Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1842-03-15

FELLOW CITIZENS:

FELLOW CITIZENS:
Your attention is invited for few mo-
ments to the subject of knowledge and
virtue, unto which everygoOd-h hearted
republican must acknowledge the deep.
est gratitude. Unto knowledge and Vir.
tue as unto The mighty God Of heaven
allimust yield obedience, before them the
migh:iest monarchs of Earth dostremble
and fall. They are the chief corner
stones Of every coHfederacy. They alone
approach nearest the pinnacle of true
glory. They alone procure liberty or
death to a nation. II you would liberate
.anation, first give it knowledge-f you
would enslave it, withhold it. Ifas' ma
ton we would become more transcendant'
let us shed abroad more the benign rays
acknowledge and virtue, which like the
blight luminaTy of day rising in yonder
East, dispels the dark and gloomy shades
Of night, and with its effulgent rays illu"
inmates the vast orb. If we would real
ize those things, we must not only seek
for the empty name of scholars; which
indeed we are not; we must NOT only
aim TO please, but TO convict, which If we
surmount, we must betake ourselves
from the sports Of children, and from
those vain and foolish pursuits, which are
but too common at the present day.
Think YOU that a Demosthenese or Cice-
70, or even any Of more remote antiquity.
ever scaled the lofty submits Of honor
and fame, and received the appreciation
and applause of all succeeding genera
tiOns, by giving loose rein to all their
natural desires and inclinatiOnsg No.
History interposes, and in the most inn
pressive manner declares thata Demos
theness conquered impedimeRts Of ma
tufe, which would be counted folly for
youth 10 undertake at the present day.
Not only did.he place small pebbles UNI
der his tongue to cOnqueF-the impedi-
msnts of his, Speechi not only did. he
place himself Immediately under two
Sharp-pointed swords to conquer his disa-
grseable gestures, but shaved bis head
and concealed himself in a Subteranean
cave, and thus prevented himself from fre-
qusaling those sports which we're COM
mon to oil, aadi improved those talents
which God and Nature had given him.--
And although now their bodies moulder
10 lhe Dust, and their spirits have entered
upon tbeir eternal course, their names
still live and remain brightas the morning
star, and clear as the noon-day sun. And
iust SO it is at the present day, if we,
nv young friends, would be Of any sers
vice to our country, we must be diligent;
five would become d disgrace to our
selves and 10 society, we may be negIi-
gent, How often do we see the man
whose head has grOvnwhite, bis steps
tCttering, and he, reeling almost on the
brink ofsstsFnity, lamenting bitterly The
sdd manner in which he had spent the,
mstning Of his life, Then why not take
warning and save the fragments Of time'
The wheels Of lime roll swiftly on; We
aFs fast cruizing down the tide Of time,
and soon will reach our destined ports
And, fellpw,eitizens, if knowledge and
virtue had not shed their benign influence
over the minds Of our worthy ancestors,
yellmight We suppose a this hour,
Instead Of breathing sclous air Of
liberty, and ihi6glh 0ices together
!. With haEmohiss conseht We would have
been, gfsaRIHg under The yoks Of tyranny
and apRl lDa. Il soO often happens ~
free countries that the inhabitants, intoxis