The daily republic., 1853-08-27
Herois,r,.

Hcr0ism.
"She did this morning in the Charity Hospi-
tai, victim to her exertons in the cause OF sur
forng humanity."
Tho New Orleans Picaysne says this of Sister
Octavia McFadden.
We are not going to write an epitaph, bog-
raphy, or labored eulogy on this Sister Octava,
or of the many Sister Octavas in the distressed
city of New Orleans or elsewhere. This simple
but emphatic statement of her heroism is enough
"Shs died this morning in the Charity Hospital, a
victm to her srsrtons In the cause Of suffering hs
manity" Let no other inscription, with the date
added, than this be placed over her grave.
Nor will we discuss the merits or evils, social
or otherwise, of such religious institutions as that
to which this lady belonged. The elevated prin-
ciples of philanthropy, laid down and exhibited
in the doctrines and life of Christ, acting upon
our common humanity, is here beautifully exem-
plifed. II is human nature sustained by christi
anity. And, doubtless, there ssters-ssters
of humanity--who are not sisters of any religious
order, who have the same blessed herosm.
Our object is rather to draw a moral from this
statement, and to make some observations on
what is truly heroic and on what is often thought
to be heroic In this age of hero-worship, when
the mere prestige of the name Of departed mill
tary conqueror was sufficient to place nephew Of
that chief on the imperial throne of France, and
when in every country, barbarous or civilized, the
first honors are given to those who bravest at
the cannon's mouth, we would inquire who are
the truly brave, and who the greatest heroes' And
in this country of fhero-worshp-our own free, en-
lightened, and glorious America-glorious by the
trumphs of industry and the arts Of peace, moro
than by war-in this country, where soldiers are
made Presidents for their bravery, and where such
men as General Bellicose lead the 'publi6mind
captive with their magnificent schemes of glory
and grandiloquent military language, we ought to
know who are the really brave and heroic. Tell
us, you Emperor General Bonapartes, you Pres-
dent Generals, and you Judge General Cushings,
which are bravest, which the most heroic, the
man who fights in the midst of the din and clang
of arms, his senses drowned by the sound of mar
tial music, and his soul inspired by the hope of
honors and rewards; or the Sister Octavas who
walk in the region Of death and face the dreadful
enemy in the poisoned atmosphere of a New Or
leans hospital. Tell US of your Arcolas--of your
Buena Vistas--of all your military heroism, and
we will point you to the noble woman who leans
over and breathes the injecting air of the dying at
the Howard Hospital, who braves the terrible yell
low fever to relieve the suffering, and to assuage
the last moments of the dying; we will point to
her who has no hope of earthly reward or honor,
who dies unheard of in her charitable labors, and
show you where is true bravery.
To see the honors paid to the worship of mill
tary renown in all ages and at the present day in
America; to watch the development and growth
of this sentiment, one would think there is moth
ing else worthy of honor in the world. The very
children in the streets make military exercises
their pastme, and the boys of different parts of
city form themselves into opposing armies and
often have real battles. This is the result of a
vicious education, and of dangerous state of
things engrafted upon political and social sys-
tenn. We have more generals and military titled
persons than all the world beside, and nothing to
fight except few miserable Mexicans, unless,
alas, in the absence Of other materials to CRAFTY
this growing warlike spirit, we turn to dsunion
and fighting each other.
We do not deprccate our admirable system Of a
citizen soldiery; nor the encouragement of a pa
triotic, brave spirit in the youth of our country.
1t has been, and may again be, required to defend
our territory and our honor. The fostering that
spirit has enabled citizens to do good service,
and to distinguish themselves in good cause
and we would be the last to discourage it within
its proper sphere and influence. But now that it
is pushed beyond it's proper limits, and enters too
much into our social and political life, and is cal
culated to be dangerous under the controlling in
fiuence Of such men as General Bellicose and
General Glory, we would have our brave and
honest citizens understand the true nature of
military herosm and of those other kinds of hero
ism which are not military, and which are not
whit less heroic. See those Sister Octayas, see
those hardy whalcrs, who, when the great mon
ser of the deep struck their boat and split it in
two and plunged them in the sea, took another
and perilled their lives to capture the levathan;
see the mountain pioneer who braves the Indian
tomahawk and all the uncertainties and miseries
of the wilderness; and see the millions of poverty
stricken men and women who toll from early
morn till late night, and struggle with lifelong
difficulties, and then say if there is not other
bravery and other heroism worthy the highest
honor. Let us look at facts; let comprehend
the age in which we live, and repudiate the spirit
nspred by the studies in the schools called classic,
and the spirit of the barbarous and medieval ages,
and be morally brave in all the relations of life,
and we shall always be physically brave when
our country requires it.
senator Atchison on the Pacific Road.
We cut from the st. Louis Democrat, the great
organ of the Benton party, the following notice
of Senator Atchison S speech on the Pacific Rail-
road The Democrat copies it without comment
from the local paper 1t manifests, perhaps, a
symptom of desire on the part of the "Hards' y
to bury the hatchet on former differences, and
unite with Colonel Benton on the Pacific Rail
road question:
sOn Saturday last Senator Atchison spoke in
this place to large and attentive audience. The
subject of this speech as set forth in the notices
was the Central Railroad to the Pacific and
Nebraska Territory Mr.. Atchison expressed