The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1855-03-24
for.ian Snluenes in Amesiru.
Place can be changed, but who can change his mind
.l Horace.
BY CITIZEN OF LOUISIANA: aar
Dedicated to the Youth Of his Native State.

DeHttutcu " Ee AUfuH " UtS lVdttCC oLuLCs
The time has come when this question is en-
gnging the attention Of the people. There
seems to be certain tendency to restrict the
administration Of the government within certain
legitimate bounds. We should be glad of it.,
il the doing away with one evil would not lead
to abuse. But it is the duty of every Ameri-
can citizen to seek the public good to speak
his opinions freely when honestlye ntertained ito
do so without hatred without anger, without
passon-unless it be that passion which leads
to the love Of the Just and the condemnation of
what is unjust.
We are not only TO ask ourselves whether an
evil shall strike us in our day, but also whether
there be in the future any subject of alarm. We
must not be like the rash mariner who, as the
gale freshened, was still engaged in scenes of
mirth and unconcern, and who exclaimed
when the tempest comes, then will it be high
time to meet the coming danger" To be tru-
ly wise is to be provident of the present and
mindful of the future. To view this question
in these two lights is the purpose Of the author
of these remarks and well can he say at the
outest, that he IS actuated by no ill-will against
any person or class of persons in the commu-
nifty. He has only in view the good of his coufl-
try-a country which he values above all things
which he loves as his mother-which he cher
ishes with the best and purest feelings of his
heart, and whose good he shall seek beyond all
considerations OF party interests and personal
Governments. He only regrets not to have
the power to consider the matter in its minutest
details, so as to invite the earnest attention of
the people, and at the same time to awaken the
sympathics, the fears and also the hopes of
Americans.
The time is fast coming-let it be pondend
wcll--whel, every one shall have an awful res
possibility weighing upon his shoulders. The
sacred guarantees Of the Constitution are being
swept away, to sait the requirements of ser
vile and murderous party spirit When the
path OF duty lies open and broad before the eye,
he who falters then, if he escapes physical, is at
tainted by moral completely.
II.
What are the elements constituting what is
termed ONES COUNTRY? They are three list,
the love of the paternal home and freside I'd,
early associations oil time and place Sd, COM
mon interests, common ends, uniting the native
born child with those who are his brothers by
birth and his friends by nature. 1t is much to
be regretted that we have no word by which to
render the full meaning of the Latin potria,
which conveys at once the idea Of an object wor-
thy the love, the respect the warmcst sympa-
thies and the best efforts of man
Now what is PATRIOTISM? 1t is the attach
ment of the citizen tohis country, as tlial piety
is the affection of the child for the authors Of
his life. This sentiment is innate" in man
it follows him through life it s,stains him in
his suherings it elevates and purifes his aspi-
yations leads him on. to the dignity Of sacri-
fec makes him forget himself to think alone
OF bis country. 1t absorbs all other affections
and hopes in that one sentiment of supreme de-
votion, or at least renders them coeyistent with
II. BRuTUs was actuatcd by such sentiment.
Finally, it also makes our country's wrongs
ours---so much so that an insult to her honor is
one to ours, her miscries become ours--and we
forget the ties Of friendship and oflovc, all con-
siderations of private interests to stand by her
in the hour of her misfortune. Such is the SEN
tinent that lies at the bottom of HuGo's heart.
Hence we SEC that patriotism consists in at
tachment to the place of ones birth. Man al
uays ts-ns back with love and regret to the
"reminiscences of his childhood. Take from the
depths Of the most obscure valley peasant
child, bring him up in the midst Of courts
splendor, bless him with the choicest gifts, let
Joy be his companion, his every wish and desire
satisfied take him away. In after wears
show him the banquet halls deserted the court
ward empty, the dust of the courtier's shoes on
the waxed floor of the palace-all which is left
Of the mighty pageant. Then show him the
paternal hut in ruins, the mountain clefts bar
rem, the valley untenanted. lfhis moral sense"
be unadultcrated, there he shall regret-here he
shall weep!
The bird which the wintry blast carries on
ite wings, but seeks a. distant home, whence,
whatever the bliss which attends its stay, it
shall return to its nest and the scenes of its first