Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1861-03-09


out inquiring as to whether it is merited,
carries away the great mass as triumphantly
ss il it possessed and embodied oil tho high.
est claims and attributes of real worth and
great virtue. The triumph Of party is rep.
resented to be the triumph of principles
The individual candidate is made the person-
tcation OF within or theory--popularity the
lever by which he conquers and becomes
absolute. Every act OF man holding this
species OF authority .s the act Of his party,
aud OF whatever nature il may be, 1t is
received and lauded by his supporters with .
zeal in proportion TO the magnitude Of the
evils and errors committed. Tho people,
through the agency of party, set over them.
selves power which they have neither will
nor desire to oppose and becoming partzans,
when they should be patriots look upon
it with oil the mental prostration and silly
admiration with which men usually regard
the idols OF their own creation. and rejoice iD
all its acts, however absurd, With the same
glee with which an idiot would rub his hands
aud laugh with JOY at the blaze Of his own
house. which be has fired himself for his
own amusement. This is among the worst
aud most to be dreaded, most to be guarded
against, features OF q popular government.
Philosophy has need to keep her eye on
heaven in order not to BIZ sickened with the
recklesness with which men disregard their
acquisitions aud their materials for happiness.
Laws natural social and devine, radiste on
them from above. while they grovel after
abstract rights and fancied privileges. lead
by designing demagoges, like the miser
raking in the dung heap uumindful OF the
golden crown within her reach.
1t is lamentable reflection to the phian.
thropist and patriot, that dangerous spirits,
the factions and designing, aiming at their
own advancement, throw themselves into the
front rank and become leaders Of the people,
Like uufaithful nurses they conjure up im-
aginary ghosts to frighten unquiet children ;
they abuse terms, pervert history, dress up
the efligies of old names, decry knowledge
and pdnder to bad and unwbolesome iuhu.
eDces, place the passions between the light
of the low and public tranquility. They work
wires, are full Of tricks and cunning, which is
mistaken for intellect, they are agitators by
trade, aud live upon Misrepresentation, deceit
aud falsehood.
The worst enemies OF popular rights are
the professional trumpitors of popular privi.
leges. ln government Of laws there can be
no privileges save such as the laws confer,
and these by receiving legal sanction become
rights. Mans mate love Of power ia eating
like silent mildew into the paper bulwarks
OF laws, which the mpgnauimty Of our fathers
set up against it. Aud the ambition OF false
men, like the strong mans phrenzy is pulling
down the pillars OF the great sanctuary OF
society, even over their own heads.
The progress OF power, the prOligacy Of
party, the rude license Of pen and tongue,
before which nothing has remained sacred
a successful array Of passion against expert.
ence, powerful and overwhelming combina.
tion of exciting influences against national
repose aud individual conteutment, have, at
length, produced their natural aud fearful
work. Let those who have aroused that pas.
sion, and invoked those influences look to
it, least they be found among those unskilful
magicians who know but one half the secret
Let them look to it, that the seed they SOW,
do not like the seed scattered Cadmus on the
rank soil Of BGotia, spring up armed men,
and war to their own destruction. Ii men
will SOW Dragons teeth let them expect the
crop of Cadmus without his good fortune.
Fellow citizens: alter the obligations OF
our holy religion, the first aoG chlefest duty
OF men is to reverence and love their country
Love it strongly This love of country should
be an ever present and iunoamental principle
OF public and Of private conduct, stimulating
US to useful work. aud checking the aspira
| tioDS of over waning AN bltioD. Our love Of
country should not be mere netural attach.
ment to the place Of our nativity not q
commonplace sentiment which germinates,
without root, on the rich soil OF affection,
unbiddeu and uncultivated-a result of TO-.
stiDct and coupled with ignorance. 1t should
be the combined product of true feeling and
discriminating reason; love wholly una-
loyed with seihshness. There are causes
enough to warrant and justify this love Of
country in its most ardent aud profound
condition. Need | now pause to indicate
themf The theme could hardly be touched.
much less exhausted within the brief limits
prescribed for me by prudence and modesty,
Take comprehensive survey, both historical
and contemporanious consider the magnd.
cent scale on which it has pleased the creative
power to model this land its united cub
Unity and utility. The beginning aud the
basis of the mighty structure of our govern.
meEt the great aud fundamental truths OF
civil and religious liberty-truths which
harbinger the dsenthralment aud happiness
Of millions upon millions Of human beings,
embodied in it and tell me- is not our
vigorous youth already worth fifty centuries
OF heraldry and laborious existence Is not
The mind lifted up. and the heart soothed
aud our reverence aud love for home power.
fully fortified, when we contem plate OUT
origin, our astonishing progress, aud the
magnificent example Of the virtuous, wise
and pious men, by whom this empire was
founded. And shall We lose all Shall the
world suffer from the destruction of its best
hope, through the Vaccinations and instru
mentality of little men, with large ambition =
demagogues. political trcksters, and wire
workers. Men who are sacrificing everything
to push themselves into public life and pro
minent positions, without possessing q molet,
OF that high order of character which alon,
should give them q title to popular esteem
and political advancement.
: Popularity should have charms for men
but it should be only that popularity whicl
follows virtuous deeds. The popularity wbicl
is run after and fishsd for by cunning appeal
to the prejudces Of the moment, which i
gained by base compliance with a viciou
age, aud the depraved and despesble worl
Of moving wires, and making puppets of fire.
men, is not only despised in the hearts Of tb
good. virtuous, and traly wise, bot difuse
error and corruption among the people them
selves, and poisons the whole Republic in it
0 fountain head. you love your country. le
, your ends be virtuous and your means noble
b and 80 adorn and bless your nation, and exal
the age in which you live.
II is unjust and dishonest in man TO per
8 nit himself to be proposed for on office, 70
. whose duties he does not feel and know be
competent. He who is proposed for offics