Smyrna times., 1857-03-11
Original 9rtieIes.
Written for the Smyrna Times.
The Popularity of the American
Nation.
Concluded from last ,ceek. .

OOHCtuuSu JTOm tuSC Ue6h.'
And, look wherever we may, in whatever de
partment or function, we behold this fire of &C
tion intensely burning, and untiringly gathering
into one mighty crucible everything within it
reach. 1t has been said that this is a very
economical, as we'll as fast nation. This is true
for we accomplish more than any other nation
with double the expense and with double the
time. With a four years collegiate course,
our statesmen and men who have figured large
ly in the field of literature, who have sucked
the sweets of poetic flowers and drank deep
from Pyerian springs, demand the reverence of
all our contemporary nations, while they must
toll for seventeen years in accomplishing the
same end. Our missionaries too, have gone
forth to nations sitting in darkness and obscu-
rity, and given to them freely the knowledge of
the arts and sciences of civilized life, and with
the torch of Christianity they have set into one
mighty aud destructive blaze the dry and un.
tenable material of heathenisnl, and its lurd
flames have given to them light into the recesses
of truth and Righteousness.
Our commerce, also, is probably efecting
more for the redemption Of ignorant nations
than that of any other nation of the globe
Not long since, by the Jealous endeavors Of our
nation in cooperation with the commercial men
Of the country, the ports of Japan were laid
open to commerce, and we may rightfully ex-
pect that soon Japan will hold respectable
position before the civilized world. And glad.
y do we perceive these beneficial results Of the
peculiar genius of this nation, effected not for
selfish purposes, but for the purpose of giving
the light of knowledge and learning to those
nations, and scattering among them seeds of
human liberty. Indeed, there is an inexpressi-
Bile sublimity in looking upon this people and
beholding their ceaseess industry. In watch
ing the intense activity which they use in grasp
ing after knowledge, in relieving the down.
trodden aud oppressed, in comforting the ndi-
gent and insane, in rendering society harmoni-
Gus and pleasant, and in acquiring those things
necessary for supporting the comforts Of life, il
kindles and warns all the finer emotions of our
soul and makes us not unfrequently break forth
iu the pathetic strain of gratitude afforded by
the familiar proverb, Thank heaven for what
am and where am." This spirit which fas-
tens our alteration may be seen in the honest
and Iaboriug farmer who tolls from morn till
night in the hot and scorching rays of the sum-
ner's sun, aud in the cold and biting blasts of
the winter storms, to give us bread and cloth
ing. The active merchant and speculator also
render the sight still more effective. The STU
dent, as he trims his midnight lamp, manifests
this same glorious spirit. The lawyer, the
doctor, the mechanic and all other occupations
which fill up and complete the different func-
tions of socefy-all manifest the peculiar gen-
us and glorious attribute of this nation. But,
to change the picture. We have only glanced
at the present doings and the operations in So
ciety every day. The dim and distant future,
like some rich and glorious island, lies wrapt in
the mists of the morning, and what the upris-
ing sun, as she passes the meridian of day, will
disclose to us, is of course beyond the bounds
of human conceptions. Yet sometimes we
think we catch glimpse as the fog becomes
thin and light by the breezeS of human nature,
as they continually break forth and come
sweeping across the surface of society.
If we may be allowed to Judge the future by
the past and the present, we have every reason
to believe that the climax of human greatness
has not yet been reached, and that bright and
glorious millennium will yet dawn upon the hui
man race and shed light into those dark recesscs
of philosophy and science which now lie in OBJ
scuFity. Human freedom will yet stretch her
broad wings over all the nations of the earth.
If we cast sur eyes over the different nations,
we see that there is flame burning in the
bosoms of those kept in subjection, whose silent
heavings whisper in tones unmistakable, 81 give
me liberty or give me death. Perchance, if we
turn our eyes towards down-trodden Italy, we
see this fire of liberty intensely burning within
the breasts Of her people but, kept in suppress.
sion by Austrian spies and bound in its embryo
by Austrian bayonets, waiting for some proud
and patriotic hand to free il from bondage
This may be seen in Cuba, too, in the hearts oi
whose sons is suppressed a mighty volcano
wanting but the hand of a Lopez to fan into a
mighty and destructive fire, and with the out
pourings OF its lava will be tolled the death. bell
of Spain. The day is not far distant, as has
been predicted by Kossuth, when the corrupt
nations Of Europe will receive shock that
will send wheeling through the bOundless re.
gions Of destruction their rotten and degraded
institution. The fiery arrows of liberty have
been plunged into the very heart of European
despotsm, and in the vitals of her corrupt
thrones the hurled weapons are eating and de.
strsying their very foundations; and the still
consuming blaze is felt around the bloodstaiued
sepulchres Of Christian martyrs, and the spot
where fell their roasting flesh has become red
hot with the FIRE Of human liberty II is i'm.