The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-12-02

deeper argument than at first seems in
FRASKLrSs preference OF the Turkey to the
Eagle as the national emblem Of America
II the classic Eagle had not been trodden
under the feet Of its barbarial conquerors,
and degraded with the trailing stand ards OF
Roman Empire in the dust OF Roman servi-
tude--if its pride and fame had been the
same as when Scipio fixed its symbolic
vaunt upon the walls Of Carthage-it should
not even then have displaced the Turkey as
the emblem Of American nationality. For
the Turkey is American born. 1t is the
hereditary prince Of American birds. 1t is
native and germain<o American soil, and in
herits its royalty by Divine right Of its peer
less majesty and beauty. There is magnif-
cent boast OF manifest destiny in the sweep
OF its gorgeous tail, as its gstening stars
and stripes unfold like a prophetic flag of
our Union. Its stately loneliness Of mien is
the conscious pride Of the august represen.
tative of the Western hemisphere--whe
the lofty conceit of nationality is tempered
by the coDdescension with which il miDgles
with fowls Of every cline, of high and low
degree 1t climbs as high as the Eagle up
the shining slopes of the sky, and makes its
home with the humble hen in the barn-yard.
1t is bird of true republican stamp as
proud upon a dunghill as upon its nstive
throne in The Cordieras And it 10 the
homely republican simplicity Of its manners
its superb disdan Of social distinctions
the genial catholicity of its nature, which
makes it the fitting type Of o Republic. The
fierce, aggressive Eagle, immured in his
lonely eyrie on the naked mountain peak,
may be the proper emblem of conq9ring
Despotism, dominant by brute force, o. of .
race-repelling selfisolated Caste - but
among birds only the Turkey represents at
once the intrinsic sovereignty and fraternity
of man. He makes no distinction between
one Turkey and another except in his chiv.
alrous reverence for the Turkey-hen, and he
pays no more respect to the patrician goose
than TO the plebian duck.
lie is a bird Of peace too as the Eagle is
a bird Of war. The carnivorous Eagle
sufficient for its lonely self alone, stopping
to society only to prey upon it, is like
Spanish lIidalgo or st. Paul politician, Of no
use to any one except to be looked at and
put into pictures The turkey cor,lescends
to be of some practical benefit to the world
it adorns, and spends its life in developing
its latent capacity for gratifying the inno-
cent appetites Of men. To grow f,t and be
good to eat is the noble end of turkeys
existence land is pretty sure to be- the end
OF it, his royal road to glory and the grave y.
In this way it enters into the very 6bre and
substance of the Republic; and dead. it
nourshes the strength of the nation whose
genius it typfies, alive.
Never is the turkey so grand and grace.
inl IN its bearing as when it Iscsdes,
roasted, at Thanksgiving or Christmas
dinner, leading the procession of entrees like
King in his triumrhal car going up to
sacrifice. There is a half-conscious dignity
in the attitude of serene supinenss with
which it sits upon its altar throne half hid.
den in the smoke Of itsdevout self.sacritice.
II seems TO feel it, own importance as
The high priest Of the ceremony OF Slemniz-
alton, and to kindle with proud reminis.
cence of the pompous feasts led by ancestral
turkeys in the hall OF The Montezumas In
the smack Gifts brown and unctuous lips as,he
white flesh quivers to the carvers knife--in
the rich juices which ooze down its fat
sides like the exudations Of az interior Joy
in its OVERLOOKING fulness and completeness
as il it had enough to spare for all. and if
not relieved would burst with the hidden
cctasy Of stufTng, it looks as If nothing
would do it so much good as to be eaten,
and be comprehended aud become source
OF inner satisfaction 10 somebody and every
body,
Exalted destiny of Turkey which instead
of abasing its noble ashes 10 mix with the
ignobe dust of cats and crows, is reserved
Tor a sacerdoial shrine in the very temple OF
the soul, TO feed the fires Of gratitude which
burn upon its altar August function of
roas, Turkey to replenish the waste sources
Of national emotion-to infuse sentiment into
the secretious. and turn degIu,ition into an
act Of religious devotion. II Turkey makes
Us grateful, We should be grateful to Tur-
key. II some OF the heathens vorshipped
the animals they led to sacrifice and ate
their gods out OF sheer alteration, we see no
reason why We should not follow so pious
an example within the limits OF our chris