The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1862-05-13

sl'e; we may absorb, but we can never invade foI
conquest, any neighborng State The peace oi
the "orid Is secured if our arms prevail We shall
have Government that acknowledges God, thai
reverenees right, and that makes law supreme
We are, therefore, fighting MOI for ourselves alone
Out, when the struggle is rightly understood
Tor the salvation of this whole continent 1t is a
noble cause in WHICH we arc engaged There is
everything in 1t to rouse the heart aud to nerve
the arm of the freeman and the patriot; and thou
1t may now seem to be under cloud, it is toe biz
with the future OF our race to be suffered to fail
1t cannot fail; it must not fail. Our people must
not brook the iufamy of h traying .heir sublime
! trust This beautiful land we must never suffer
pass into the hands of strangers Our falds, our
homes, our iresdes and sepuchres, our cities and
tempe, our wives and dar lighters, must protect
at every hazard. The glorioIs inheritance which
f theirs left musr never betray The hopes our
with which they died and which buoyed their
spirits in the last conflict, of making their country
a blessing to the world we must not permit to be
unrealzed. We must the torch from their
hands, aud transmit it with increasing brightness
to distant generations. The word failure must not
be pronounced among Us. 1t is not Il thing to be
dreamed of. We must settle it that we must sue
! coed. We must not sit down to count chances
There is too much at stake to think of discussing
probabilitles-we must make success u certainty
and that, by the blessing of God, can do. Ii
We prcpar to do our duty, and whole
duty, We have nothing to tear. But what is our
duty? This is question which we must gravcly
consider We shall briefly attempt to answer it,
In the first place, must shake off all apathy
aud become fully alive to the magnitude Of the
crisis We must look the danger in the face, aAd
comprehend the real grandeur Of the issue We
shall not exert ourselves until we sensible OF
the need of effort. AS long as we cherish vague
hnp hat hpln frnn 0,r
there is something in our past history, the
genius Of Institutions, to protect US from
throw, We are hugging fatal delusion to our b IS
ons. This apathy Was the ruin OF Greece at the
time of the Macedonian invasion. This the
spell which Denlosthenes labured so earnestly to
break. The Athenian was as devoted to
his native city and the free institutions he inheri-
ted from his fathers; but somehow or other he
could not believe that his country could be con-
quered. lie read its safety in its ancient glory
He felt that it had prcac,ip iptivc right to live
The great orator saw and lamented the error; he
poured forth his eloquence to dissolve the charm;
but the fatal hour had come, and the spirit oi
Greece could not be reused. There was more
real patriotism at the time of the second Persian
invasion than in the age Of Philip; but then there
apathy, every man appreciate ed the danger;
he saw the crash that coming, and prepared
himself to resist the blow. lie knew that there
effort Every man, too, felt Identified with the
State; part ri its weight rested on his shoulders
Ii was this Of personal interest and
personal responsibility profound conviction
that every one had something to do, and that
Greece expected him to do lt-this was the public
spirit which turned back the countless hordes OF
Xerxes and saved Greece to liberty and man.
This is the spirit which we must have, if we,
too. would succeed. We must be brought to
that ALL under God, depends on ourselves; aud,
looking away from all foreign alliances, W. mus,
make up our minds to fight desperately and fight
long, if we would save the country from ruin, and
ourselves from bondage. Every man should feel
that lie has all interest in the State, and that the
State in measure leans upon him; and he should
rouse himself to efforts bold aud heroic if all
depended on bis single right Our courage
should rise higher than the danger, aud whatever
may be the odds against US, We must solemny re-
solve, by Gods blessing that We will not be con-
quered. When, with full knowledge OF the
danger, we are broug bit to this point, in
the way of deverance, but until this point is
reached, it is idle to count ON success.
1t is implied in the spirit which the times de-
mand that all private interests sacrificed to
the public good The State becomes everything,
aud the individual nothing. 1t is no time to be
casting about Tor expedients to enrich ourselves.
The man who is now intent upon money, who
turus public necessity aud danger luto means Of
speculation would If very shame did not rebuke
him, aud he were allowed to follow the natural
beut of his heart go upon the field ot battle after
an engagement aud strip the liieless bodies of his
brave c"untrymen of the few 'spos they carried
into the fight. SUCH men, unit fof anything gen.
erous or noble themselves, like the hyena, On-
ly suck the blood sof the lion. Itought be Il
,roach to any man, that he is growing rich while
his country is bleeding at every pore. If We had
a Ihemistocles among US, he would not scruplc To
charge the miser aud extortoner with stealing the
Goryons head; he would search their stuff, aud IT
he could not find that he would fnd what would ans
wei his countrys needs much more eifectulily.
This spirit must be rebuked; every man must for
get himself, aud think only OF the public good.
The spirit of faction is more to be dreaded
than the spirit of avarice aud plumber. 1t Is
equally selfish, aud is, besides, distractng and
divisve. The man who now labOrs to weaken the
hands of the Government, that he may seize the
reins of authority, or cavls pubic measures ami
policy, that he may rise TO distinction aud Office
has all the sel6shuess of mser, and all the base
ness of a traitor. Our rulers not infallble
but their errors are to be reviewed with candor
and their authority sustained with unanimity.
Whatever has a tendency to destroy pubic con-
fdence in their prudence, their wisdom, their
energy, and their patotism, undcrmines the Sc
curty of our cause. We must not be divided aud
distracted among ourselves. Our rulers have
great responsibilities they need the support of the
whole country; and nothing short Of patriotism
ruls ok =. L.