The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1823-01-01
THE NEW YEAR.


in the life of man, SO marked that he
naturally pauses to compare his situation
with the hopes which had ushered in the
previous year, and to inquire how far the
disappointment of them is imputable to
his own fault, to their extravaganza or to
the force Of circumstances. Such an in
yestigation cannot fail to be salutary-for
in exposing the vanity of human hope, it
teaches US to submit our fancy to the rule
of our judgment--to restrain passions of
which the indulgence is either inpossi.
BILE or pcrnicious-and 10 reflect that, in
many cases, the qualification of our most
eager desires has proved the source of
misery and sorrow. In considering, too,
that since our last periodical reflections,
we have exhausted very material por-
tion of our brief existence on earth, we
impart a solemnity to our meditations,
which, in we'll regulated minds, always
results usefully.
Beside moral considerations of such
universally, the citizens oil republic
are disposed, at this period, to survey
more distinctly the condition of their
country, and the conduct of their rulers.
In this form Of government, the survey
is by no means an idle speculation for
public opinion is so thoroughly The guide
of public measures, that the sentiments
of the meanest individual have direct
Influence on them, of some kind or de-
gree. This idea suggests another, and
that OF great importance. AS public
opinion is thus omnipotent in free go
vernments, it is of vital necessity, that it
should be sound opinion; and it can
only become so by the prevalence OF
education and religion. To think, and
act rightly, man must have his mind
enlightened by knowledge, and his heart
purified by intercourse with his Great
Creator.
A candid view oil the progress of our
country during the last year. must, we
think, convince all, that its improvement
is signal, both in the respects which we
have mentioned, and in most others
New seminaries of learning, during the
interval, have been established in every
part Of the union, and the number of
religious congregations has been very
considerably augmented. Indeed, it is a
favorable augury of the future greatness
Of the union, that in times of peculiar
severity, our citizens have displayed un-
usual liberality towards all enterprises
having for their object the advancement
Of letters and piety. A nation which
thus rightly estimates the nature of true
glory will assurediy acquire it the glory
which arises from the cultivation of the
arts of peacc-irom meliorating the cha
racter-irom making man wiser and bet
ter'-is the only glory suited to free and
yirtuous people. 1t is, too, the most per-
manent-for being founded OH benevo.
ience and religion, it will continue when
The monuments of bloody conquest, and
of guilty ambition shall be mouldercd
and forgotten, or preserved only to invoke
curses on their arti6cers. But the con-.
tinusnce Of that wise policy by which
our constitution has been generally adj.
ministered, tends 10 accustom the public
mind to prefer an honorable place, to any
triumphs obtained at the expense of JUS
tice or humanity. During The iasr year,
great advances have been made towards
relief from that general pecuniary embar.
rassment, which arose, among other eau.
ses, from thu revulsion always incident to
the termination Of war-from the tcme-
rity ofspeculation-ano, from an improvi.
dent use Of banks. Causes like these
were sufficient, on merely moral grounds,
10 produce great individual hardship, be.
cause they eDgendered habits Of avoid
able expense, not TO say Of extravaganza.
The proper remedy for the mischief is,