St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1858-07-01
st. Charles City, Iowa, July |. 1853.
independence Day.

ptcJuuiCcS. ESl'ctiaiIy III ti'onc JUS
toms are founded on events, which re-
gard our personal interests, and are
in themselves considered worthy to be
cherished. BY being associated with
our interests, they become interviewer
with our feelings, and blind the mora!
sense to the evils which they cause.
The mind, however enlightened with
science and elevated by religion,
is susceptible to the power of truth,
and the community at large when
brought to sec the pcrnicious tendency
of any practice, will turn from it
readily, and the more readily, in pro-
portion as it has been ardcntly
cherished.
These remarks, 90 certain extent,
will apply to the popular manner in
which the Anniversary of our national
birth is celebrated Having received
the custom, as it were, from the
breasts of our mothers, with the food
that nourishcs our infant years, and
having been taught to associate it
with our civil and religious privileges,
no wonder VIC cling to it with such
tenacity-no wonder that for so long
Il time VIC have overlooked its PERM
cious effects.
1t may not be out of place, perhaps,
TO glance at some of the most obvious
of these effects at the present time.
The people of this country as Il
Christian community, are bound by
the principles of philanthropy and re-
ligion, TO cherish and promulgatc the
kindly spirit ofpcacc and good will to-
wards all nations, and no less strong
ly as a civil community, inasmuch rs
peace promotes the prosperity and
happiness of a nation. The custom
under consideration tends strongly
and directly to create and cherish q
spirit of war. In the assemblies that
convene on these occasions, the mill
tary achievements of our ancestors
arc cnumcratcd-miitary heroes are
cXtolled as having rendered their
names immortal by their exploits,
while their deeds of daring and blood
are held up to the young for their en-
ulation, and the life or death of the
soldier is represented as glorious.
He is brought to view, as a martyr in
the cause Of his country. Such ha-
rangucs, together with the splendid
military display common on such oc-
casions, and the power of martial
music over the feelings cannot fail of
making n deep impression on the sus-
ccptibility Of youth, and to create a
growing and tcrvcnt spirit of war
In vain, as they are often conduct
! ed, shall we look to these anniversaries
to inspire a love Of country. That
love Of country which is useful to a
community, is founded on principles
of bcncvOlencc, and consists not only
i'll affection for peace, with which is
associated our birth and education.
but for the community, whose charac-
tiers are assImiIatcd to our own, 10y
being under the same laws, educated
i'll a similar manner, and of similar
habits and modes of thinking, and in
Il benevolent wish to transmit the |
the blessings enjoyed to posterity.
1t has its origin i'll a primary law of
our nature, and is strengthened by So
cial intercourse and by calm and
sober reflection. No true love of
country can exist in the soul filled
with the desire Of military glory. |
The influence Of such anniversaries is |
to Danish reflection, to cause excite
ment-to foster martial spirit. and
what is still worse, to fan and keep
alive the flame of party zeal, which is
dangerous to our liberties and de-
structivc to social intercourse.
This country is divided into parties
of which, now the one, and then the
other, possess the power. If then, this
government is ever overturned it will
be when the ascendant party, clatcd
with their success and excited to eli
thusiasm by political leaders, shall in
order to maintain their power, yield
themselves to the sole direction of
some popular leader
There is danger, therefore, that
party spirit will dcmolish, sooner or
later, our fair temple of liberty. 1t
has also tendency to destroy social
intercourse and to create personal an
imosity. Small communities are Of
ten divided, and even members of the
same family, are sundercd by political
strife. Almost every duel which has
been fought in the United States, has
grown out of party excitement.
Every custom then which serves to
create an undue party zeal should be
abolished. These anniversaries are
directly subscrvicnt to party purposes.
OF this, the orations, addresses, and
toasts, delivered on such an occasion
are sufficient proof Most of them are
filled with bitter invcctivcs against
one party and its leaders, and with
loud applause and scrvilc fattcry of
the other. Even the sanctity of the
iiresidc is violated, and private
character vilificd, for the sole purnnsc