Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1862-01-11

year that haa stamped its impress IN chat
ncters that cannot fade upon the life Of th
Nation aud the World yesr that wi
standl oug in bold and bloody relief in m
pfocession ofthe Ages. Born amid n
romhlag Of the distant thunder when u
gathering eIoads covered the heavens iik
apall, aud shc maddcning storm was chatn
ia ia feiters--Ii Witnessed The eulminntio
Of one 0f lhs foulest conspiraclcs that eve
sleuolzed hnman Crime. II was ushere
IA upon paraiyged and panic stricke
geuntry II behuld ginnt shivering in Vi
grasp OF a monsleF whom il seemingly hui
neither the power nor the win to rcpcl =
IL found the siontest heart frozen will
horror and the siurdiest viii feeble will
fear. II found Treason rampant 10 higi
places Plunder gorging itself nt ibe
fouutaiu-headsof power ibhdelity TO trns'
faunling its shame in the White House
and the Senate Peljnry rearing us hide
uns front Ia National Bureaus aud Caoinei
Councils. II found Government ofthiriy
millions Of people c6nspirlng against It's own
hfe:a President at once besotied aud i'm.
pure heads Of -Depar,menl cnacting the
role Of '.Foriy Thieves" ia the face Of day (;
enn Army aud Navy saturated With Disloy-
atty Generals and Commodorcs laughing
0aths and Honor TO acorn. IL found
peaceful communities converted into bowling
mohs Statesmen and Philauthropists end
Ministers Of the Gospel abetling riot and
rapine men whom bat tho day before we
had met as brethren spriRging at our
throafs lie bloothonnds. aud trampling
The flag Of our Fathers in the dust.
II found the loyal States at once apathe
tic aud divided Treason openly appiaudct
in our midst men, whose hands we're rec
with The blood Of the Republic, eulogizet
in newspapers and popular conventions a
patriots engagcd 10 holy yesuse--strugglins
against an iniquitous thraIdom. 1t foanl
the instruments Of Rebellion busy over n!
the North; drilling men in secret to aid tn
South corresponding With tue chief con
spirators manufacturing engines OF war 4
be used against The Government harrang
ing legislatures, editing leading journals,
engineering political conventions, aud giving
tone TO our BEST Society ]"
1t witnessed another marvel It saw
the North, msddened by insult and goadec
by wrong, awakened to the consciousness oI
its peril and It's degradation IL saw the
public Patriotism arousing as IRON heavy
tlumbcr and putting on its liberties ItsaV
twenty millions Of people, the most INTEL.
gent. the most yir,uoos, most self goyerniny
the world ever saw, suddenly remembgriU.
they bad country 10 save and helitagl
Of Freedom TO rescue from the baud Of VIC
lence, il saw the pulses Of the country quick
ened as under the touch Of Divine hand
and the virtues that eunoblc manhood bloS
som into sudden life. IL saw the uprising
of mighty States the upheaving Of voleanII
fires Of Patriotism; the bubbliug Of fOuuIani
of human Beneyolence that had long beef
sealed. 1t saw the merchant abandoning
his ledger the lawyer deserving bis brief
the minister quitting bis pulpit ; tue antho
dropping his pen the artisan leaving hi
workshop the husbandman quitting hi
plow,--to tight the battles Of their country
aud shed their blood IN its behalf
The Old Year dies leaving the problem
of eur future unsolTed 1t beqaethes to u
a heritage of Doubt aud Danger but j
bequethes to us also heritage OF Hope Il
leaves Us to grope in darkness aud Ihicl
clouds; but clouds that reveal silver lin
ing. IL points, with its palsied iDger, o thl
sunlight fields that smile beyond the bowling
wastes Of war. II bids us buffet the storm
--disdain the danger--and press heroicsl-
ly onward IL shows the thorny path that
we must tread, bid Us be brave aud fear
mol, aud propbesjes deliVere nee If we will
but fght the good 6ght worthily.
Shall we obey the voice of the dying
Year ?-Albaay Zee. J0ErHrI