Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1857-09-03

beautiful, they intimate the workings Of
genius, and secure distinctive recognition,
commendation, and invitation If, more
over, they be musical, so much the better /:
but their music alone would not make them
thought bearers, any more than ''the music
of the spheres makes them eight bear
s."-BiJle Times.
ON THE RELIGION OF RE
VOLUTiONARY MEN.
I know sigh when think of it-that
hitherto the French people have been the
least religious Of all nations Of Europe. 1t
is because the idea of God-which arises
from all the evidence of nature, and from
the depth Of reflection being the profound
est and weightiest idea of which human in
telligence is capable, and the French mind
being the more rapid, but the most superb
cial, the highest, the most unref1ective OF
all European races, this mind has not the
force and severity necessary to carry far and
long the greatest conception of the human
understanding?
Is it because our governments have al
ways taken upon themselves to think for us,
to believe for us, and pray for us? Is it
because we are and have been a military
pc 'ple, soldier nation, led by kings, heroes,
and ambitious men, from battle field to battle
field, making conquests and never keeping
them, ravaging, dazzling, charming and
corrupting Europe; and bringing home the
manners, vices, bravery, lightness, and i'm
piety of the hearts of the people.
But certain it is that the nation has an i'm
portant progress to make in serious thought
if she wishes to be free If we look at the
characters, compared as regards religious
sentiments Of the great nations of Europe,
America and even Asia, the advantage is
not for us. The great men of our country
live and die, forgetting completely the on
ly idea for which it is worth living and dy-
ing, they live and die looking at the Spec
tator, or at most at posterity.
Open the history of America, the history
of England, and the history of France; read
the great lives, the great deaths, the great
az1 u thought II
self in the last words of dying-and com
pare.
Washington and Franklin fought, spoke,
suffered always in the name of God, for
whom they acted and the Liberator of A
merica died confding to God the liberty of
the people and his own soul.
Sydney, the young martyr Of patriotism,
guilty of nothing but impatience, and who
Il L. ~
erty, said to his jailor: Il rejoice that I
die innocent towards the king, but a victim
resigned to the King on high, to whom all
life is DUE
The republicans of Cromwell only sought
the way of God even in the field of battle.
Their politics were their faith, their reign
prayer, their death a psalm. One hears,
sees, feels that God was in all the move
ments of these great people.
But cross the sea, traverse LA Mancha,
come to our times, open our annals, and
listen to the last words of the great political
actors Of the drama of our liberty. One
would think. that God was eclipsed from the
soul, that his name was unknown in the
language. History will have the air of an
annihlations, rather than death, of celebrat-
ed men in the greatest year of France! The
victims only have God; the tribune and
victors have none.
Look at Mirabeau on the bed Of DEATH
ssCrown me with flowers" said he, ''intox-
icate me with perfumes, let me die to the
sound of delicious music." Not word of
God or of his soul. Sensual philosopher,
he desired only supreme sensualism, last
voluptuousness in his agony.
Contemplate Madam Roland, the strong
hearted woman of the Revolution, on the
cart that conveyed her to death. She look
ed contemptuously on the besotted people
who killed their prophets and sybils. Not
glance towards heaven! Only one word
for the earth she was quitting-s'O Liber-
ty"'
Approach the dungeon door of the
Girondins! Their last night is banquet /;
the only hymn, the Marsellaise
Follow Camille Desmoulins to his execu-
ton. A cool and indecent pleasantly at
the trial and a long imprecation on the road
to the guillotine were the two last thoughts
Of this dying man on his way to the last
tribunal.
Hear Danton on the platform Of the scaf-
fold at the distance of line from God and
eternity. Il have had good time of it
let me go to sleep" Then to the execu-
toner, you will show my head to the peo-
ple-it is worth the trouble"> His faith
annihilation; his last sigh vanity. Behold
the Frenchmen of this latter are
What must one think Of the religious SEN
timents of free people whose great figures
seem thus to march in procession to annihi-
lation, and to whom that terrible minis
ter, death, itself recalls neither the threat
enings nor promises of God
The republic of these men without God
has quickly been stranded. The liberty