Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1855-03-29

10 contemplating the worlds past history,
we find two princi Piles operating perpe'ualIy
as the causes of contests innumerable and
bloody wars. Either men struggling not
only to maintain but to augment their pow
ers for oppression, or, men painting, fighting
and diving for freedom and freed"m's cause.
Restless, dissatisfied, selfish, ambitious,
mans nature and mans history present one
sad spectacle Of wrongs and Inconsistencies
What has he no, dared to do? Sometimes,
deluded by some chimera, some will-o'-the-
wisp, The offering Of dissempered imag'"a-
ton, he has pursued its fatal beckon4gs'
though i. babe him wade through seas OF
innocent blood Sometimes, prompted by
an unholy ambition for 'power, plumber
aud extended rule" to accomplish his OBJ
jec,, he has dared to usurp the authority
Of his God, "playing such fantastic tricks be-
fore high heaven as made The angels weep"
And sometimes, bu, alas! not often. more
like God than man, with reason enlighten-
ed and purified, he has gloriously triumph.
ed over passion, originating laws whole
some end ssge, and under their influence
having peace, prosperity and true glory as
The reward of his labors. His mind unir-
ing in its exertions has "sought out inven
ton" Theories Of government. have been
evolved, vast, complicated, and varying
Church and State, Church paramount 10
State, and State independent of Church, king
ly rule. and pure democracies have all been
advocated, established, and rejected. Thus
stood the record when .hsl angus. assembly
of distinguished patriots met 10 frame that
government, whose wise economy, honora
BILE compromises, and eflicien, salegu.rds or
nsment. bless, and protect our naive land.
As Americans, we have more fearful respon-
sibiIi,ies than any other people on the habi'
table globe. II were vain for me 10 attempt
to recite our privileges, their "name is le-
gion." II were needless task 10 relate to
you the glories Of your counsry's history.
Here the governed ana the governing are
one. No brutal .yran, on his gljed throne
dsres dictate TO us, psrading as his jus'i6ca-
ton the exploded humbug "lhe divine ri gh'
of kings" No Vatican .hunders in our ears
it's una,erabe edic.s. Relribnive Justice is
the peoples birth right, the ballot box the
ciidel of our liberties. Enjoying as we do
this priceless inheritance, il becomes US TO
ask, to whose Precepts. exerilons and ex-
ample are we mostly indebted - Shall an
swer The inquiry? The very stones would
cry aloud were 10 mention other than the
name of Washington.
I, requires bu, little reflection to discover
to any mind the responsibilities resting up
on that man, be his condition elevated or
Iowlv, who bears the proud insignia of A.
merican citizenship. 10 government like
ours-ihe mos. perfect perhaps ever devils
ed-our only hope is in the enlightenment
of the people. The people, Iha. great foun-
tain from which flows all the power tina,
drives the mighty machine. Prepare your
selves then, gentlemen, TO preserve and de-
fend your counry's honor. Ponder the
character of Washington. Mediate upon
his sublime precep.s, and thus arm your
selves to do battle in the cause>of truth
The gres. problem Of mans capacity for
self-governmenl is not ye. fully solved. In
the earlier days of This republic, when. as
Minerva came forth fully EQUIPPED from the
head Of Jupiter, she stood out before the
world free from the shackles of British op-
preston, gfaspine in one hand her sacred
I"Declsra.ion Of independence" and in The
other her inimi,sbIe Constitution, before
which The kings of the earth nembled as
did BeIshazzar before the handwriting on
the wall, her destiny and the gIories of her
future seemed TO silence the voice of the an
gel Of prophecy. And, although her figh.
has been the flight Of the eagle; although
she stands at this day the pride of the world
The heritage Of mankind, she has 10 times
past been shaken to her very foundations
and Of perfect security even now she dare
not boast. "Dark birds are on the wing
specres uprise, The dead walk, the living
dream" Internal dogmas, like ministers OF
death, are darling alhwan our land. Per.
nicious enthusiastically buried as was
vainly hoped forever-sre stalking forth
from their long forgotten graves. The un.
honored musings of the unhonored dead are
in our midst. The minds of politicians in
our day seem upon boolIess crusade, for
their speculations and suggestions have
many of them, no better foundation than The
visions Of dream. One unsI,erable la "
binds creation and all i's powers. The ON.
niposen, decree has gone forth, ''Thus far
shalt thou 60 but no further" The sun