The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1837-09-19
Fon rHlr CALEpoSrAs.
OUR CouMTRY.-No. III


of the Orator and scrbbieIt Mankind nre inverse 10
every reflection which Conflicts with their set'ied
opinions, whether these lopinons are the offspring
of prejudice; or predicated upon rational hypothe-
sis, and attained by ana logical reasoning.
What we love TO believe, easily appears true ;;
and assent to the promptn)gs Of indiyidual or ma
tional pride, is by no means difficult.
Hence the unwarranted jeulogium of our age.
The glow-worm shines in darkness, and may v9an-
" suppose that the stars hay withdrawn their rays
from her superior light. Butt whom the golden sun
reveals the secret of her excellence, and hides her
spark IN his own dazzling glory, she may learn how
weak is her power, and contsgmp,ible her PRIDE
This is not indeed return Of nhe dark age,-char
acterised by unbroken and solid gloom Those
wears of mental and moral denth whose vestiges
are not yet erased, are fed, we hope, forever, and
Man has discovered in degree tho true objects Of
rational living. Science and the arts have emerged
from the ruins amongst which they had long
slumbered; the eye of Philosophy, obscured al
most beyond hope of restoration, is waking; poe
try has replumed her pinions; the muses. have re-
turned to the new-gushing Helicon, and the long,
dark, portcntous night, that hung upon the mount
of inspiration, is broken and rolled away Our
Country partakes in the general light. And we
have reason to love her for her elevation in this
by our population The young are not generally
left destitute of common requisites for business
Means of acquiring knowledge are, facilitated. The
little child is taught the mysteries of nature, and
learns the wondrous revelation of worlds and sys-
TENS. Our youth, at least great proportion, ap-
preciate knowledge. They know its worth, and
feel in measure its Importance.
Our education is imbued with moral and reIieious
influence. Our school books are prepared BY the
hand of piety and even the vulgar classics though
mutulated, and ptably tortured, experience the
purifying care of the wise and good. The Young
are taught the wonders Of their intellectual and
moral natures, that there is before them higher
existence than the present, and that greatness
and dignity consist in preparing for that existence
This healthful influence is poured upon the minds
OF the young, commencing with the dawn of intel
iect, and attending Its advancement to maturity
II checks the way ward Desires and opens the heart
to all that is generous and dignifed in human char
acter' 1t gives energy to conscience and governs
il by high and holy motives. II tends to silence
passion and consolidate all the habits Of thought
and feeling into virtuous and abiding principles.
But there is another feature, which renders this
subject less attracsive.-We are in tho retrograde
path. Our population increases more rapidly than
intelligence and virtue. How many amongst us
know comparatively nothing of science How ma
ny who are unconscious of the powers which slum-
Der within them,
AS the Mountain is unconscious OF ITS ore
Orroek of its inestImable GEM"
We have government that encourages literature;
we have institutions adequate 10 preserve and per-
Petuate it and men qualified to sustain these ins
tutions But the great difficulty is IN public sen
meht. 1he popular mind is not sufficiently awake
10 the interests of science. Attainment and pos
session OF wealth are tho all-engrossiug objects
This spirit Ia infused into the young and tends to
counteract the better Influences of which have
spoken. The first and only step towards an edu
cation with many is, counting dollars and cents.
and the grent lesson which lies at The foundation or
future requirement, is, "seek gold and pursue it,
such spirit is hostile to the spread of intelIipepee
and refinement, ~ is become an alarming character
istc OF our age. In their blind zeal for wealth our
population rush on trampiing every thing that dig
nifies hunanity,in the dust They cry " live while
you i've gold is the enduring treasure, principles
"'r''ess when II counteracs interest, forfeits
MS name when avarice deserts his breast" Liter
AZURE, morality and religion may die /; or live if
'hey can, upon the remnants of shorn harvest, OF
the weeds wealths champions have trodden under
foot. More on this point in my
"The history of The world never has recorded
such base treachery and perfdy as has becn com
mitted by the deposite banks against the Govern
ment, and purely with the view Of gratifying Biddle
and the Barings".
The above is an extract from one of Gen jack
sons late letters to the Globe, and the sentiment is
endorsed by that paper. The deposite banks, that
nave suspended payment, charged with the
mo unparalleled treachery and peT6diy against
me government Pray how does this charge CORES
pond with the fact, that the deposit hanks of New
YORK YORK, under the immediate control of Regency
oIcers and collar slaves, the very first in the
wnoie Union to suspend payment And pray how
lures OF nearly all the Van BurenStaes have assem-
PEG IA special session, and not only justified the
aePosit banks in their suspension of payments,
put actually authorized them TO continue that sus.
Journal. ' '-No"s'o''o
"A letter from New Orleans dated Aug. 25 says