Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1856-02-27
For the Democrat s Sentinel.
Washington's Birthday.

Washington's Birthday. :
sicssrs EDITORS The pr,f'er celebration oi
national holidays tends to heighsen n efeat ce-
gree that holy and deep emotion of tho human
heart neutrality-suspicious..
The love of ones native land is a pure and no.
" sentiment, implanted in the heart Of man by
the Deity himself, from which have emenated
many of the noble and magnanimous deeds that
appear upon the broad and bloody history Of the
human race; whatever theE tends to arotlse and
show forth that love of ones natal shore, must
certainly be deserving of at least passing notice
/ am led to these reflections from the fact OF
having witnessed on the late birthday OF the
:. Father of his Country" n celebration, commeIn-
orative Of the life and actions of him, who must
always be first in the affections Of his countrymen
The celebration to which refer, took place at the
Academy of st. Francis in Loretto. 1t being the
general custom of Catholic institutions to render
tribute upon the altar of patriotism, the young
men of this rural literary institute were oetermi-
ned not to be out-done by Colleges and Academies
whose age and fame would perhaps entitie them
to the first place in the patriot band. According
y they assembled and agreed on the order of ex-
ercises. Speeches were made and euloSies deiiv-
cred upon the character of that great and good
man, whose mighty arm exerted no little infu-
ence in procuring for us those inestimabe bles-
sings and privileges which we now enjoy.
Love, honor and veneration were bounteously
poured out in the sincere accents OF the young and
ardent collegians. Love of country and the coun-
trys benefactors was certainly visible in the joy
Gus countenances of the young orators, and not
less so in those of the audience, of whom great
number were the solemn, silent religious, whose
warm hearts, though devoted first to God, beat
ardently with honest true love Of the memory of
Washington.
The party then departed in sleghs, sleds, &C.,
for Summitville and Cresson, where the happy
celebrants were kindly entertained by the gentle
manly proprietors, Messrs. Rifle and Jackson
Two bands accompanied the joyful collegians, and
the banners of their country waved proudly oer
them, responsive to the cool breeze of the lofty
Aieghenes One of the banners is mcmento OF
other days-it was born aloft through the bloody
fields of Mexico-when Cambria's noble sons
poured out their hearts purest blood upon that
foreign shore; its proud folds were pierced with
bullets and its stripes stained with the enemy's
Dioo1. ouS VI huc young hicu dptiJ wen re-
marked that the holes and stripes were for the
enemy, and-the stars embematic of ourselves
Altogether the celebration was well worth seeing,
and the participants certainly well pleased.
1t strikes me, MeSsrs. Editors, that if certain
gentlemen, who figure very extensively at Harris
burg this winter, could have seen the celebration
at Loretto. " that den IF ripers,p t would have
brought the deep, crimson blush Of ofshane to their
unmanly cheeks, they would Lave quailed and
hung their heads and hidden their guilty faces
from the honest gaze of the bright-eyed, orphan,
mountain boy, whom they have branded as vi
per, whose alma mater they have viiied, whose
instructors and protectors they have vlely, false
ly, misrepresented. Certainly It would have re-
moved from honest minds any lingering doubt
concerning the character of this institution; it
would have shown to an honest man, that while
boys there brought up in the religion of their
ancestors, there too they are taught to mbbe those
principles of civil and religious liberty for which
| their fathers fought and bled, and for which they
| too will struggle when necessity requires.
Yours, &c, TRUTH.