Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1849-08-11
Dose Of Flattcry from a D. D.

ID. " the Boston correspondent of the
National A. S. Standard, in his account of the
late Commencement al Harvard University,
speaks Of the Grafton before the Phi Beta
Kappa Society in terms which the author
will not be likely TO mistake for hattery-
thus
We did not escape this year the ~inexora-
BILE destiny which dooms us 10 a Fourth of
July Grafton or a Sermon, according as the
Orator is a lawyer or a minister. The only
variety in our misery, this year was, that the
Fourth of July Grafton was given by a Min
lister. II is needless TO say that its theme
was our Noble Selves, and the duty of low
ing ourselves even better than we do now, it
| that be possible. The Orator seemed 10 be
undera great apprehension lest we should
fall short in that Cardinal Virtue. For, of
course, Patriotism in this country can mean
nothing but fidelity 10 what we think for our
town interest. We think the Rev. DR.. Be-
thune need give himself no concern on that
head. The Universal Jonathan will be pat
riolic in his devotion to the Union now, Just
as he was loyal in his devotion TO the King,
before the Revolution; that is, Just as long
as il pays, and no longer; and would not he
be a fool it he were! The only difference
between DR.. Bethune, and Calhoun at the
South and Garrison at the North, is, that he
thinks it does pay, while they, for opposite
reasons, think it does not.
1t would be purely diverting, IL i, were
not a triie disgusting, to see the martyr-like
air with which our Orators eXhort their audi.
tories to do what they like and TO hold opin.
ions which they have never though, OF doubt.
ing. To see how they swing the censor,
tuning with incense strong enough to knock
down a bullock, under the noses of their
hearers with an air as if they were applying
the penitenlial scouTge 10 their shoulders
Thus DR.. Beihune labored most palhelically
to persuade his audience 10 be Patriotic, and
devoted to the Union, and to apply their
great talents and advantages TO its mainte.
nance, just as if he did not know that they
were all of his way Of thinking, or if he had
a single disunionist present 10 exhort, that Ii
was by good luck This assentation, which
marks almost all our public addresses, is
strongly Characteristic Of our National char.
acter. 1t is at once cause and effect. Now
and then a Charles Summer may make the
Fourth of July an occasion for rebuke of Ma
tional crimes, or a poet Dana, may vary the
monotony of its usual topics by proving a
Monarchy and Hereditary Aristocracy, tenn
pered with the popular elements, to be the
best form of Government. But these are
rare exceptions, and, as in the first instance,
injure the social standing of the offender, ac-
cording to the degree of his guilt, or, as in
the last, mako the astonished citizens, as
soon as they recover their senses, seriously
incline to the due administration of the tar
bucket and the feather.bag. But in general
not even a Phi Beta Grafton or a Lyceum
lecture can 60 down unless helped by dose
Of Flattery. One would think, 10 hear them,
that we are really the most modest and
shamefAced people on earth, and that it is
essential to give US a little confidence in our.
selves and a higher opinion of our own mer.
its. And so every Big of Wind incontinent
ly lhrusts his nozzle into the bladder Of ouI
National vanity, already inflated almost Ia
bursting, and tries TO puff it out a little
more