Hillsdale Whig standard. (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1846-1851, 1850-06-04
Written for the Standard.
THE CONTRAST, or TWO EXAMPLES.

.
tioos founded in a moment. Aourisbed day
and then vanishing like q Heering Meteor in
to nonsxistence. The recording page of th'
past. il annals forth TO Us the wild furies o
unshackled ambition. the false VOWS OF false
hearted traitors. and tho blasted hopes Of vil'
and unprincipled men. The past was ful
! of these, and yet there were some hearts o
noble cast, who founded actions upon emo
bling principles. sustained them by motive:
pure as the un,stnished sun, have given ex-
amples we'll worthy limitation from US and
generations yet to follow.
The History -loviss student can trace these
gems though mid piled rubbish of poilu.
tiOo. and by their brillancy
"Can with the bad compare,
And find whats really good"
Ia this time honored volume examples are
found suitable for the cala, eopsidetstion o.
all classes.
While the ambitious takes Nzpoieon for a
model of imitation, the quiet observer halts
10 sean the fatal end by vanished hopes OF
ambitious ignoble aim. He finally see: bat
surf-beaten Isle aud rocky barrier q little
world for him
Who ruled mankind with an Iron rod,
Aud deiuged Earth with human blood.
But let us turn 10 another scene In the
great drama Of times revolution. A palace
splendid 10 the pomp Of wealth, and decors-
ted with oil tho muuiicence Of the East may
be seen with Royal inmates. Attention may
be called in particular to one. who young in
years is neve,lheiess great 10 generosity and
nobleness; who bat me,e youth 10 yet a
prince Of thought and principle, as we'll as Of
Royal birth. OF him the Peisisn History
may we'll be proud. From him the world
received a pearl well worth a mortals care.
for Cyrus was Temperance man. Gay ~
all youth are, he thought he could perform
the duty Of the servant who passed around
the wine, our refusing To iss:e il before han
ding 1t TO the guests as was the custom, he
was repremsnded. In answer 10 their query,
he stated that poison was Injurious. They
sought IN explanation. He replied that wine
caused men to reel and took away their SEN
ses, and reason taught him therefore that it
was poison.
Youths Of America, does reason teach you
thusl Follow this noble example Of Cyrus
and sacrifice duty il necessary, to principle
aud reason. or rather make it your duty to
sacrifice personal enjoyment in preference to
the soul.euoblins principles OF Temperance.
Great As Cyrus afterwards became a.
Warrior and Statesman, this one principle
vas his guiding star alike ID HE Battle field
and a, the head OF his people. Should we
not make that principle ours also!
10 order TO make history useful and inter
esting, we should put in contrast seperste
portions and probe the actions and characters
OF different men. that we may unders,and
the motives and hear,-sesled principle, which
guide and control their lives.
For this purpose will cite to another era
10 the drama, Of perhaps equal interest. A
prince has gone forth with his armed hordes
to conquer and subdue. Perhaps ambition
70 his AAib Wtsu u 10 UftUk pS-
ligeient nations to kneel to his sceptre of
power, and take shslter beneath his blood
stained banner. He returns aud is shouted
forth couquerer. The isrthest India bows
10 his will, and all the neighbOring nations
acknowledge him ''liege Lord"
But the ambitious mind is not at rest, for
ambition is never sated. Alexander's thirst
for power is not quenched, aud he weeps for
other worlds to conquer. Oh, ambition: what
wreck thou makest ofmnd. His wish is not
realised. and he falls into that fatal snare, that
Hydra Of all evils, fntemperanee. Hs seek,
to drown his misery in 'the wine when 1t is
red and = continued debauchery Supplies his
faculties ill delititm dsurps tho evacuated
throne Of reason. A continued revel Of four
diserses Deiirium Tremens.
You who may have seen this deirium can
in a measure imagine its terrible effects upon
both body and miod.
Let Us IN fancy witness this death bed
scene, and bear with reality in our own hearts
a testimony OF the horrors ocessioned by
druukenbess.
Alexander is surrounded with numerous.
attendants to whom this scene is as strange
as the doings or another world, but with
mind distorted with all the hond irisg ginngs
conceivable, his pain .r.esed body is restless
as The furious winds. Like the waves OF the
sea rocked by the passing tempest. is his
form tossed upon his dOwny couch with i'm
p,ecsIiOns Of dire import, and with fear and
hurricanes Of wrath. Conscience with Irum.
pc, tones sounds iu his ear the kuell Of elsr-
nal death. and his wipe-fumed and fre.lit
brain piotures 10 him the tendance OF de-
mons who
With their torch have liz the fame,
Which now consumes his mortal frame
Does he seek rest! bis psin-rscked body
nerds n but sIzs for him. no lonOev -;lt n.