had occasion to know or even to think of government, or its 

 nature. I ask your indulgence for a moment, while I attempt 

 to turn your thoughts to the condition of affairs but six years 

 ago. Our country, then, was a magnificent spectacle to the 

 world of a peaceful, prosperous government ; but, a govern- 

 ment, the existence of which as a physical power, we had 

 never realized even in contemplation. Its hand had never 

 borne heavily upon any man. It had afforded protection and 

 security of person and of property against individual wrong 

 and against aggregated assault. It had given to every citizen 

 the fullness of enjoyment of all that is dear to him, not life 

 only, not liberty only, but individual freedom, freedom of con- 

 science, freedom of pursuit without molestation, as pricelessly 

 as a good Providence has given his air. It had done all this 

 and more. Did we then appreciate it ? Did we give our 

 mind for a moment to the question. What is this government ? 

 We were accustomed to contemplate and to speak of our rapid 

 and gigantic development. Our population, during our exist- 

 ence, from three or four millions, had multiplied to thirty 

 millions and more. Our commerce had been extended till 

 our sails were in every water ; our enterprise had developed 

 itself beyond the dreams of imagination ; science had begun 

 to compete and was keeping pace with the advance of the 

 most learned of the age ; in the arts we were rivalling all 

 other peoples • in the development of physical resources, 

 (grand and gigantic to sublimity) without precedent and 

 without parallel ; in literature, more than respectable among 

 those of the highest culture ; in civil and religious advance- 

 ment and liberty our course had been rapid, safe, and with 

 full assurance of permanence ; man, as man, had been ele- 

 vated ; labor was honorable and of sure reward ; certain suc- 

 cess crowned honest effort ; public and private charities were 

 administei-ed with almost prodigal liberality and with results 

 of good which seemed to justify profusion ; distance and space 

 so far annihilated, that it was scarcely exaggeration to say that 

 families and friends, separated by thousands of miles, could 



