New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1852-02-23
!. washinpton's Birthday.

cerely regret that the commemoration of the
sentiments, the one of human and the other of
divine reverence, should at this time, have so
unfortunately conhicted. But the greatest Of
men is, in the light of Gods worship, but as the
atom that floats in summer sunshine
We had hoped that the celebration of yestcr
day would have been one of those great national
outpourings, which would have borrowed from
the inspirations of the past, a prophecy OF our
national and political future. When the sun
goes down, it leaves mirrored in the sky the re-
Election Of the light which indicates to the eye OF
the common sense observer, storm or sunshine IN
the coming day; and so, when great eharac-
ter passes away, Withdrawing the virtues and
The genius, which have illuminated au age, it
leaves behind it sure auguries Of good Or evil in
The future We had hoped that on the birth
day Of Washington, the American people, With
one thought sand one impulse, wonld iage turned
as to the sht Of the sun gone down but not
extingaiahel, TO the wisdom and eounsels OF
Washington. 1t was Gods day It was So
lenanly eonsecratcd by q nation not unmindtul
Of Immortality, or forgetful Of a solemn depend
enoe upon Divine Providence, to reverence OF
ono ineomparably greater than the greatest Of
His creatures.
We had hoped that the American people would
have yesterday turned to the memory of Wash
ington, and for many reasons We have just
escaped from most extraordinary crisis in our
lfajonfs history. When our cities may be like
ffe cities of the ancient world, so solitary that
b football shall make thousand echoes, and the
curious antiquary delve for explanatory relics of
an distinguished race, we religiously believe that
the student Of history, should we ever so pass
from the knowledge Of the world, will recur to
this crisis as one of the greatest one ofthe ferc-
est, and one Of the most pregnantly important
III all political chronicle. We overlook what is
near. We infinitely examine the past, and bring
TO bear upon it q thousand agencies of microsco-
pic influence The futute, we anticipate, and
its events we shape and body forth as though
oar Imagination could so order it, as it might u,
drama. We cannot, however, realize the i'm
portanco Of events in the midst of which we
stand, and in which We are actors But let the
1and for one moment group together the facts
vi yesterday, and then consider the perilous
uncertainty Of nations fate and Republican
hopes.
1t was but yesterday that fanatics at the
North and at the South, embattled themselves
in q hostile movement against the Union. AT
the North, u feerfully powerful organization o.
most fanatical prejudices, declared the fiercest
war upon institutions interviewer with every
Southern interest. Irritatod by this, a large
body of intelligent Southern gentlemen became
irritated and reckless, and went the extreme OF
n igIIuI lad off I,1t fro
ism prevailed, what would have been, what
could have been the result? Disunion would
have made US in our own divided land, the mos
cmbittered of foes. Embattled hosts would have
faced each other upon q line of sectional divi
sion, and in the fierce jealousy and the terrible
dangers of oursectional quarrels, we would hav,
been too much engrossed and too weak to have
commanded order at home, respect abroad
They call us now, they have called us evor til,
!aape of freedom in Europe and throughout tn,
world But thus absorbed in, and weakened by
unnatural and unholy quarrel, what q poo,
and pitiful and worthless hope we should hav
been! Jealously and fearfully sapprehcnsive a
home. how could We have been powerful abroad
What awe could be inspired by sundered am
shapeless colossus ...
But if our possible and perspective power ant
dignity as united people thus rises up in til,
ferNil Imagination of an American patriot be
hind it lnger contingencies, which, like ey
spirits, can only be coniured away by invoking
the pure name and the wise cOunselss OF Wash
1ngton We are asked, We are beseeohed, We
are commanded, to take Il course in which the
#hole future OF our country's history shall be
compromised in the fate Of every nation on Gods
broad earth. The appeal, or the command, Gas
1t may be termed, J ispiyoted upon the uncertain
issues Of distant land aud the more uncertain
aspirations OF a strange people. When the dive,
goes down into the deep and buries himself il
the tide of the ocean, Drawing all its uncertai,
dangers for an uncertain end he is less reckless
with more practicable views, than we are called
upon TO be. He has an object and something o
an experience to guide him through his under
taking Bat, when we are called upon I,
plunge heatlong into the tide of the world
events. how much Of certainty, how much o
probability, mark or color any promised result
u TOMORROW we freed every nation upon which
sl'e aun shines, over which the winds nigh
pelh eur bugie call of freedom, how many
''e'i' could appreciate Tie merits, how many
"heln could endure the perils of a free govern
l'iei'e' which is i government of mind and will
-'i' "htoh 10 Al nnintorned and unintelliCen
feopie. is Gully the lioence to run mad W.
ieeH i.oV seek an illustration Of this beyond ON
vi the most gracefully cultivated of Europea,
nations, How could We pretend ,o hecome III
Turid Is treasury, its armory and recruiting sin
N!9u Was ever enterprise so mad or snol;sb
."iustrio''sy urged upon and fully entcrtaine,
~ an Intelligent people' If we Interfere 70
one aation, why not interfere ior another
ia hungary, why not for Japan, France, Au,
lila, Spain, Cuba, Patagonia, China, Siberi
sad every nation under the sun, not enjoyir
our own free institutions If we start up,
ait's mission to which we arc invited, not ON
% inen from abroad, but even by distinguish
,eltiemcn at home, not all the food of t
s32lnge could out measure the blood which mi,
9aspilled before it would be fully accomplishc
1lesun shines and plants grow The win
siw and the seeds lifted upon them are sea
ttfea broad cast through the world.
! rings are notforced i'll day. Somoral inf
gssea, like the fertilization of the sun, or wide
Sifusiug agency Of the winds, have their sile
Aew4f The spread of free opinion is n