Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1845-07-17
BY JOHN S: s. ii. II. GALLAHER
40 26.

n veterans who have toiiea and suffered for the
1Nepuole, whose crows have become wrinkled and
smi.ose hair mas grown gray ia its service, seem
out SHINING MARKS y point the venomed arrows of
Islander and detraction,
We boast that We enjoy civil and RELIGIOUS Thar.
II. that our Constitution secures To sli frpsAon,
OF thought and speech! F7 q
~ nat commentary upon these empty raunts
neS, does The history Of the past yearalio |!
~ nave shown to the world, an intolerance
winch would have sdisgraced the darkest are Of
persecution--we have seen men dragged from
their burning homes and their life blood shed,
because they dared % think--we have seen the
MAJESTY 1.-THE Law openly defed, and the sanctu-
ary. oil Tod, sacriegiousy invaded BY the madness
lacuon' Oh the future is before us, in al its
darkness and mystery, and can We read.no omen
OF me Ill It may bring upon usf
an lhe streets o. an American city, not one sho,1}
year ago, temple dedicated to the Most Hip'
ieit before the furyof a phrenzied mob and u IN
holy image Of the Cross was hurled Is he eartb. 4
U 1R@Rag vel nj tEllanph broke upon the air.
tion Is stamped upon every human work, yet Ne
can guard againstt the evils, which are now upon
as.
+ It is not for me toIdwell upon the decay of pa.
triotlsm, ting neglect Of principle, the growing
thirst atteZ power, the corruption flowing from
wealth 36d luxury, the disregard Of the voice of
experieNce and the blind carelessness of the FL.
ture Which, fear, TOO plainly characterize us as
aPeoPle. Speaking from aeonViction Of duty,
can fbut express the hope, that every one who
boasts the his land will seek 10 know
the Responsibility resting upon him individually,
and TO follow that path which duty and patriotism
may call uponhim to pursue. ~
There aye those, fellow citizens, who can fore.
see in the future, nought but ruin and desolation.
whose fears lead them to anticipate at no distant
day, the destruction of our freeynstitutions, and
the severing Of those ties by which we are bound
together.
belong not this school 9os croaking philoso-
piers. have sought to read the destiny of the
Republic, and while reason and observation have
taught me that dangers are to Be guarded against.
neither the PROSTATE columns Of ruined Capitol
nor the scattered fragments of broken Constitu.
ton, have been presented to my visi0h,
We have the past, to Instruct and TO guide us
the present Is before US, TO improve and we need
iearsno eylfrom the future if We but keep steadi.
~ III views the prosperity and happiness Of our
people and the perpe,uity of the Union. The
'Union--to 1t we owe all that we are our glory.
our character, our existence. Who would sundef
this band Of peace and concord-who would Sc.
yer from their holy companionship, the stars and
stripes.o our banner?
4 No! let US ever live as brothers--as worship
persg at the same pure shrine Of Freedoms
sharers Of the same high destiny, and should the
storm-clond of war, now lowering over our heads,
burst in its fury upon u.s. may we find rallyine
around the standard Of their common country, men
front the mountains of the North and tile plains
of the South-nen bearing upon their garments,
the dust nf the Western prairies, and the spray-
I pofffiofRff 81 The tfllE estf FTp &c ocean.
cans-but standing upon the soil of our Mother
State, with her mountains and valleys around Tue
with the proud memories of her past glory sug-
gested BY the day-our eyes ore naturally turned
upon her.
Would that more were seen to cheer--would
that her Present were worthy Of her glorious
Past! /.
i ask not the causes Of our retarded progress
seek not 70 theorise- for inallits magnitude and
the neglect Of the education Of our
people, must force itself upon every mind.
The hour has come, when the men Of Virginia
must arouse themselves, from the strange indif-
ference Id which they have so long remained.
they must awake to the absolate necessity Of re-
form upon this subject.
Yes, seek aeEdisguise, it1as we may, Virginia I
stands with folded arms and IN listless apathyl
while her sister States are moving forward in tho
march Of Improvement
Whyis ita Her resources are unbounded-
her sons are brave and chi1alrous44-her honor is !
as dear as Of oTd-why is itf Words boot mot
to explain, what all know.
There's blame to fail somewhere, and casus..
try cannot extenuate it. Os9 rulers are culpdble,
they who hodthe reins Of. powers-they who are
charged, withthe promotion of the peoples inter-
ests-they who rnockmgly profess to be their ser
vants-n tlleface Of the World, must Boar the bur-
den Of the blame. Hmayisound in your ears, as
a hackneyed and Jthreadbare theme, yet the fact
stares YOU in theI face, that Education, which de-
vefopes the pawers OF the mgd, refhesthe feelings
Of the heart and ennobles the character, has bee,
denied our people until they have almost becon
a by,word ofIreproach. r 4ltt
Y The age III Which we live Is one Of improve |
ment, the world is progressing. Our nation
advancing, bit our State is inmoveable- imbe'
sdedin the mire Of exploded theories and refute, |
dogmas. e-f3
We have talked Of Freedom until It has bel
come an nhIpeaning name. Does not history
teach us, THAT Education and the spirit Of hum
liberty, have ever moved! hand in hand, ro-wc
ers in thess same glorious improvement?
our people are educated the richest treasui
tie earth will lie buriedi our hills, and
nected By works Of enteFPfise, WE sha'
strangers to our brethren.
We eve it to ourselves, to the mem
Fathers, to the ancient gloEg of the
wealth, to the Union and to the world, thai
up az QtAe tiidh3 VIC eHou4u "iPO eH1R oe-H -
Fescutcheon. Is
Let us not boast that we are Yirginians, Il
not e5uitN iii the name, when thousands Of
brethren, bearing the same proud title, still wear
the chains Of darkness whose minds are blank
whose VISION Is circumscrbed, whose intellects,
like observation-disclosures, she'd but q feeble, flicker
ing light4around them.
Look az thS States which stood shoulder
shoulder with Is in the trying scenes Of the
voIution-whose people are our brothers-me
the same mould -sharers Of the same liberty
! Why have hey outstriPped Us Z Why are,
they IN advancA why drocps our proud
banner. far behind1 -
Upon itH broad folds, we see the emblem 81 .. !
Fathers hatred Of oppression, and In cLaracte
bright with the glory Of the passs We read ths1x
motto, Sic Senlpsr Tyrannis
Do re bow before no iespotlsp Il tbare X
tyranny ID ignorance
Oh. that virginians would AWAKE fror, ~
inglorious lethargy, and catching ia ;rsn;rsT,,,
Of the age join in the cry--ssOnward Onvs5 :.
canitbe' Wilt eyerso Men Of Virginia You
glorious ~ y
Our own day Ray not rsap tie rich reward.