The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-01-23
FIFTEEN CENTS A WEEK.


had some cause for mourning. Affections happen
to nations as to individuals, and while they may
seem TO be severe, they are not without their bene-
fits upon the national heart. Nothing IS easier
than to forget God. nations prosperity, as that
Of an individual, is to her of temptation
and of danger. History proves nothing more GER
talnly, than that a day of national triumph Is the
presage of national ruin. In such day, men are
tempted by the splendor and SUCCESS of fortune 10
forget the weakness and dependence of their con
dtion; thev are tempted to forget the source from
whence springs their pre- parity; they neglect to
lean upon the arm Of the unseen Ruler of nations
and are tempted to exclam, in view of their great
ness, 'my power, and the might of mine hand
hath gotten this wealth.. Nothing arrest
this spirit, prevent the ruin which is It's certain
consequence, save the in'srpostion of God him
self and his interpOsition is made in that way to
make himself most surely felt; il made in the way
to have himself owned and felt as the centre OF
power-as the Being to whom the world ls lndebt
ed for every blessing and every benefit which II
enjoys. Its cities ravaged with fires, its helds
are covered with hoods-storm and tempest, anu
lightning, and hail, lay waste its property !; pes
lence, and famine and war, destroy her people.
The nation under the disp snsation, stands aghast
-trembes at the unseen power which Is abroad
remembers &c i-brings to mind its sin and weak
ness, and repents in sackcloth and ashes. Ii pros
trates itself in the dust of humiliation, asking with
trembling heart that God may susI end the course
of judgment-may avert his wrath, and promising
TO return in penence to the way of duty and Of
truth. The Judgment is suspended; Gods anger is
apreased ; the nation humbled, and the nations
heart and conscience purified. These are the ben
efits of anlcton, showing that they are sent III
mercy, not in wrath.
In the year that has gone by, while we have not
had as much cause for mourning and penltence as
in some former years, when war and pestience car
ried sorrow to almost every heart and gloom to al
most every household, yet we have not been with
out troubles and distresses. The great monarch j
waters, which pours through our borders the mighty
floods of a thousand valleys and the torrents Of
thousand noun. aims impatient of cestraint by rea-
son of the accumulation of power he approaches
the sea, impatient under the confinement of limits
too crcumscribed for accommodation, has in some
ms lnces broken the thraldOm imposed, and sought
new channels of outlet, laying waste valuable es.
tatos- destroying property Of every description
depriving the hnsbandman of his reward-nyolv-
ing families IN the ruin of recunary disaster, and
IN some Instances throwing them into the world
without even the necessaries, much less the com
forts, of life. This is afflicon peculiarly
TO the sufferers themselves, and Disastrous to the
interests of the State at large, for it so happens
with States, a. with the human body if mem
Der suffers the suffering IL felt by the whole, for
the that the interests of all are so
blended and united, that what is immediate injury
to one is ultimate injury to ALL The sum Of
tons Interest is the aggregate Of her pursuits; the
agricultural, the commercial, the professional, nu-
tuaily depend upon each other, and is nor Tor the
commercial or professional to saw when disaster
comes upon the agricultural, that it is concern
or interest of theirs when the agricultural interest
furnishes the capital upon which the banking OF
the whole community is done, and from which all
derive the bread which siistalns themselves and
families.
1t Is not becoming in those who, by of
local position, liable TO such disasters,
say that they have no interest in the losses
sutferings of those who thus exposed, when tn.
interest OF one is the interest of all, and not
n m he tate n MI
terlng. The disasters, therefore, witnessed in
certain portions of the country during the last
winter and spring. by the river breaking its levees,
and overowlng It's banks, ls to be regarded as
lamty betalling the State while the plague which
IN previous years ragged IN midst has visited
us SO severely and generally as before yet when
look into our journals and find the record of
many departures, and look into streets, and
so many solemn professions moving IN silence and
sadness toward the last resting place OF man-look
into our households and Iuany saddenng
evidences OF the visit of the destroyer the
deserted chamber-in the vacant chair-in the
cred rlnglet-in the handless glove-in the worn
apparel-in the silent fireslde-we cannot close
our eyes to the fact that, State, we have not
been without atilction from this cause.
