St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1861-08-08
Ole yntelligenttr.
" Westward the course of empire takes its way"
A. b. F.. HlLDRETH, Editor.
It. Charles City, Iowa, August 8, 1861.
An Eloquent Grafton.

at Amherst College commencement,
a few weeks since, was Hon. Daniel
S. Dickinson of Binghampton, N. Y.
In his exordium, Mr.. Dickinson said
there were certain great principles
underlying truths, that could not be
subverted. Foremost among them
are those which pertain to that reli-
gion which our Savior was sent into
the world to establish and promul-
gate. By his life, his crucifxion, and
his death, he inauguratcd the Chris
tian era-closed one epoch and usher
ed in another. Let those who fail to
estimate the extent and character of
this divine mission, consider carefully
the previous condition of the world,
and ponder we'll upon those civilizing
influences which always accompany
Christianity.
Second in Importance is govern
ment, which has its true basis in .po-
litical equality. For centuries des.
potism by mere brute force had held
freedom manacled, and every effort
for her release had only placed new
victims on the altar.
But our fathers having peopled this
new world, rolled away the stone from
the sepulchre, struck off the fetters,
and brought Freedom, in her pristine
beauty, again before the world. They
asserted prime truths, laughed at the
pretended claims of despots, founded
a system which answered their own
ideas of right, and demonstrated the
fact that these ideas could not be sub
dued even by nations rich and war
like.
Thus another era was inaugurated; !;
and would that no evil omen had ever
sat upon it !! Thus our fathers, at
great cost of blood and treasure, vim
dicated their own rights. Hand in
hand they fought-side by side their
life-blood ebbed away--and they are
gone. But the slender shoot they plan
ted has attained giant growth. Its
form, foliage and fruit have become
the wonder and admiration of men.
Under its widespread branches the
children Of the founders and the chill
dren Of other lands have reposed.
The triumph of freedom in this new
world has exceeded the most sanguine
expectations. From population of
three millions we have grown to thir-
ty millions two nations have with
drawn, leaving us new territory. The
limit which was sought as our west
crn, is now only our eastern bounda-
ry. Thus have we advanced from
childhood to youth, and from youth to
sturdy manhood. Our glorious Union
is our world. While we maintain it
all nations will pay US homage. Let
all sections, then, renew their vows
to uphold the stars and stripes. Let
us, in battling for them, if necessary,
like Hernando Cortez, burn all the re-
sources behind us, that we may en-
dure to the end.
The secessionists talk of defending
their hearths and firesides. This re-
solve is well enough in the abstract !;
but Sumpter was not their hearth !;
Pickens was not their freside the
mint was not one of their household
gods. They desire peace Then let
them lay down their arms and they
shall have peace. There scas peace
when they took them up; there aoal'
be peace when they lay them down
again.
Mr.. D. closed with the following
panegyric on the Union
Shall we surrender the Union, with
its dear bought history? Divide the
Atlantic, SO that its tide shall beat in
sections-that some spurious Neptune
may rule an ocean of his own Draw
line upon the suns disc, that it may
cast its beams upon earth in divi-
sions Let the moon, like Bottom in
the play, show but half its face
Separate the constellation of the
Pleiades and sunder the bonds of
Orion but retain the Union. Ask
the Christian to exchange the cross,
with the cherished memories of
Savior's love, for the crescent of the
imposter, or to address his prayers to
the Juggernaut of Josh, instead of the
living and true God but sustain the
emblem your fathers loved and cher
ished.
Give up the Union 3? NEVER The
Union shall endure, and its praises
shall be heard when its friends and
its foes, those who support and those
who assail, those who bare their
bosoms in its defense, and those who
aim their daggers at its heart, shall
all sleep in the dust together. It's
name shall be heard with veneration
amid the roar of Paci6c's waves,
away upon the rivers of the North
and East, where liberty is divided
from monarchy, and be waited in gen.
| tie breeZes upon the Rio Grande II