The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-03-27
BUNKER HILL, Mach 10. 1851.

BUNKER HILL, Mach 10, 1851
To The Editor of the National Era:
| know, that as public men are, nowadays IL
is very natural for every President to desire his
administration signslized somehow And SO.
President Filmore's has been signalized by a
Proclamation to the people of Boston Memora.
bic event What mighty big gun 1t reminds
me of the one whose firing and bursting sgnalized
John Tyler's administration, and killed his Secre-
tary of State, besides frightening almost to death
all on board the Princeton. In that case. if the
load had gone off as intended, nobody would have
been hurt, but the fash, the smoke and the re-
port, over all would have been over; but that
bursting did the mischief, aud did it to those to
honor whom it had been overloaded
This Mr.. Webster's gun was surely overloaded
If it did not burst, it must have kicked tremen-
dously, and have done all it's execution at the
other end, for it neither burst nor reach ed any
thing here. That gentleman has heretofore COM
planned of others stealing his thunder but he need
not fear that any body will covet his new kind
that he's attempting to get up-it sounds too much
like theatre thunder
Alas, how manifest it is that very much of what
public men say and do, nowadays, is said and
done for political effect rather than for truth and
the real welfare Of the country They act as though
President-making was their calling, and hesitate
sure They even dare put on the cloak of Wash
ington, and garnish his sepulchre with the gau-
dest show of words to his memory, and then turn
and do what his character forbid his doing be-
cause their character forbids their doing what he
did Washington had the charity that vaunteth
not itself; that seeketh not her own that
was not easily pulled up. He sought first
the freedom of the country, and not the slavery
thereof He endured Office for his country's sake
and put on privation as a garment, and wore it
cheerfuly. They seek Office for their own sake
and put on profusion, whenever they can Wash
ington lost his life, aud now finds it in every men,
CRY. They seek theirs, and shall lose them. 1t
was the absence of self-seeking in Washington,
and the presence Of that same in these who name
his name that causes the difference, and it is idle
to look for any but difference of effect till the diff
ference Of cause is removed And this charity
begins at home,n long, long before they start for
Washington.
Ia reading Mr.. Filmore's letter to the New York
Committee, the other day. | went along quite
smoothly till came to the assertion that Wash
ington's example spoke still from the tomb y and
then received sort of shock. From the tomb y
All, that tells the whole story. It's dead and
buried example, because it is a dead and buried
character. Pure character never dies, nor is ever
buried in tomb All that's put in tombs is food
for worms, and not for Christians And they who
listen there can never hear the still, small but
onnipotent voice of Washington's example, as ut
tered from the living heaven of his character. OF
the Saviour it was said, he is not here, he's RISEN
as he sadn So Of Washington. He is risen. And
1t was given him Of God to be the Father of his
Country, so it may be to be the saviour of it /;
for tmay please God to make him in his character
:" first in the hearts of his countrymen" in very
deed, as he is now in word. And, then, by all
such, the Union will be preserved, as it was
formed by him, for Freedoms sake, and for Slave
ry's speedy dissolution.
For is it not evident that one or the other must
perish And yet how careful this issue is sought
to be concealed. What prodigious efforts to heal
the hurt slightly and cry peace, when there is nc
peace, and can be none till wickedness ceases and
the walls of the country's defence, are built NJ
with something better than the daubng Of untem
pered mortar such as the Senator from Kentucky
so much delights in By the way, how signifcan
ia his name! Well, f'vc almost -"opcned my
breast to you it has been full a long time, fol-
Pve been kept aloof from issues Of all sorts, an(
from meddlng with what could not alter.
One question, and I've done for this time
How many of your readers do so believe in Goo
and His Providence as to rest in confidence, tina
this same Fugitive law shall in its working b.
caused to work together for good, to all who low
Freedom w SMITu