The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1845-02-21

Ut Clues WituOut uduSCt oiSiuSuiIs lHS
ImilitaI seemed 10 be identified in The
public mind with the idea of fcowardice.
IpusilIahimity and dishonor. - s''a
General Brown. fully aware Of the
difficulties which encompassed him, as.
sumed the command of an army ,as
deeply sensible as he was himself ofthe
position it held in public opinion, and
determined to wipe off the Stigma at
tached TO the military character, or per
ish IN tie attempt. w 2''e '9''' ~" ,.' ',.'
In order to make the most of the ad-
mirable spirit which animated the
corps he commanded, he resolved i'm.
med;ately on aetlve" operations. To
the suggestions Of the timid, who urged
that ouf raw troops We're incapable oI
contending successfallyin the field with
the disciplined troops Of The enemy, he
replied that we were equal to them in-
dividually; & there was. no reason why
we should not equal them collectively.
To those who urged that no great OBJ
|iect was to be attained By invading
Canada from the Niagara, he replied
that we could at least do our duty; and
ifothers performed theirs, we should
make powerful diversion in favor pi
The main army operating upon Lake
Champlain; but if we should even fail ia
that object, we. might strike such a
blow as 10 re-estab ish the military char
acter Of the country, which, in his es-
timation, was worth any sacrifce-
even that Of the whole corps he com.
manded. 'a@Hl iGh -h7i''~s ~ '1i'.i' !
Having entered the enemy's terrific,
'ry, he set the example ofappearing, on
all occasions. 10 uniform, and declared
that he would have no skulking under
mean DISCUSSES. From his example,
and that Of other chiefs, it became a
point Of honor with the officers to wear,
at all times, whatsoever the country
allowed them to wear. The measure
operated severely upon them; but its
moral effect upon the troops was eiec-
trio; and it was perhaps, the. great
spring to the success which, followed.
Without the advantages OF early ed
'ucation-with no other preparation
than that which d vigorous mind, aided
by the accidental observation Of a few
months previous service. had enabled
him 10 MAKE, ,-he assumed the offen-
size, at the head Of an army ofrecrnits
and volunteers; and, opposed BY an a.
Bic general, followed BY gallant and
veteran battalions, he was the fortu-
nate Individual who turned in our favor
the tide Of victory then running rapid
'ly against us; and BY a series Of we'll
fought actions, in which his army was
some Zines the assaiant, sometimes the
assailed, he restored the furnished mil
'itary reputation Of the country to. its
original brightness, and won for himself
aslasting renown.l 80 +" I, ~" ~ -
~ There is q mo raj grandeur in the ef.
forts Of funaided intellect forcing its way
by its own intrinsic powers, over the
conventional barriers Of custom and
prejudice, to the commanding eminen-
ces Of society. In times of cain: and
luiet, those high places are often attain
ed BY mediocrity, with even more GER
tainty than by great character or tran
scendant ability, because, in such times,
a course of mean intrigue, of low cum
ning and base subserviency,is too often
necessary to snccess-a' course to
which high honor and conscious ability
never stoop. But in those times Of
storm which the history Of nations
sometimes exhibits when the tug OF
war comes, and disaster follows disas-
'ter--when the political edifice seems
shaken to its centre, and society. as il
were resolved into its elements, then
it is that the insect tribe are brushed
away, and eagle spirits soar; then 1t is
that those master spirits qualified to
mark and distinguish the period in
which they live step forth and assume,
by general suffrage, the stations which
nature intended they should occnpy.
The plain, the unassuming Brown
was one of those master spirits. 1t is
impossible for those who knew him on
ly ia the bosom Of society to form a
conception Of the astonishing grasp Of
his intellect, or OF his great moral intre-
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