Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1840-02-22
wAsutNuroN's BIRTH DAY.

Tbi, day, we are again called, by the ccmtncn
IMPULSE Of gratitude and the long established
usage Of the country, to pay our tribute OF ss"er
alton and respect to the memory Of Gs"nes
W,su,SercS.
In The progress Of n country, like that Of the
United States. in improvement. pnsseasina ms che
dees a spiri, full Of energy and enterprise, the
danger is that she will forget to recut sufficiently
.fen to the past, aud thus negIec, the impor,an,
lessons which the experience of such srea. and
good men rs Washington Is capable Of a%Ifcrjins,
Il IL the,etote no less useful than pleasant,
10 look back TO the petiol Of our ~infaucy-and as
one Of the most Important events which has ever
occurred IN this new world, second Indeed only
10 The declaration Of Independence, the nativity OF
Washington is entitled 10 our regstd.
Il wa. said Of the Emperor Augustus. by q his.
,orian a. renowned in letters. for his nice ~olsetsa-
ton and historical impastiali,y, az the prince who
was The subject Of HIS eulorv, was eminent ft
hi. skill IL the cabinet aud the field. 'rhs, i,
had been happy for Rome, II he had never been
born. or II he had never died A temark upon
which the history Of the Roman Empire forms .
most iamentable commentaty-k had he never
been seated % the ,hrcne. Rome would nevs,
have been lulled into a dceei,ful repese. utdouh,.
less would have regained that liberty which che
had lost. and had he never died, she would never
have needed that freed ON, the reign Of Augrssus
being more conducive to the happiness Of the
people than the mos! liberal system Of govern.
ment could have been. such was the nature Of
the eulouv. and ths, too the highest which could
have been passed upcn the distinguished Roman.
Ii looking back upon tho history Of those
evcn,ful tunes. and those series Of events which
drove us into collision with one Of The miah,ics,
powers on the earth. and finally into the arms Of
Independence and rchte-we are compelled to
acknowledge that the agency Of Washington was
no less decisive In fixing the destiny Of this poo.
pie. Il was reserved however for him to meri,
and receive a far different eulney, one infinitely
emphasizing In ~suhl,mity that paid TO Augustus or
any other monarch, who has since welded The
.ccr,rc Of Empire; sha, he created a free people
aud then refused a crown which a grateful army
would have been wiling to have placed upon his
head, Tor the retirement Of domestic life: Such
anaihef instance of pure msgnaniml,y and Fatri-
oti.m the history OF the world can SCARCELY fur
nish.
Who was ever more deserving of tho lasting
remembrance Of pestcri,y than this man, who
has Justly bccn styled The father of has country
II The birth day Of a kind and p~rosilcn, parent is
hallswed by The spontaneous feelings Of a happy
and grateful f~anily--even long after his features,
and tones have faded from tho memory, with
Shas ~oNns,,s,s If cs.S,inl, Nth x~hat ,r.l, anal
enthusiasm should the nativity Of such a nan as
Washington be hailed and celebrated by the mil
l,aas which constitute tho great American fam
,v.
We may we'll be proud of our anccst,v, when
,sSch "a one ~ Washington. stands as their tie,
preventative head.
Engtsad may boast of her princes aud her con-
QGerors. Of William, the Edwards. the Henry.
and the James men eminent fnr their valour and
their wisdom. Sui men who sought only the
.agrandiaemeat and spiendor Of the ,ht ,nc on
which they were statcd. and any of whom would
have reSelsed al the idea of sigaiuy a Charter Of
rights 10 the People. Like Augustus they wished
70 sec the people happy, provided they held the
reins Of power. They deserve the thanks of the
Nsuont tna' 'oey were no "ofsSi mat tney were
not -uei tyrants.
"e~h trail boast an ancestor, who, though
"A'"eo '" "s youth in the School Of Kings, and
soaoa'ea aoae' q monarchy, vet, after having
freed o's country rom tina, yoke Of servitule
"'Sa sa"e3 'ae'' sf'f.s, and Sc, an example o.
The principles which shous ever govern the head
Ola Tree people, laid aside he mighty power
which had been conferred upon n.n and like an.
other Cincinnatus, turned the sword u death. and
OF Justice, which necessity had drawn. .,,o I'll.
Ife-providing plough-share. and laying dow. Al
dignity. save that Of human nature, retired 10 u.
cultivation Of his fields. Having fought the hat
ties Of his county, be scnrncd Cromwell-like 10
ave her into subsection a. his fee, 10 realize il