While enumerating the various dispensatons OF
Providence which may be regarded as affections or
caamities to the State, will be permitted to al
lude to one which will be felt peculiarly by Louis
lana in common with the whole nation. We allude
to the death of the late Chief Magistrate OF the
Union. If in other countries, when monarch
dies, the whole nation is involved in gloom-ls in
vested with the sad andsombre insignia OF grief
every palace and every cottage are seen hung in
mourning sad attire and every valley and mountain
heard to reverberate the funeral knel and every
cathedral and chapel are filled with the solemn
strains OF the funeral drge and the colors of the
shipping in every port and every navy yard are seen
to ioat at half mast; and the land and the
no rl 10 he n p nj m
why should we nation not testify grief at
the dispensation which has taken from our midst
the Chief Magistrate who presides over nation
al councils, the Chief Magistrate OF free people
elevated to his office, not by the accident OF birth or
rank, but by the unpurchasad sutirages OF millions
of freemen. Why should we not regard il as an
aliction sent by the hand of Providence upon the
nation to chasten and humble its spirit When the
Ruler is taken blow is struck at the nation, and
II becomes the nation to PROSTATE itself under the
mighty hand suspended over it, and to excaim
from the soul in accents OF penitence: "Spare thy
people, good Lord and bring not thine heritage to
destruction" In our place here it becomes Us not
to speak OF the political opinions of the late Presl
dent, the relation which he sustained to certain
| political parties. We only know him as history
| knows him as one who won his way by prowess
| and patriotism from the lowest rank in his coun-
| trys service to the highest command-as one who
sustained his country honor and planted his coun.
| trys banner on the soil of foreign toe--as one
| whom danger could intimidate and no tempta-
| ton could seduce-as one whom no power could
| awe and no splendor could dazze--as one who I'M
| der all circumstances, whether with the limited re-
sponsbhty OF a subatern upon our northern from
tier, or whether when in supreme command he was
| confronted with the countless hosts OF Mexico was
| stranger to the eInoton of tear-as one, whether
| surrounded by the ausertes OF the camp, or the
| Injuries of the executive Observation-Disclosures ming
| ling with statesmen soldiers in the cabinet ol
! barracks his rtu nrt farm rod
| hOnor-as one who had the soul of hero with the
humility OF the child who had the heart of a war
| rior encased in the purity and chastity of female
| bosom; who, when he found himself elevated by ac
camation to the highest position in nations con
fidence, blushed with the modest timidty of youtt
at the compliments paid to his services, at the hon
ors associated with his office.
He is gone, and a nation followed him with tear
full eyes and sorrowng hearts to his grave. Lou
siana has testified her of the sad bereavement
in the honors paid to his memory, from one end o
| the land to the other, in asking, through the Elk
ecutive, that his ashes might repose upon her soil
| 1t is well, while assembled to-day for thanks
giving, that we should remember several afic
tons; it is well, while rejoicing, to rejoice witt
subdued spirits and chastened feelings; it is wei
I | that our past Affections should be remembered il
the midst of the cares and engagements which tn
incoming year may bring with it, in order that tn
wrath and Indignation Of Almighty God may b
aver,ed from us in all time to come and happines
may be preserved in borders What speci
cause, we may inquire, have we, upon this day an
; occasion, for thankfuness We have much "
have been spared, by the mercy and providence
| God, in health and life we have been protected b
His Almighty hand, from the pestilence that wall
: | eth in darkness sad from the destruction TIN
!, | wasteth at MONDAY; we have not been nu,nbert
], with those who have been gathered by death
their fathers, but have been spared for longer pr