Evansville weekly journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 184?-18??, 1848-01-27
NATIONAL GOOD NAME.

character, to d nation, was more than mi
litary glory, land, or wealth-let the country
lose it, and it is lost, sunk-a century and bet
ter men will not restore it."
The above is from the trough and imperfect
sketch" of Mr.. Clayton's remarks on the Ten
Regiment bill, furnished US yesterday by our
correspondent s'Independent," characterized by
the latter as a mere outline of the speech, "ey-
cry word of which ought to be studied and treas
ured by the country" The words quoted are,
clearly enough, broken and imperfect-mere
suggestions of what the speaker really said: but
Notwithstanding, they are words of gold ex-
pressing a sentiment which every American
who loves his country should write upon the
Utmost tablets of his heart. Every word of it
is true. Character Is more TO a nation than
glory, land, or wealth: wealth cannot pay for
it, land ought not to buy it, glory can never be
a recompense for it. Weigh everything that
is of worth-contrast fame with honor, riches
with integrity, grandeur with justice lit is
still, or it should be, with nations as with in
dividuals; and reputation must be ever treas
ured as the immediate jewel Of the soul.
Our forefathers, the founder of the Repub-
lie, began the career O Irrational existence with
the maxim, ''never to ask anything that was
not right, nor to submit to any thing that was
wrong,"-the proudest and bravest legend that
was 0--~Ic of a ma
tion,-and proud and brave because It was a
declaration that Justice was adopted as the cho-
sen genius of the republic. With that maxim
ever, heretofore, re~ligiously observed in the
conduct Of our national affairs, we have al
ready, in short term of years, less than the
life of a man, grown to be one of the greatest
and most powerful people on the globe, fam
Gus for our prosperity and happiness the
jewellers of a wilderness, which we have plant
ed until it has blossomed like the rose,-the
virtual possessors of a continent, all of which
in the fulness of time, will, or may be ours,
without a blow or wrong inflicted upon a hui
mon being, and, therefore, without a single
blemish contracted upon our good name. A
democracy in a world filled up with thrones,
it has been our aim to prove the superior vir-
tues of a free people, and the superior protec-
ton offered by our institutions to the rights of
mankind. Our example has not been unob-
served; it has been as a blazing star, watched
and hailed as the herald of a new happiness for
the nations; and if kings frowned and feared,
there was a beating of hearts among the peo-
pie, as they viewed the new spectacle of iber-
ty without license and power without wrong;
and the whisper of that glorious maxim-our
maXim-was as an enchanter's spell, before
which chains were melting, and all the old in
situations of feudality Wondering rapidly a
way.
Who can deny that all the germs of Euro
pean political reform have grown from the seed
planted by American example? it was no
the French revolution which freed France
it was the American revolution. And if Eng
land have departed from a penal system Of
blood and a political system of bigotry,-i
Germany and the Peninsula travail, and ever
Italy shows a sparkle of new life,-if there be
indications of beneficial changes over all the
world; the movement can be traced to an i'm.
pulse long since communicated, and every veal
more strongly enforced, by the example of A
merican freedom and American virtue.
Our character, then, as a just people, ha'
been as a tower of strength to human liberty
1t has been our own most profitable and mos
glorious possession. 1t has been the secret tai
isman of our happiness: and when we cast
away for glory, for land, for wealth, we shall
have surrendered that for which we shall here
after mourn when regret is unavailing. To
day is the day Of choice; Tomorrow for retrl
button. Sleepest thou well, now, ruler am
tempter of the people? Tomorrow it may b
other wise -
5 Not poppy nor mandragora,
Nor all the drowsy syrups of the world,
r Shall ever medicine thee to that sweet sleep
i Which thou ow'dst yesterday.
Phil. North american.