St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1863-12-10
A MAN WITHOUT A COUNTRY.

a NAN WIlHVU1 n OVUN1 N IL
The atlantic Monthly for December
opens with a patriotic sketch with the
above title, so admirably written and
conveying a moral so timely that it
cannot be too widely read.
The opening paragraph CT the article
is as follows:
suppose that very few casual read
ers of the New York Herald Of Aug.
18th observed, in an obscure corner,
among the "Deaths," the announce:
ment, ...
"NoLAN. Died on board U. ). Cor
vette Levant, lat. . deg. II min, S.,
!ongg: l3l deg; W., on the llth of May
Philip. Nolan"
The writer, Edward Hall, then pro.
'cceds to give the history of this Philip
Nolan (no land?) who he says Was a
lieutenant in the Western division Of
the United States army at the bcgin
ming Of the century. Nolan was young
and impressible and was drawn into
the Burr conspiracy by the personal
fascination of its leader. Court-mar.
.tialed for this offense, and asked to show
evidence that he had always been faith
full to the United States, he replied in
a burst Of boyish passion, "D-n the
United States! l wish l may 'ner-
er hear Of the United States again -
The court sentenced him to realize his
wish. He Was sent on board the ship
of naval commander, with instruc-
tions that he should be supplied with
the quarters, rations and clothing beit-
ting his rank, but that no one should
ever mention the United States in his
presence, and no book or paper should
ever be allowed to reach him which al
4uded to the land he had ahjured.-
Moreover, he was never again to be al
lowed to touch its shores, being trans
ferred FROM .homeward to an outward
bound vessel, whenever the exi igences
of the service required the change
The result of this treatment was an as
sumed Indifference and recklessness,
which ultimately gave place to deadly
homesiok humiliation, such as few SEN
sitive natures have ever been called up
on to bear. In theincidents Of his
lifelong cruise, this feeling was occa'
s,onally brought into unmistak able
prominence and power. Mr.. Hale de-
scribes him as attempting to read to a
circle of brother officers, (if the worlds
founding could be said to have had
brothers, the stirring lines Of SCOTS
clay of the Last MINSTREL" then new
to all the listeners, yet presumed from
its subject TO contain no Objectionable
allusion. We give the result in the
words of Mr.. Hale:
"Poor Nolan read steadily through
the fifth canto, stopped a minute and
drank something, aud then began, with.
out thought of what was coming
'Breathes there a man with soul SO dead,
Who never to himself hath said, -
1t seems impossible to US that anybody
ever heard this for the first time but
all these fellows did then, and poor No
lan himself went on, still unconscious.
]y or mechanically
"This is my own my native land!"
Then they all saw something was tc
pay; but he expected to get through,
I suppose, turned a little pale, but
plunged on
Whose heart hath ne'er within him burn'd
As home his footsteps he hath turned
81 From wandering on foreign strand?
If such! there breathe, 60, mark him we'll,
By this time the men were all beside
themselves, wishing there was any way
to make him turn over two pages but
he had not quite presence Of mind fol
that ); he gagged q little, colorea Grim
son, and staggered on
For him no minstrel raptures swell:
High though his tides, proud his name,
Boundless his wealth as wish can claim,
|, Despite these titles. power and pelf, -.
| The wretch, con centred all in SELF -
and here the poor fellow choked, could
not 60 on, but started up, swung thu
book into the sea, and vanished into bis
state-room.
' Tho thorough change Of feeling from