Holly Springs gazette., 1843-07-14

L is proper that we should mark the re-
turn OF his anniversary. IL is one of the re-
deeming characteristics of our nature, one
which has manifested Itself throuehou all
time, amongst almost every people, the de-
sire TO preserve aud 10 perpetuate by monu
ment, or symbol, or ceremony, the memory
OF great men and of great events The
rude tumuli. which ia our western forests
start up before US like gigantic apparitIons
aud around which the affections of the red
man still linger with a asuperstitious vanera-
ton as though he could there behold the
shadowy forms and hear the spirit voices of
his brave forefathers, owe their origin to the
same feeling that constructed the pyramids,
and that reared the prouder, but more per-
ishable trophy of the Greek. Our children
learn too from their schOol-books that most
Of the nations Of antiquity had their games
and festivals and holidays which were in
stituted and observed that by their perpetual
recurrence they might preserve the memo
ry of some heroic achievement, or inspire the
devotion, or stimulate the patriotism of the
people For eighteen hundred years the
christian has not forgotten 10 commemorate
with streaming eyes and with a throbbing
heart, the last simple Supper Of bis Lord
and amidst al Of his lonely wanderfngs, the
expatriated Hebrew has preserved his Pass
over IN everlasting remembrance.
Ii Is eminently proper, too. that the chill
eren Ofthe land should be Joined with us IN
keeping this great political Passover, that
whenthey come TO inquire 'what these things
mean2" their little hearts may glow with
gratitude and love to God for the great de-
Iiverance which be effected for their coun-
trv, and with a longing desire to emulate
the virtues of the noble men by whose In
strumentaity this deliverance was accomp-
I lished.-That from their earliest childhood
/ they may be taught TO associate with the 4th
/ of July instead ofthe revel and the song of the
/ drunkard, some adequate conception of that
sublime event which it is designed to COM
memorate. The most sublime, whether we
regard the circumstances under which 1t
! transpired, or the consequences yet to re-
! suit from IT, which has ever been enacted by
| man upon the human tbeatte. L hat now,
/ .n the glad freshness Of their sinless years.
before the mildew oflhe world has blighted
their young and generous inclinations, AN
| IMPRESSION may be made in The cause of pat
riotsm and of virtue, which shall abide with
and control them through after life so that
"AH the ends they aim at may be
Their courtrys Gods and truths
Let US remember that iu little while, we
who are now upon the stage, and to whom
| has descended this great inheritance of lib-
erty will pass away-but the eager tide Of
/ human existence will flow on, and our pla-
ces will be filed by the generation that is
growing up AROUND u.s. 1t is our duty, a
| duty which we owe to them and to the cause
4 Of human liberty to look to it, not only that
! this inheritance be transmitted to :hem un-
1 impaired, but also that it pass into hands
| worthy to receive il. Ifthis be TO us then a
| dav ofreioicing il is also a day OF stern ac-
countabilty, for upon each return of this an
niversary we are solemnly challenged TO
stand forth and in the face of the world TO
render up an honest account of our steward
1 ship,-of the manner In which we have dis
charged the high trus: confded to u.s. How
are We. my fellow citizens. prepared to meet
| t1isr qu:remeut upon this occasion2 Have we
preserved our noble institutions in the fresh
ness and the purity, and the strength In which
we received them, or are they already smitten
with blight. desecrated and despsed2 Have
we guarded and preserved this august Tenn
/. pie of freedom reared by our ancestors from
dilapidaton and delilement, or are its maies-
tic columns already falling one by one. and
tumbling into ruins almost before the cap
stone is placed upon the edifice2
With us, the great experiment of selfgov-
ernment is but fairly commencing. Y ears
are but DAYS in the lifetime Of nation 1t
was but yesterday that we cut loose from
our allegiance to the mother country and be-
came an independent nation. A few, alas
and but a few of the heroic generation that
achieved our Liberties still inger amongst
us Here and there their white hairs may
be seen as they come today to mingle with
the cro,-ds of their more busting and ambi-
tious ofisprinS, end sit and worship as Isra-
el Of old, leaning upon the top of bis staff
A lutte while and the grave will have closed
over the last OF these venerable men. Then
will new race be fairly committed to the
experiment of demonstrating this problem OF
selfrovernment of which they may be said
only to have assumed the hypothesis. The
world, contrasting our brief history with the
mournfuI experience Of six thousand years.
is still incredulous, and demands some furth-
er proof than we have yet given that there
can be such an anomaly as stable govern
ment depending for its existence upon the
mullitudinous viii ola whole people.
But. one thing is certain. However im-
practicable in fact such a government may
be, from the distempered passions and cor
.o,,Io,,~tec Of our na,ura we have at