eas of New England
will yet bear sway over this continent, and, in their moral force at
least, mould and remodel the governments of the world. If not preserved
intact by the men of this generation, then by others will this ultimate
result be reached. God is not confined in His agencies. He sets up one,
and puts down another, and the generation that is found worthy to build
the temple for Him to dwell in, to preserve and perfect the beautiful
heritage He has provided for His freedmen, His redeemed and enfranchised
people out of all the nations in which they have been held in mental and
political bondage, shall have the honor and privilege, be sure. And
think not, O ye men to whom is committed this high trust, that it will
be a small thing to leave this birthright unto others; for as no people
were ever before so distinguished in having this holiest ark of the
covenant of freedom in their midst, so the grave of infamy into which ye
shall be cast, if the Philistines dispossess you of it, shall be
bottomless. There is no resurrection for the people who should betray
such a cause, freighted as it is with the hopes and future destiny of
the struggling races of the earth.

And O ye other men (would ye _were_ men!) who are in league
with traitors, ay, who are even worse than they, to do
this accursed thing, know that this pit is yawning for you.
Down--down--deeper--deeper--pressed to perdition by the curses
of those who are to come after you, whom you wronged so remorselessly.

In that terrific vision of hell, seen by the poet Dante, those who had
betrayed country, freedom, were visited by the most awful sufferings,
pursued by the most vengeful fiends, and pushed to the most dire
extremity of woe. Among the pale, haunted, shrieking shades flitting
through that limbo of horrors, they were conspicuous in punishment. And
if remorse is in reality the undying worm, the quenchless fire of that
future state which recompenses for the deeds of this, surely the traitor
to this good, free Government will be made to experience its unmeasured
horrors. The salvation of our country, then, and its position and
influence as one of the family of nations, depend on its return to, and
its enforcing of, those fundamental principles of freedom, moral right,
and justice which underlie our system, and for the most part form our
superstructure. Ours is the moral lever that is to move the world, if we
will have it so. If we lose our moral prestige we a