Columbia gazette., 1854-03-25


unsheltered and unfed, which encoun
tered and overcome ruthless, savage
and cruel foe; which finched not frol
the scalping knife or 6erv torture, whic
chose to advance,-when to advance wa
death,-to return to slavery Of consci
ence and inelorious case. Such were
very few of the circumstances whicl
surrounded the fsrst development o
the iron energy of American character
Nor was this all; even nature refused
to yield return for labor from hel
barren and stinted soil andthc chill
ling cold deprived the husbandmar
of his promised st,-sceming as
ifal! things were combined in opposition
to bear upon these hardy pioneers, and
develope energies in these men Of gran
ite mould, which should fit them for
their destiny, that Of pioneers of freedom
for G acorld. Thus it was, then, in our
early history that the roots of that ener-
gy which stamps our national character,
found their first punishment amid these
stern realities and brought forth a goodly
tree, the tree of Liberty, under the
shadow of which all the nations Of earth
aeM get repose.
But oppression and tyranny from an
other continent followed them over here.
For no sooner Lad perscvering toll and
hardy industry began to wiring its reward
Of wealth from uryielding nature-than
those who should have been friends
grasped at its possession, and again comes
a contest and struggle: and during a
period that tried mems souls in an une-
quail conflict with veteran, disciplined
and well armed mercenary foe; where
the blood she'd at Lexington and Bun
ker Hill moistened the roots of the tree
Of Liberty. American energy in anoth-
er light again shone forth from tho tent
ed field; and under the direction of a
Washington and the superintendent of
the God Of Armies, shone forth conquer
ing and victorious; and while upon the
battle field,
Where lay the dead who take their rest,
With all their country's honor blcst,
and take their last quiet sleep together
in common grave; whether upon the
heights of Charleston or on Chippewa 5
green sward reddcned with the blood Of
frecmcn, while contending hosts battlcd
for mastery, Or iii later days upon the
changing and re-cchoing heights OF
Cerro Gordo, or in the deep dark gorges
of Bucna Vista. American energy is
illustrated IN the American soldier, and
to the gazing and astonished world he
has proved, that as soldiers upon the
battle field Americans combine all the
frmness and unyielding obstinacy OF
Albion's veteran sons, with all the daring
and dashing impetuosity of the impulsive
inviacibles of a Napoleon
But while in creating a busy world
from a waste of wilderness, and making
thriving towns and populous cities upon
the Red-man's hunting ground and whik
from the unyielding bosom Of wild ma
ture, wrestling by hard toll, her reluctant
treasures, and while from abject poverty
and starvation creating a nation with stu.
pendous works already accomplished anc
giant efforts in the future, and vas
wealth accumulated and idle in its cof
fers, while in these deeds and upon the
red -war-feld of strife and clashine
arms, demonstrating the superiority o.
our energies, our versatility is also man
ifest in the more peaceful pursuits anc
avocations of life, and we find it branch.
ing forth in all the varied pursuits O
Commerce. We find by the enterprise
Of our merchants, the skill Of our archi.
tects, and the noble daring of our sea
men, that our sails whiten and dot tn,
bosom Of every Ocean, from the fierce
heat of the farthest southern cline, tt
the remotest region of the frozen north
penetrating farther and sailing fastel
than all competitors, and stimulated b.
native energy going SO far in our pur