The North-Carolinian., 1851-03-29

~" ~ - dS Tue OedFu upon your CnlnSs Oy
which the beholders may know that you
are men. And to you belongs this pecu-
liar. boast. that yours is the oldest Compan
in the State. Nay more. unless an old
Company which once existed in Boston has
survived the shocks of time and accident,
is the oldest Company in this widespread
Union. Is it not then a just subject Of
pride, that here in your midst. like that
upon the vestal altar r9rancient times, or
those on the estuffas 6&Mexico, kindled
as it is said by the Montezumas, and kept
by the faithfnl continually burning for un-
told generations back even to the present
day, tbe fires Of patriotism and 'just ambl-
tion have been kept constantly blazing
without one moments intermission; while
in other places they have only now and
then flashed up and gone out again, to be
rekindled if at all at some future period?
What young man is there among US who
does not feel himself moved to cast his
brand upon this domestic altar, and to
stir up their fires to intenser brightness:
And on holiday occasions. has not the
Independent Company ever constituted an
important part Of the gay procession?
Without it would not the pageant be tame
and uninterestins? And could even our
National Festivals be greeted with proper
spirit? Would not men of distinction 60
down to the grave without our community
being able to offer any appropriate express
sion of respect for the ilustrious dead:
When visited by statesmen and heroes,
and public functionaries, and men Of re-
n"wn. how should we pay them the accus-
toned honors? And should sudden call
be made upon us for military aid, either
by the State or General Government,
should we not be mortified at finding that
VIC had scarcely any thing to offer but raw
recruits and uninstructed officers?
But it is not to your pride only that l
would now appeal. 1t is to your sense of
interest also. We have been greatly
blessed as people. In ancient times it
was subject Of singular boast to city,
that it had never seen the smoke Of an en-
emy's camp. In our day and country,
thousands Of cities may make that boast.
Comparatively few of US have ever known
the exciting terrors Of the battle field, or
to have our sleep disquieted by the appre-
hensions of being suddenly called into NOR
tai cosz4t.t- Peace. like river. has con
:inualiy flowed past US, and we forget that
its sacred fountains may one day be dried
up. 1t is the part Of wisdom to prepare for
war in the time of peace. And if the
sky above US were eloudless and no sounds
of distant thunder assailed our ears, we
should make some provision against pos
sib!e storm. But this is not so, and we
can hardly hope to escape the common lot
of man, vicissitude and trouble and sor-
row;-that the book of our history shall
contain no bloody pages. In the piping
times OF peace, the soldier seldom hath
any honor. We look upon him as a
pain ed butterfly. who hath nothing to re-
commend him but the gaudiness ofIis plum
age; and he eats as we fancy the bread
of idleness. But how is the scene changed
when the eremple Of Janus is openeds Then
roses are scattered in his pathway. and
wreaths are woven for his brow, and all 9th
er classes are striving who most shall honor
him. 1t ls closed again. and again is he
given over to neglect, aud none are found
SO poor. t" d" him reverence. My friends,
we should not indulge in these strange
pursue such a course as will give US SOL
ourselves in state of dependent subser-
viency and fawning sycophancy when our
necessities come upon US. In all places
and in all ages the soldier has acted most
important part in the drama Of life; and
i
the instrument for the accomplishment of
some of his .randest and most benevolent
designs. Like the plough, which must
tear up the desert where nothing is -four
ishing but wild flowers and useless shrubs,
ere the Wholesome seeds which minister
to the comfortable support Of man can be
deposited with any hope Of harvest, so in !
general it seems that the wilds of moral
nature must be broken up by the terrible
invasion of military force, ere the peacea-
bic fruits Of civilization and moral and
religious culture can be produced. Strange
as it may seem, rarely has the glorious
Gospel itself been planted in the hearts Of
any people, until they have been torn and
mangled by the sword Of the invader.
Like the fierce winds which seem as it
were to sweep every thing before them
with the bosom of destruction. yet serve
to give purity and healthfuIness to the
atmosphere. so have wars in most instan-
ces been followed by a higher degree Of
moral and intellectual health in the scenes
over which they have passed. These are
great mysteries, altogether beyond our
finite m9rehensioE. But with so many
evidences Of their existence in the past
and present history Of our race, nothing is
left to Us but to acknowledge it. From
the soldier, then. the true and faithful
soldier, so often the instrument Of Almighty
power. we ought never to withhold the
tribute Of respect, even when we may
seem to be independent Of his aid; nor
should we. in our hour Of trouble, fall down
aud worship him as saviour. Nor must