Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1851-09-03

the world. In the day of battle--and what day
in this life is not day of battle-young men
must be rallied to the danger and burthen of the
contest, whatsoever may be adroit enough to
monopolize the glory. /" What can you do with
your beardless Flemings?" was the the ques-
lion of the Marshal to the proposition of the
Colonel Of a regiment Of young Walloons, on
the field Of Kolin. "You shall see," said the
Colonel, and plungng into the thickest of the
| fight the "Flemings" carried the day. The
regiment was afterwards known as the La
tours, and in Napoleons wars, says modern
writer, Gard a nous here are the Latoursr p
was the cry of the French soldiers, when, af-
ter they had repulsed repeated cavalry charges,
they beheld these intrepid horsemen hurled
against their squares.
In his speech at Buffalo the other day, Mr..
Webster said: "The strong arms of the young
men till the soil. The vigorous resolution
which takes hold Of any improvement, and sus-
tains every public project, takes counsel, no
doubt, from age and experience; but young
men in this country push forward everything
complete everything" Here is the testimony
of age and experience, shrewd observation from
the position of of eminent craftsmanship, in
favor of youth and its essential quality to the
development of vigorous resolution.
"Give me the young men for my audi
ence," said distinguished minister of the gos-
pei, "if | am to preach the liberty of the cross
and the truths of christianity. | have no dis
position to contend with the strong prejudices
Of age, nor will minister to their qualification.
1t is the piety of youth which must confound
the folly of years"
Thus, in all the various scenes and crcum-
stances of human life, experience prompts us
to look to the young for efficiency and power,
but it must be to the intelligent, not the thot-
less, careless, and trfing. In our country, in
civil, social and religious associations the young
are bringing with them an influence which must
bear with inconceivable effect upon the happi-
ness of their maturer years, and the peace and
serenity of their own old age. Every young
man and young woman is vested with peculiar
power, for good or for evil, and according as
they use their privileges, will be the influence
exerted upon their children as well as them
selves. Here is no authority to control them,
no vice to corrupt them, no State or Church to
Cypress them, which is not in a general sense
subject to their own will, and prevailing only
by their assent. Thus virtue and vice, civil
and religious institutions, society in the abstract
and concrete, are here, but the incidents of free
opinion, wrought out by intelligent inquiry ut
the approved sources of human knowledge
How immense, therefore, is the degree of re-
sponsibity which rests upon every youthful
beating heart and busy brain in this community,
yet how lightly is it apparently esteemed.
Independence, which is the talisman of safe
ty in all human institutions framed according to
the free principles of repubcanism, is itself
secure, only as it is sustained by intelligence.
Hence it is the duty of every young man TO use
the means within his power, to assure himself
of the character of any and every public act, es
pecially, to which he may be party, that he
may faithfully execute his duty, and prove true
to his obligations to himself and society. He
must not be the supple tool of demagouge or
priest; he must hold himself free to act for the
maintenance of truth, in State or in Church,
and as heartily and resoutely put away from
him the thing or the man that is worthless and
corrupt in one as in the other, that he may lend
his aid and influence only to what is operative
for the promotion Of truth--the effective and
permanent development of republican princi-
pies and pure christianity.
1t is hardly necessary to impress upon the
mind of youth the dignity, the glory, the sub
Unity of such position in the world as this,
and such privileges as are contemplated by it.
There is 10 intellect so dull and obtuse, unless |
bespotted by vice and dissipation, but must rise |
to an appreciation Of American character upon a
proper consideration of it, with perfect thrill
of satisfaction and glow of honest pride. There
is none thus realising it, and looking to the
grandeur of that future to which he is to minis
ter for the present, but must feel the quicken
ing impulse of his privilege and opportunity, and
rejoice that the ardor of youth is sustained by
the noblest aspirations of humanity.
CANADIaN CuRPENCv The Tnsnnrtor Cen.