New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1857-02-23
rxentY-secend OF FEBRUARY.

Yesterday was the anniversary Of the day which
gave to the world Of the greatest and best men
who have been charged with missions Of henefcence
to the human race The fact that it fell upon the Sab
bath prevented the more lively demonstrations, which
were generally postponed to to-day. We do not deny
the propriety of emitting these demonstrations on
Sunday but we never could precisely understand how
festivities on the Esd are made to have significance
for the I'D, any more than if celebrated week
month afterwards It is effected by an exercise of
the imagination, we presume.
The twenty-second of February is a day Of note in
American annals. The great hero and patriot was
born on that day. and the battle of Buena Vista
fought on the I'D Of February certainly few better
reasons could be given for setting day apart and
tanning it in the memories of the people.
Many years. in the lives of individuals, but few, in
the existence of nation, have passed away since
the great work in which GEORGE WASHINGTON was
chief instrument accomplished, and the fedora
ton which then could only hold its footing among the
nations Of the earth by the desperate resolve of brave
and incorrupble patriotism to choose death rather
than submission, is now power of colossal proper
tions, steadily approaching preeminence which the
foresight of statesmen nor the dreams Of ambition
have ever grasped The youth who then, Spartan
like went naked into the the BATTLE stands forth
before the world mailed and armed man, ready to
maintain his rights and honor at the swords point
against the strongest adversary.
As the nation, outstripping the regular progression
Of time has sped swiftly and steadily to wealth and
her millions Of population increased to tens
of millions and boundess resources began to be deye
cped, the din of manufacture and the hum of COM
merce with all the busy and active pursuits Of life.
To tbop IF ita
ral and reasonable that the enthusiasm awakened by
the glorious memories of the Revolutionary should
somewhat abate its ardor and settle down to calm
and grateful remembrance and appreciation of the
stern virtues the heroic deeds and sacrifices of
foreathers Of that eventful time. Yet who will dare
to say that the veneraton and love of the people of
this country for its greatest benefactor next to God
has in the lapse of years suffered the least dmnution
Let his name be pronounced in any public assembly,
in the theater in the crowded lecture ROOM from
the rostrum and listen to the unanimous shout of ap
pause which bursts forth without an effort Of the will
fever there has been time when the true patriot
loved to contemplate the sublime character of Wash
ington, and wished that his great example and lofty
precepts might be brought closely to the atten-
ton of the American people, it has been during the
past four years. To study those precepts and follow
Inat example, would De 10 insure tne stapty OF Ine
nations present greatness and happiness Not all the
wrath of faction and mad fanaticism could shake ia
structure founded upon basis so immutable.
The name of Washington is held in veneration
everywhere in the civilized world by the lovers of
liberty and human rights. Many of the greatest wri
ters statesmen, dvnes and poets of the very nation
against whose tyranny he SO successfully struggled,
have been loudes in praise of his virtues and hero
ism, and we see that recently claim has actually
been set up in that country for the honor of his ma
tiyity.
The first stanzas of poem upon Washington by
gifted Englishwoman reads:
There's in the West that shall never go down,
Till the records of vaor decay
We must worship its light, though it be not own
For Liberty burst in its
Shall the of WASHINGTON be heard,
By freeman, and thrill not his breast?
Is there out OF bondage who halls not the word
AS the Bethlehem Star Of the Westt