Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1852-12-08

fairs of fother nations. The. consequence has beel
that while the nations of Europe hace been en-
gaged In desolating wars, our country has pursu
edits peaceful course Of sunexampled prosperity
and haDpiness. The wars in which we have beef
compeIIad to engage IN defence of the rights ant
horar 81 f4e country, have been fortunately O
sLoyf aarafi<5n During the terrific contest of ma
st;ang a6aifst naten, Nshic succeeded the French
rsvolD7ion, We were enabled by the wisdom. AMI
frnlIsess of President Washington to maintain
cur neutrality. s+ spssza
While other nations were drawn into this wide
sweeping whirlpool, we sat quiet and unmoved
upon our own shores. While tha flower of their
numerous armies was wasted BY disease or per
ished BY hundreds Of thousands upon the battle
field, theyouth ofsthis land were permitted to en-
joy the blessings of peace beneath the. paternal
roof While the States of Europe incurred enor-
mous debts, under the burden of which their sub
jects still groan, and wusts absorb no small part
of the pfedunt efthe honest industry of those
countries for generations to come, the United
States have once been enabled to exhibit the
proud spectacle of nation free from public debt;
and ii permitted to pursue our prosperous way for
afew years longer in peace, we may do the same
again. s.ss e. Is -. se.z
. But 1t is now said by some that this policy must
be changed. Europe is no longer separated from
us by ayoyage of nloHths,b steam navigation has
brought her Withina few days. sail of our shores.
Ell interest ID, her controversies. Although no
zone proposes that we should join the fraternity of
:peteptutes who have for ages lavished the blood
and treasurer of their subjects in maintaining tthe
balance power p yet it is said that we ought to
interfere between eontending soyereigns and
their subjects fer the purpose of ofoVerthrowng the;
monarchs of Europe and establishing as their place
republican institutions 1t is alleged that we
have heretofore pursaed 4 dif course from a.
sense of our wesk ness but that now our con-
scious strength dictates a change of policy, and
that is consequently our duty to ningle in these
contests and aid those who are ling for lib
erty. ssss a. .s1ss,s5 go -
Z. This is a most seductive but dangerous appeal
to the generous sympathies of freenen, enjoying
us we do the blessings Of free government, there
is no man that has an American heart that would
otrejoiee 10 see these blessings extended to all
sther nations. We cannot witness the struggle
between the oppressed and his. oppressor any
where without the deepest sympathy for the for
mer, and the most anxious desire for his trinlnph.
Nevertheless, is it prudent oris wise to Involve
ourselves in these foreign wars Is ii indeed
true that We have heretofore refrained from loing
SO merely frenthe dsgradiip motive Of a con-
seious weaknesss For the honor of the patriots
Who have gone before us, I cannot admit it.
Men of the Revolution who drew the sword
sagainst the expressions of the mother country,
and pledged to Heaven stheir lives, their fortunes
and their sacred honor to main tain their freedom,
could never have been actaated by SO unworthy
a motive. They knew no weakness. or fear where
right or duty pointed the way, and it is libel up
mrs for 1nb;sh tlIeu a I,a1,ly fou,bt .a;d blnd To
irs;, sa4a = g ts 9 =
sI,b.s ts.l that ~ tto,, r,,r
s,,ed was dir rtated bv stern sense Of inter1atian-
al Justice, by statesmanlke prudence of a far
seeing wisdom, looking not merely to the present
ts,ast afs tba co,y,t y,trvg { sa
h,, ~ # 10 uor,d i ,ovarnad lass b
svmna3bv than bv reason and fI,rre. tbat if was
80 pr,,ss;t,ia fr pat;on ia eca n ssnrona-
.rsndst,, ,f rs 1,itba arravno,
s.;. o,l, ErTror,e and T 3bst tl
rast ,as III I q he eptrotv of 70.
hl;esr Iberty beref,,s ifs ent there
I;stary has heen written n vain far those who
scan .,nit th;a. IS IS s. g &
FrnncfsR had 1,s, sooner established repablicau
form IF oav,erunenf that, she manifested a de-
sire to 391. ibjessiay rs on al 4hs world. Her
own historian, il forms us tt1at hearigfr OF some
nettv acts of tyranny IN q prig,cipali
Ia. aThe National Conyentioa declared that-sbe
would afIordsuceer and Fraternity to- all notions
who wished to recover their lbertv: and she gave
II in charae to tlelsexeeatve mower to giya= or
ders to tifa generals of the French armies to aid
nl citisaas. tybn n,igbthaye been or sbonld be on
: nressed Il the ca1se of liberty.
r Hove ,,,as fbe false stem which led to her sub
seouent naisforfllne. she soon found herself in
,yoTed H. " With fhe rest of Eurone. Tn less
than tei, wears her changed from
rennblie 4 an e,n5ire, and Enalv. after she'd
dino rivers If sblooJ foreun movers restored her
eyiIed dynasfy.E and exhausted Eurepe soI,aht
,,eace and renoss IN be ,tneouest;oned a5cendency
il,f mocarclr;ca1 nrir,cin]es 4.
et ne lesr w;sdao from ber examnle Let
nc remember that .ravol,,fsons 5fo NOT always es
fablisb fraedon, f1ir ov free inst;tution were
not fhe offspr;po of our Revolutions. They ex-
isted before. Ssss5;s s. zi,s 8 f3sgse
They were planted in the free charters of self
y 4 - ~ ;al,s5th, p.;+;sl, 5oo1a,,;os