Loudon free press. (Loudon, Tenn.) 1852-1855, 1854-10-11
Love of Country.

1t scarcely matters where man is born
ions, or in Southern chimes where the yerdure of
earth is perennial, he loves, and to the latest
hour of his life will love, his native land. 1t may
be bleak and inhospitable; its government may
be oppressive, still be clings to the soil on which
he was born with an unfaltering affection, and
whithersoever he may go into other and more
beautiful countries, his. memory in waking hours
adu in dreams, wanders to his childhoods home
he loves it though it exiles him, and is proud
of its name and fame while its yoke sits CALLING
on his neck Love of country is life implant-
ed sentiment, belonging, alike, the rudest
sayags and the most polished civilized
man.
And it is beautiful ordinance in our nature
that we are all prevadec by this sentiment
From this springs the fraternity ofrace and ma
ton: the cohesion of individuals into communi-
ties. and the inclination of communities to 80
cal habitation and name" From this, too
spring the strongest manifestations of brother
hood-man caring first for himself, family and
kindred; then for the community and nation to
which he belongs. Through this isolate frater.
nitv, man, rising in intelligence extends the
brotherhood ofcommunities to the human race.
From this, too, springs patriotism, which with
out country endeared by peculiar associations
to love and defend would not exist If man was
bound in mind and heart to no particular spot
of EARTH if the birth place, the hearths the affairs
and the graves of kindred were no bond, his
sentiment, from first to last. would be unmigti-
gated selfshness and instead of meeting and
defying danger by his heart and altar, he would
fly to other spaces of Garth. He would be con-
tinually a wanderer-a nomad-careless where
he pitched his tent, or where his grave was
scooped.
And since this sentiment is so strong, so es-
Sential, and so beautiful for the development
and brotherhood of our common race, how stead
lily intelligent peoples and nations should strive
to render their native lands-their countries
worthy of their love and praise. The Roman of
to-day is abject and bowed down, because his
country is desecrated and shorn of the beauty
and glory which inspires the conquering legions
of the Caesars. He may love'his country as de-
votedy as did Fabius or a Brutus but il is not
the love springs from pride in her power, her
virtue and her grateness; it is rather love com
pounded of grief and pity that she has so deg
enerated. The virtue and patriotism of peo-
pie depend much upon the condition of the
country to which they belong. 1t may be easy
to-day to impose letters upon the inheritors of
the "eternal city, but the world could not en-
slave Roman in the age of Coriolanus.
But the love of country simply, is not enough
to inspire the nobest patriotism; it must, to slim
ulate the Hottest virtue and heroism, be love
born of just pride. 1t must be a love that will
not permit people to forego the guardianship
of their own soil, institutions and laws. love
that will make them eternally viyilant in
the defence oftheir own hearths, affairs and
! graves. love, jealous as devoted, and rely
! ing upon native hands and hcnrtc o,d not mp
/ on foreign auxileries-upon Fretorian Guards
| A people may he hospitabe and give shelter as
they will, but the sword, the treasure and the
/ laws of their land must not be placed in the
hands of strangers. All history, in ineradicable
lines, is craven with warning to this end.