Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1854-03-09

christians makes them good ci'izcns."-
What tends more to make men good chris
tans than perfect religious liberty? Inde-
pendent Of other grea, considerations the
influence it has upon the prosperity of ma
lion is, in itself, sufficient reason why II
should be held sacred. 1t makes men good
citizens. This is the great bulwafk OF
coun,ry's prosperity. In Republic, if the
people are pure, the whole working OF
the machinery is bound TO be pure Also
When our fathers laid the foundation Of our
government, perfect religious liberty was The
chief cornerstone in it. They acted upon
the great sentiments. SO swell uttered by
Lord Mansfield in 1867, that ':conscience is
not conlrollabIe BY human laws, nor amena-
BILE to human tribunals. Persecution, or al.
lempts to force conscience, will never pro-
t]uce conviction, and can only be calculated
to make hypocriles or martyrs" They
left every one free to serve G ID as he chose,
and this has been one of the greatest reasons
why we have marched onward with such
unexampled progress; for it has encouraged
emigration and promoted morality. So
strongly rooted is this love of religious lib
erty in our minds that he who would inter
fere with it, in any form, would not only
be held up to censure but to universal exc
Grafton. Let US contemplate our county
proudly pursuing her course, under the
broad shields of civil and religious liberty,
with her flag Of glory unfurled TO the breeze,
an example and model to the world!
Poets have loved to paint ideal happy
lands with all the gorgeousness OF fancy, but
never in their strangesl dreams OF imagina-
lion, never in their widest vagares Of
thought have they ever pictured one more
happy Than that which we possess. Alad-
dn's palace shone not with its splendor!
know no great blessing we do not enjoy.
If had thousand tongues, each c.ouched
with coal from heaven, though spake for
hundred years, could not tell the haPbi-
ness that now spreads its expanded wings
over our beloved country. It's spiri, is in
grated in every mountain, every hill, valley
and plain, in every blade of grass, in every
rivuIet, in the very skies above US, nay, the
the air we breathe is so full of its odor that
emigran,s flock from every soil Of the CIVIL
lied world to catch the breath Of lis inspir-
ing fragrance. Though we cannot proudly
boast, like England, that the sun never sets
upon our dominions, yet we can boast that
i. shines upon happier and more prosper
Gus people. And 10 what are we indebted
for this happiness To the Union-the
work of our noble fs,hers-cemen,ed by
their blood-and which we are under the
most sacred obligations to preserve. He
who would level blow q. lis existence, le:
him be esteemed worse than a murderer,
more execrable than an assassin. Let his
name be forever detested, and sunk in the
whirlpool of eternal infamy When our
Union shall be destroyed may there be no
tongue 10 tell It's disasler-may there be no
ear to catch its last expiring groan! May
Time be frs. destroyed, may the earth and
sea be rolled together like scroll!
Al few more words, end will bring these
remarks to a close. When The gallan,
Wolfe received mortal wound upon the
heights Of Quebec, he heard the exclama-
,ion, ".hey fly, they fly" "Who fly ," said
the dying hero. Being told the foe, he ex-
claimed, whilst the beam, that lit up his
countenance, shone like the emana,on Of
heaven in his soul, "'Then die happy" and
Immediately expired. 81 die happy
How appropriately might these have been
the words of Washington, when about TO
close his mortal career! He had lived long
enough to behold his country, for which he
had Tough, and toiled, prosperous and hap
py that which had been sown in weakness
raised in strength. lie could no! have de-
sired brighter prospect upon which to
close his eyes-a happier return Tor all his
Iabors. His work OH earth was done-lheIe
were no regrels to disturb his dying pill
low, or greve his sinking heart. He drop
ped The veil of mortality and sunk into the
arms of victory! The grea, victory OF his
coun,ry's welfare had been achieved! And
shall we no. perpeiuase it? Shall it ever be
said. that our fathers bled IN vain
.sThe sun which now blesses our arms with his
Saw them fall upon Columbia's plain,
Oh, let him not blush when he leaves us to night,
To find that they fell there in vain!' - 80
Let us no, close this celebration with
out a deep conviction Of the duties we owe
10 our country. Each citizen, as he enjoys
her blessings, should SO live as 10 conduce
to her prosperity, glory and perpe.ua'ion.
..Tbis be our motto: In God our trust
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall
wave,
O'er the land of the free and the home of the
brave!''
And as long as it waves, may your flag gen.
lIemen, with its appropriate m"t'o-"Fsrat
pa7snam gui meruit," wave DER the success
and pr osperity of your Society!
The mild air gives birth to pestilenee,
and The whirIwn6, though it uproo!s trees,