Iowa news. [volume] (Dubuque, Upper Mississippi Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1837-1841, 1838-03-17
OUR COUNTRY.

OUR COUNTRY.
National pride If it be a juiling-
is one to which, perhaps, the citizens
Of our Union are quite as obnoxious as
any people on the earth. Whether this
be so, or whether it be not, true it is,
the subject has long been. one of ami
madversion to the reviewers and wri-
tiers Of the old world. That no good
thing could come out Of America, has
long since passed into proverb in the
land beyond the waters: and the lofty
estimation which this republic has sus-
tanned in the view Of her citizens, and
their exalted anticipations Of her fu-
ture destinies, has accordingly been a
topic Of no friendly remark 10 the cit
liens Of other governments. In alb
sence Of better topic for a paragraph,
a few reflections upon this, which we
have before noticed, may not be alto
gether improbable.
AS a nation, we rejoice in the beau
tiful system of our government and
institutions; and, with exulting pride,
we look abroad upon the fair empire
heritage bequeathed US. In this exul-
tation Of felicity and triumph, fain
would we anticipate for our country a
destiny of peace, in the years of all CO.
ming time; fain would we believe that
the glorious sunbeams of freedom and
intelligence which are crimsoning our
mountain top, may neverbe withdrawn
from the brow of the armament. Tho
true, indeed, are the melancholy facts
which history hands down Of the des-
tiny of the republics and the democra-
cies of other days; but in the bounding
buoyancy Of anticipation, such fate,
we would fondly hope awaits not US.
We would believe that in our own in
stance, perfect experiment of popu-
lar government has, for the first time.
been fairly tested; and that it has been
attended with success. We would be-
lieve, that in the history Of the Con.
federated Union the great problem Of
free government has been solved-tha,
the gordian knot Of civil and religious
despotism has been servcd-that the
claims Of vassalage have been burst a.
sunder forever, and the great truth ha.
been promulgated to an enslayed world
that man was born to freedom-that
this birthright from his Maker may
not be alienated.
With belief and anticipation such
as these, it Is not strange, that the voice
Of our country should rise up with
startling earnestness, and ring out clear
as the silvery note Of prophecy, that
this nation, in all coming time, should
be prosperous, and happy, and free!-
sEsto Perpetual lin the expiring Ian
guage Of the celebrated Paoli Sarpi for
his much-loved Venice.--sBc thou per-
petual,' is the glowing oracle which
trembles on the lip Of every freeman;
and gladly would we respond to the
mountaineering cry! With all our
strength would we re-echo its syllables,
and unite our voiceswith sthe thousand;
to prolong the sound! Would it were
the voice Of REASON and of TRurH!
Would that the dark history Of the past
and the darker experience Of the pres
ent, might warrant anticipation SO ex-
allied for the future!
Our faith in melancholy auguries is
not strong; to no one than ourself is
the note Of the ill-omend bird more
hateful; courage we held to be wisdom
under every variety Of circumstance
confidence, with us, is the true philo
sophy. Yet, while with fond enthusi
asm we would cherish those lofty an
ticipations, which, Ike living foun
tains, leap up within our bosom at tn
mention Of our coantry's glory, vi
would call saeredly to remembrance
that it is a duty we owe, not less to tina
country than ourselves, to suppress fo
. season, this reckless riot Of feeling
and, in sober and calm meditation, K
investigate the principles. upon which
our anticipations are based-tine prem
ipes Of our conclusions-the corner