napoleon may have discovered the fallacy' of his dogma when lie skulked to a friendly asylum as a thief skulks with his plunder. 'fhe Outlook of the Republic of the United States is peace;—peace, prosperity, phuity, happiness. With these will come opportunity to make ourselves more proficient in the arts, in science,, in letters. We may grow in j charity, morality, virtue and religion, j We shall leurii.t<> undt rsiund one aji- , I other more perfectly, and to syinpn- ■ thize with each other in sorrows, i nfliiutinns and calamities. Nearly ended are'the days .of the demagogue jwho battened upon the hatreds he ill- ' -flamed ami the strife lie k itidied j between people of different sections, j. The qalet man. with twinklingblue 1 eyes who sits in the White House at, : Washington and m President, is rap-! idly shearing .this .Sampson of his evil j strength. The men of the North and of the Bout it who opposed each other; in deadly battle, with drawn swords j and fixed bayonets, tire this day near- j er together in sentiment than they j we e before tiie civil war broke out. Our eyes have seen the lime when the j. gentle hands of an aged Northern Widow scattered flowers alike on the graves.,of the silent sleepers who laid off the gray ami the blue for the white uniform of dentil, npw resting side by side. She place 1 a wreath of ruses above tlm head of her son, ami above the head of his foe a wreath of lillies white, and with a link of heavenly violets did unite them. The dead lay in state, spread with the emblem colors of their country. The weeper said ; "The sleeper under the lilies is an American, the same as mv darling whom the roses cover. We conquered in battle; may we not conquer in peace? Owl) we not afford to he magnanimous and forgive? Christ forgave; God ever forgives.” It is the brave that first forget, And aoble foci that first unite; Not thi-y who strife and ; fission whet, Then slink when comes the need to smite. "I’is mutual courage that forgives, , And sweriag liuMr that out lives The Qhs'c'thf hour, tllC bat tic’s day; The hearts that dare are qu ek to feel; The hands that worn d are soft to heal; The blqod that dims a hero's.steel j His prouJ tears wash away! On« holier sun awakes at last For North and South the blithe, bright hours; V No more upon the dead are east The once divided gift of flowers: llut- ; whore the live-ouk hides in moss, And where tho plumy larches toss Their arms Shove tiie May-flower’s hed, And where wide wuvits of prairie crawl To meet, far wes’, their mountain wall, The People’sxoiaesaya: ‘Veaeeto all; — •We Lunor equal iloid!' ] One ling, floats, over, our land from j ocean to ocean and from lakes to gulf; , though- the inhabitants of different.{ states wo speak the stung language;, wo celebrate one natal anniversary; and we have a common, Inseparable (destiily. A purer, truer, loftier, noli- j ,/er national sentiment exists iltwugli-i I out tire sections of the United* States at the taresent hour—wells up sponla-,j neousiy from the souls of the people, t like an anthem to ood- lhati live oiliest sife in this assembly ever knew before, The p-irtizan may tell me that the moded, unostentatious gentleman who has so swiftly developed itliis sentimefit in four short months, Is an usurper of the chair to which another was elected; the purtiz-m mi: f the other-sri tie may slmut hack that he ! ia a traitor, betraying those who t*l«. vnted him to {idwer;—X have only one ! answer for both: Get. thee behind me, ; Demagogue; the fruit is good. I will cherish the tree. For as heaven is I higher than earth, so is my country, qhove fmrty. As wisdom is better than folly, as tifith Is better than error, ns virtue is better than vice, its plenty is better , than, famine, as love is better tiiaii hatred^us health is bettor fifliii-tdel;-

, ness, aghwir ia better . .sligmc, so is |**aee better than war, - Fence Is with us now; let us hold fast to him, and thank Jehovah the lost is found. Prosperity i* coming; her carriage is in sight; the clatter of the feyt of her horses is heard iu the valleys,-is echoed along the hilltops, is wafted across the plains. And Happiness, all sparkles and dimples and laughter, will grace our bounlcons festival when the purple grai**a are ripe and we harvest the golden corn.