Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1846-05-14
she ought TO be: "Great, Glorious
and Free"
BY CHARLES POTTS.


To contemplate The rise and progress of Ma.
TORS, is pleasing occupation; yet pleasing as
it Is, close upon i, follow The unhappy sensa-
lions produced by ruin and decay. II is but a
step from The highest pinnacle Of greatness 10
the loves, condition of insignifcance and mis-
cry. View SPAIN; bul as yesterday her COM
merce whi,ened every sea, her legions carried
her arms victorious over conquered Hemis-
phere. which she herself had discovered
view her with The pride and boast of Europe,
now stripped of all her conquesls, her CON-
merce and her industry, dragging out miser-
able existence in civil wars and lactious broils,
despised and lamenled by all her former un.
successful competitors for greatness and re-
nown. Though this contemplation be fraugh
with painful reflections, yet within the bitter
drops are mingled the sweets of useful and
profitable lessons In tones loud and not TO be
misunderstood il tells of the vanity and evane-
scence of all earthly glory, vanishing as an
idle dream. leaving behind scarcely shadow
or trace 10 tell of former greatness.
Lei us return from the observance of Ma
lions, which like the mushroom springing into
existence and maturity almost simultaneously,
and as quickly moulder TO the dust; 10 those
which for ages have been acquiring strength
and solidity, and at length burst the trames
which have SO long bound Them, and success
fully asser, their rights and their determination
to be lree-they like the plant of slow growth,
when time had brought out their energies and
malured them, enduring all The storms and Vi
cisitudes Of fortune unscaihed; and while all a.
round is ruin and desolaion, they will rise
with new incentives 10 urge them 10 prosperity
and renown.
Among this class we would rank IRELAND
While other nations of Europe have sprung in
to glorious existence, flourished, and some of
them fell never 10 rise again from their ruiGs,
she still holds the same place she did eight
centuries ago. With her sister Isles of the
ocean, she commenced her career, with pros
poets equally bright YET how different have
been their fortunes. The English spirit, ap-
parenlly almost destroyed by the almost sue
cessive invasions of the Saxon, the Dane, and
the Norman, has from each gathered energies
which have urged her 10 greater and still
greater iriumphs. Even her very civil wars
which for lime appeared 10 crush her, have
added to her new aurels in the restoration 10
her subjects Of The inherent rights ofman Her
career has still been onward, her arts and her
arms have been carried to The frozen regions
OF the north, 10 the dusky plains of Asia, TO the
burning regions Of Africa, and still farther 10
the thousand Isles tha, dot the waters of The
Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, until she posses
ses an empire upon which the sun never SETS
an empire unpolIured by the touch OF slavery
Contrasted with this, how different has been
the course of Ireland! Unlike England, for
eign invasions almost crushed her in The bud OF
her existence. The genius of Ireland could
not. did not, flow in unison with The genii of her
invaders. Her civil wars, not like those of
England, in which The lower orders con,ended
with the higher, for great and noble principles,
sunk her still lower in the scale of misery and
slavery. Even The discovery of America,
which TO all Europe, proved blessing. relar-
ded her delverance from the thraldom of her
oppressors. The spirit of the Irish people,
which for centuries. even under the influence
Of tyranny and misruIe had been acquiring
strength and resolution, was about 10 reek It's
vengeance upon lis oppressors, assert its rights
and raise "down lrodden nation 10 its proper
place among the nations of the earth The
cloud had been gathering and was abou, TO
break upon the despolers of this fair land; bu,
America was discovered, and the spir, of lib
eriy, finding no congenial spot in the Old World
upon which 10 erect her alter and dispense her
blessings 10 her follower took her flight across
the waters Of the Atlantic, and fixed her SIAN
dard in The unconisminated soil of the Ameri-
can continent. and there under her guidance TO
found Nation, that wonld lead The cnslavcd