The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1861-01-04
From the Jeffersonian Democrat Of Jan. 4th, 1854.
THOUGHTS ON NEW YEARS
DAY.

ana 10 all the muck OF Ccftaln decay. IL
bids us improve every moment that is pass.
ing.
cannot divine what thero can be in tho
anniversary Of tho New Year above any
other day, to mako US glad, II is not tho
voice which speaks to us in language palmer
than words, and tells US that another wear
Of our existouco has gone. never to return /:
that wo arc SO much nearer tho grave I:
Arc wo not admonshed by that voice that
passing away ; Aud do we
not, this Now Years day. behold tho wintry
grave of that year which has beer the scene
of so much jny and sorrow to us !? Then
why should We bo glad Why should our
hearts bo made buoyant 10y the thought that
this is tho dawn of tho Now Year : Surely.
tho day is not more bright or beautiful. than
when the meridian sun of tho Old Year
looked down upon our luxuriant Earth, clad
in tho lovely garh OF Summer
Eain would Nature teach us solemn
lessons. Only Yesterday, aud tho Old Year
was with US. But death was written on his
icy front. (FIt emblem of man y Night
came. aud yelled tho Earth in darkness
Thon no breathcd away his latest breath.
and was laid to rest in winding sheet OF
cloud aud storm. Tho Now Year was born /;
aud to-day it is weeping. oven as loving
child wGeps at the tomb of fond parent
These withcrcd Leaves, aud drlftcd SHOWS.
and lowering clouds. AFRO Natures hnbili.
ments of mourning. Wo arc told to day.
by Nature and Experience. .-wholhcr wo
will he, d them or not that tho New Year.
like its predecessors will soon pass away,
aud he laid to rest in tho great Tomb of the
Past!
1t is meet that wo should now pause, 10
reflect upon tho past, and to make now ro.
solves for the future. How docs this dav
find you, my friend Can you rclec: upon
IL year we'll spCnt--ono to which youI mind
may ever turn with pride and qualification !:
! hope you can but, if YOU cannot. you
may yet resolve upon o bottor course for
tho year to come. Tho past, with its vices
and !ollies, its precious hours wasted or
misspent, We cannot recall; yet tho broad
future lies uncloudcd before US.
This New Years day is not merely day
for unrestrained. vicious hilarity: and this,
il over becoming, would DO Gar more
so on some Othor day. But it is fit time
for reflection. What an cventful year has
just passed away How fraught with all
tho variety of human expcrienco-sin. pleas
urc, care, vexation, sorrow ! And then
how many who. but such ii short timo ago
welcomed the Now Year, (now grown olA,
and laid away in tho Tomb of Agcs) as tho
harbngcr of many moro of brightness in
store for them, arc now silently roposing
where tho storm RACES above, and tho worms
of enrth ara foastug upon thor brows, thon
animated by tho radiance of lfo and hopo
And how many who now coico to welcome
this bright day of Gods will find their last
rrs''hg P'ace' ero inc NOW year Is gopo
now many, w'th'h the past year, though
thoy nave ocen spared mo, havo been de-
pr'Ved OF a'' th"t can mako It desirable
nave you oeen c"''ed TO mourn over the
dea,n OF ialher' mother, brother, sister,
or I,iend lave you ioIIowcd 10 tho grave
tne l'e,ess romans OF ono you most ar,
ucn''y rove" ana cnerlsneu, anu seen ana
he"'u 'ho ureau' co'n "c'ods OF the Valley,
c'oso III aoo'e ,nem iiaVo you said iaro-
wen 10 some GEAR irienu WI" IS no" inr
away "nom you may never SOC again. ana
upon WHOSE Instant grave IL may DC, tho
'e"t OF 'n,s Ne" ioar morning mas
oeH.neu Many OF you; Know haVo eX'
Por'ohcea some u not an OF t'ose sorro"s'
uu,l"e 'no year wn'ch nas on'y so recently,
fo''eu away or some which haVo preceded
Why should wo weep for tho dead -
They need not our sympathy or our tears.
hcso ~''' ne''hor mako our loss loss less nor
,n9'' summer n'oro swce'' lnoy arc tho
.TIne VINO % nemun" our sympa'hy anu our
suppor.' fnougn''m's may % naPPy day
10 many II NOT To n'. Oh u.s. yGt the!o arc
nose VINO arc g'oan,ug oehoa'n we'ght o!
r, woo ~H'ch GruS"es Ineh uo"h 10 mo aust
nero arc aoo4es OF poverty, OF crime OF
,n'olnpcranco Na'IonS SUI, meet IN uead
comoat, upon tho 'ori!OIo ana uhh0Iy
hinJn of 'Ina,, hr rn,h,o.s h"nd, St" s,n',nI
Joon into ,ho VOW l;ro'hIooJ 81 h"rani,u
TLnro r n,~ ,ro won rc,do rr"o Ln rho '5 n,,;,"
onJowod ~ VIII Tim % with immor,al ~ MI souis ~hC ~hO
n"I"au oro I"I " i"n "i" 'u'" ,ra ;na h'I ao WV
prcss'on' VINO na'o not tho ownership oil
themselves, and to whom ovory successive
New Year is but one moro added to life
hoorII. ,J shoII III bonU% 70 ,h r",io ] iSuon E' "n'