The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1852-11-17
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FoG TIL. LEDGER.
The Rc:tc-ation Of Greece.

The mind reflects with pleasure on gene
rouS %nd heroic actions The deeds of the
'H- Q. SNcitc onr "uaj...tiuL, anl h,:r mis-
fortunes aroCsc our Symp:thiCs. Greece in
rrtUrmcr greatness Solicits our reg .rd and
esteem, in hrr fall our sympathy ana commits
or ton, and in her cgrcss from Turkish do
mmon, produces in oar minds sens ltions of
pleasing hope that Greece may yet b, what
Greece once WIS The land of the frec-thc
Land of the brave In regarding the age in
which ancient Greece hcurished, and the diff
ficulties under which nations then lab0rcd in
acquiring au accurate knowledge of the arts
and sCcnc"s, we ar. constrained to Weld to
her the palm of genius-to resign TO her the
laurel wreath Cf victory, for she has accom-
p!shcd deeds that will ever be held in admi-
ration, and produced men whom future. ages
will ever honor, aul in whom each virtue
wore 4 smiling air Who, without admira-
! ton, can reflect on the blttlcs Of Marathon,
Salamis, Platca and others. Who can re-
gard those battles without the profoundest
esteem for the Grecian heroes who struggled
for liberty against myrads OF foes, and con-
template without feelings of emotion, tho
graves Of those troddcn upon, and their naEIcs
! iasulted by the servilc Ottoman Yet the
| heroic spirit of the ancient Greeks had shown
itself with great brIliancy. Athens and
Sparta almost alone withstood the vast armies
of Persia But luxury at length, cnervated
the an riant rnurnora p MI anarf,,, oF t,a ot;,,n
and Greece fell from her high position, and
though bearing so great name and occupy
ing so high place in our recollection, had
ceased until Of late to b. considered as hav-
ing any actual existence. The torrent of
Ottoman conq!cst, overwhelming all the in.
, stitutions and monuments of the clasc ages,
seemed to have obliterated it rs a separate
state, and to have sunkcn it into the subor-
dinate province of large blrbIri n empire.
But even under their deep humiliation, mate
rials were not wanting, out of which this in
dependence might be established. Amid
the gloom of Turkish dominion, the Greeks
still existed as a people every way separate;
not indeed manifesting their former high dis
play of genius and heroism yet still distinct
in language, manners and religionsand exhi-
biting revived symptoms of inteIlecteal and
general activity, having no sympathy for,
nor having any bondofanion witi.rbe Turks,
they existed rs distinct and sspArate pco-
pie, and i'll brookei Turkish dominion which
was of the most oppressive and degrading
cast The very idea of their having lost
their nationality and former greatness was
sufficient to arouse them; but their persons.i
grievances were great, and almost insappors
table. The Greeks, when they reflected
upon the glory, grandeur and greatness Of
their foreflthcrs, and contrasted thosc with
their own civil aud political degradation,
their minds were racl;cd with passion andeI'F
presscdwith remorsc, for their having 49
long beeh unworthy OF their liberty. inHu-
cnced by the consideration Of the greatness
Of their forefithrrs, AID anirDited with ihs
hops Of emnlating that restness; they roscs
in defence of their a;ehts and liberties, nnd
nobly did they edskiin and defend tbein-
selves, and in many a hard Fought battle. th,