The Columbian fountain., 1846-04-16
For the Columbian Fountain.
T. III O u G Ii L S.

For the Columbian Fountain.
THOU UGHTS.
Suggested By a pisit 10 The Congressional
Bmying- Ground.
stood among the graves Of the llusiri-
Gus dead. At my feet, was crumbling into
/ dust all that remained of their mortal exist
ence. Around me stood the lofty monu-
ments, erected to their honor by their coun-
try, in commemoraton of their mighty and
glorious achievments. Over their tombs
there bloomed the laurel--the myrtle-and
the cypress-wilhin the eyes reach, there
glided along the shining waters of the noble
Anacosta.
It was lovely spot-not particularly
because there was SO much of the variegated
and inimitable beauty of nature there, but
because there was fitness-a perfect
adaptedness in the place for the purpose to
which it was devoted. Twas a charming
vae-rising in gentle unduation on either
hand-shaded with the dark foliage of the
fir, pine, and cedar. In thisretreat, pleasant
ly gloomy, SO gratefully sad, (for love to
feel sad and gloomy, when surrounded with
suck striking memorials ofthe frailty ofmor-
tality. In this retreat, away from the din and
bustle of the great Metropolis, gave my
self up-for the time and circumstances
were fitting-to meditation and reverie.
| thought, within myself, could l call
each individual now slumbering beneath
my footstep into life again-could ! quick
en- the heart, and give to the eye its bright
ness, and to the tongue its eloquence-could
assemble all around me, and with pow
er Of Omniscence, examine, specifically and
minutely, the conduct and character of each
Of them-what diversified and fearful pic
ture would be spread out before me what
a variety of occupations, pursuits, and OBJ
jects What multiplicity of motive, cha
racter, and action What innumerable,
and different, and endless shades of thought,
mind, and intention
Here is the statesman who Numbered
with his eloquence in the council hall
Here is the man of military renown, who,
exposing himself TO perlous hazards, and
to almost certain death, led on his band of
veterans, tried and true, to victory and con.
quest! Here is the individual who, in the
greatness of his genius, with consummate
skill and dexterity, touched the spring of
Government, and set the whole complicated
machine into harmonious and successful ope-
ration! Yonderis the valiant officer, " ho, in
the ferceness of the contest, stood upon the
burning deck-wth the blood gushing and
streaming before him, and the balls whist
ling and ratlling around him, and old ocean
lashing and prancing on every hand, as if
to heighten and increase the terror of bat
tle-urging on his gallant crew 10 deeds
of bravery and daring, to triumph and gIo-
ry And there, too, haply, is the august
parsonage, who sat upon the bench to
which law gives dignity, surrounding its
sanctions with terrors, and issuing forth
compliance with the wholesome demands
of Justice!
Having thus before me, with know
LEDGE of their various vocations and cha.
racters, and the circumstances which
surrounded them; the great men, and the
mighty of the nation-l inquire within my
self-what could have been the motives
which impelIed them to assume the respon-
sibIitcs, and surround themselves with the
vexations and anxieies of public life What
the object they had in view What the
spring prompting them TO action' Was it the
glory of that God who is the King of kings
and Lord of lords--who stitch upon the
throne of the Universe, ruling among the
nations of the earth, and dispensing rlghte-
business and judgment to the children Of
men, Was It the promotion of His glory
which influenced their chief desire-their
ruling motive' Itmay be, that out of this
large assembly before me, there is a single