It was one of the brightest principles of our murdered Revolution—­that public office was restored to the place of civic virtue, and opened to patriotism, by being raised from the abject situation of a tool of oppression, to the honourable position of serving the country well.  Alas! that bright day was soon overpowered by the gloomy clouds of despotism, brought back to our sunny sky by the freezing gale of Russian violence.  And on the continent of Europe there is night again.  There is scarcely one country where the wishes and the will of the people are reflected in the government.  There is no government which can say: 

“My voice is the echo of the people’s voice—­I say what my people feels; I proclaim what my people wills; I am the embodiment of his principles, and not the controller of his opinion:  the people and myself—­we are one.”

No, on the continent of Europe people and governments are two hostile camps.  What immense mischief, pregnant with oppression and with nameless woe, is encompassed within the circle of this single fact!

How different the condition of America!  It is not men who rule, but the law; and law is obeyed, because the people is respecting the general will by respecting the law.  Public office is a place of honour, because it is the field for patriotic devotion.  Governments have not the arrogant pretension to be the masters of the people; but have the proud glory to be its faithful servants.  A public officer ceases not to be a citizen; he has doubly the character of a citizen, by sharing in and by executing the people’s will.  And whence this striking difference?  It is because the civilization of America is founded upon the principle of Democracy.  It was born when Royalty declined, and Republicanism rose.  Hence the delightful view, not less instructive than interesting, that here in America, instead of the clashing dissonance between the words “government” and “people” we see them melting into one accord of harmony.

Thus here the public opinion of the people never can fail to be a direct rule for the government, and reciprocally the word of the government has the weight of a fact by the people’s support.  When your government speaks, it is the people which speaks.

Sir, I most humbly thank your Excellency, that you have been pleased to afford to me the benefit of hearing and seeing that delightful as well as happy harmony between the people and the government of the State of Indiana, in the support of that noble and just cause which I plead, on the issue of which, not the future of my country only depends, but together with it, the future condition of all those parts of our globe which are confined within the boundaries of Christian civilization, which, be sure of it, gentlemen, in the ultimate issue, will have the same fate.