Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1851-04-17
YllING MEN.

IT is attempted in different quarters, pri-
vately and publicly, to raise cry against the
influence Of young men. 1t is supposed by
some that advanced life and grey hairs should
not only COUNSEL in difficult affairs, but lend
in execution; and that youth is really but
childhood, and fitted to mingle in the exerci-
ses and amusments proper to that age-but
never to allude to the grave matters of poll
tics-of State resistance-of revolution
These ideas are preposterous. With the
greatest respect for the experience of age,
we yet maintain that in great crises, the
young man, endowed with talents and filled
with energy, is really the most reliable leader.
1t is the period when the hearts quick pulsa.
tons urge to the execution of daring concep-
tions of the brain-when, unalloyed by the
studied caution and the unnatural timidity of
the hackneyed politician, of the property
holder, after many years of accumulation,
and Of the already famous, who dread the
unbinding of a single leaf of hard earned
laurels-when, stimulated by ever-prcsent
visions of his country's renown and by an
honest ambition to link his name with the
story of herhonor, the youthful patriot seeks
to do, what may equal, if not surpass, the
deeds of his predecessors.
All history is crowded with examples, in
every walk of life, of the noble achievements
of youth. Themistocles in youth, against
strong prejudices, built navy for Athens and
defeated the greatest power existing on EARTH
Alexander, youth, conquered the world and
died at 80, when there was no longer an aim
worthy of his genius and ambition. Pom
pey elevated the Roman name, and assumed
the title of "Great" at the age of 25-
Hannibal, in youth, traversed the Alps for
the first time with an army, and subdued the
conquerors. In later periods, the Black
Prince of England, in YOUTH won the highest
renown. CASTOR de Folk, at 81, won the
great battle of Ravenna. Don John, the
bastard of Charles 5th, won the still greater
victory of Lcpanto and died at an early age,
like Alexander, worn out with fretting for
new fields of achievement Washington, a
youth, established his claim to the command
in chief of our revolutionary army. Buona-
parte at 27, astounded the world with his
Italian campaigns, and, at 80: from his birth
place, an island then recently acquired by
France and just in season to make him n
Frenchman, assumed the purple of one of the
greatest countries in Europe. Scott, at %,
had assembled to the top of the military lad
der in the United States and made reputa-
ton worldwide.
In other departments, to enumerate only a
few out of the hundreds, Bacon, Pascal, Burk,
Byron, in their youth, took position with the
highest. And finally, our own Calhoun, in
youth, was designated for the Presidency,
and soon after. leaped, ut a bound, to the
summit of fame, from which he never de-
scended.-Psha! decry youth? Why it is
the golden age of mans earthly existence,
for almost all purposes! It's successful by
its peculiar qualities of disinterestedness and
lofty aspiration, beyond the achievements of
any other period of life. Almost all revolu-
tions are conducted by youth. The highest
and noblcst actions on record were executed
by youth. Let the aged advise-let them
chalk out an honorable course; but for its
perfect execution, let them call in the indom-
liable energy and determination of youth
Without them, they will utterly fail-with
them, and their resources, there is success
In our present crisis, the youth must lead, if
not guide, the action Of South Carolina.-
And when the great cause of liberty is repo-
sed in their hands, we believe that the issue
will not only be honorable, but most glorious.
FOR UNANIMITY'S SAKE,
WE are willing to do any thing, that does