Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1848-03-29
My present discourse is oil contain ed
this short but comprehensive text:
71riva vnu,. orSost

My present discourse is oil contain ed il
this short but comprehensive text:
Drive on your horses! :.
My hearers-the spirit of the age is
dt1re ahead, if you upset your wagon ant
spill our milk, keep up with the popula
crowd, and leave the old slow, earefu
coaches in the lurch. 'Get out OF the way
old Dan rucker!' is all the go, nowadays
musically morally and mechanically speak
ing A flood is upon US thatsis fast wash
ing all the works of the old music masters
into the dead sea of oblivion. The old,
heavy drama is loo slowa coach, altogeth-
er for the present day. A lighter and
faster one we must have-a regular trotting
concern. Poor Shakespeare! his house is
sold, and tus stepped out His taper shines
with a sckfy glare in The misty moonlight
Of The pasta mere glowworm upon a
dark and distant moor. Alas! am afraid
she was not for time. but for all ll,day;' and
il is now about to be all day with him.
But, good bye, Bill must drive on, my
horses, or takeEthe dust of unpopularity.
Ny friends I've are fast people, and
we hveSin a fast age. Perhaps you may
say we are only riding down hill on hand
sled: the more we increase in velocity, the
sooner we shall reach the bottom; and then
have to get back again the best way we
can. Shouldn't wonder? shouldn't wonder?
No, by thunder! no, by thunder!-the way
is comparatively Land the road is clear.
All we have to do is to keep up the steam
and push ahead propeI. When speak
OF keeping up the steam, brethren, | don't
mean that you shall fire up with that liquid
sdamnation which feeds the flames Of hell,
> for thereby you may burst your boilers;
but have reference to maintaining that
ambitious spirit of rapid progression, to
which neither the everlasting mountains
nor the eternal hills can set any bounds.
Ours is already great country, but we
want 10 make it big country. No .pent
up Bluckweils Island shall contract our
powers; but the wbolo boundIess continent
must belong to us. Repubicanism, with
his new big boots, is bounu to travel-and
no power upon earth shall say, Thus far
shalt thou come, and no farther. Empe.
rors, kings, princes and potentates! get out
of the way, for we are coming with our
fast horses! Clear the track for Young
Ameriea! We intend honestly to vote
ourselves farms; but, if voting don't get
them, by General Jupiter Jackson, we'll
take them whether or no! Shall we lum.
ber along the road. and allow other nations
topass as with whiz? No--never.-
Our horses are fast, and we must give the
world an awilg specimsn of our speed
Take care then, by Brazil! we are running
race with Britain for Cuba; and, if you
don't look out, you may get injured. We
must gress-adyance- = -expatiase-till
two-thirds of the globe is ours; and then if
we are compelled to stop by some unforeseen
circumstances, what will be the consequence?
Why, we shall falhto fighting among our
solves, and be brought back to the borders
Of primitive insignifcance. | speak the
words of truth and soberness; and | care
not which enderse my sentiments-the
hosts Of heaven, or the Tegions Of hell.
My dear friends-the world plays grab
game. and, every man must look out for
his handful. For my part, take my
timo and cheerfully accept Of what Provi-
dence assigns me. But don't be guided by
me, poor pensioner Of II eaven-a pauper
dependent upon Chance. Drive on your
horses; keep ahead, ifpossible, and let the
devil take the hindermost., So.mote it be.
.%1i Dow, JR.