Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1860-02-09
New Series---Vol. XIV, No. ID.

ner should be compared with ours. True, the
American eagle like that of Rome originated
/ IN diseOrd and confusion, and had to contend
with almost ihsurmountable difficulties but
did it, after having survived the perls of its
/ youth, extend its power and dominion by
conquest, and deluge a world in innocent
blood? No! my countrymen, nol our banner
waves over lands obtained by honorable pur-
chase, the weak and defenceless look up to it
In confidence for protection, and earth's most
potent dlgnltary does it honor Surely VIC
have reason to be proud of our ensign.
Our flag Is a sacred trust" is written in.
dellbIy upon every page Of our history
When the storm which had been slowly gath
erng upon our political sky first burst forth
IN all It's fury at Lexington, and spread fear
and CONSERVATION all around then it vas that
a patriotic few ran up the glorious ensign of
liberty, and invoking the protection of heav-
en-, perlled life, fortune and sacred honor in
ITS defence. The crimsoned fields of the
Revolution, the affairs upon which our fathers
inundated themselves to the goddess of lib
erty, rising up before the mind as they do,
with all their glorious associations, form
ghtterlng monument which shall stand to
commemorate their deeds Of daring and che
role endurance" in that arduous struggle,
When they, In answer to the call of heaven
and oppressed millions, marched boldly forth
upon the tented field to dispute with an AFRO
CANT and deSpotic king the right to enslave
his subjects. And Lexington forms the basis
OF this regal structure. Then among the
many other gHttering gems of which it is
constructed, shine forth in all their original
lustre Bunker Hill, and Monmouth, and Sar-
atoga, and all the remaining battle fields, less
conspicuous but not less glorious. And upon
every stone are engraven in letters u gold the
names OF the countless heroes who nerlled
their all in its defense, and deemed no sacri-
hce too great when its honor was endangered.
There, indeed, we behold the names of mar
tyrs to freedom. Warren, whose blood has
rendered Bunker Hill lsacred-Lawrence, who,
when the red tide of life was fast cbbing
away, and the darkness Of death was slowly
but surely closing around him, desired that
he might be placed IN such a position that his
eyes lIlght behold as their last earthly vision
the hag OF his country, waving triumphantly
from the masthead Of the vessel upon whose
blood st@ined decks be had met the foe
montgomery, the mere mention of whose
name causes thrill of joy to vibrate thu ough
every true American heart and who fell upon
Qaebec's dreary heights while leading his
countrymen on to gl0ry-and hundreds of
others, whose names are held sacred, and
whose memories are never to be forgotten, are
there seen stamped In such indehble charac-
ters, that when time shall be no more, and all
things earthly shall have perished an endless
eternity will be Illuminated by the remem-
brance of their glorious actions. Upon the
topmost peak Of this pyramid of glory are
seen 1.-The stars and stripes" glittering as a
precious diadcm in the sunlight of heaven;
and the fact that our banner floats upon every
sea, and is recognized and honored by every
hat r. l. D.
dence are continually beaming down upon il,
affords theme upon which the American
orator will ever love to dwell and the historian
bestow his brightest page. AS we gaze in
fond admiration upon its gorgeous folds, our
hearts are moved with the liveliest emotions,
and we are borne back to the dark days of its
infancy, when dark and almost impenetrable
gloom enveloped it, and at times seemed to
have buried it forever in the immeasurable
depths of oblivion. But alb, glorious thought!
kind Heaven had destined that it should ca
reer as with meteoric glories through that
terrible night, and at last wave in splendor
over its own chosen land-the symbol of
earth's most favored people.
When we suffer our flag to be insulted with
out resenting the injury, we allow a stain to
be placed upon our nation, and the moment
it ceases to be an object of pride, that moment
HAS Jul Hatlou IdlAeu, anu AmeTlcaHs VIII Ue
compelled to lament their nationality. Oh,
then, let US show ourselves worthy of this
"sacred trust" Let not the blood which was
offered upon the heights of Bunker Hill and
upon Princetons snowy plain have been sac
rifced In vain. Let not the earnest prayers
of our patriot mothers, and the almost super
human eXertOns OF our ancestors have been
all for naught; but rally around our banner
as did our fathers, bear it through the sombre
clouds of war without a spot or stain to
tarnish it, and leave it to our posterity as pure
and unsullied as it was left to u.s. D. FL.