The Shasta courier., 1864-06-04
Patriotism.

The extracts below from recent sermon of
the Rev. D. Bellows, are worthy of more than
ordinary atte ton. Let the timid and wa
yering, as well as the firm, read them:
Real patriotism is hot devoted, genuine
ioye for the Nation for its source, its histo-
ry, its duties, its progress, its future 1t is
in The very blood and bones. You could not
burn it out with fire. nor drown it in the Pa
cific 1t is more earnost and passionate as
the country - mere IN eauger. as mothers
love is never SO intense as when her child
languishes with sickness and writhes with
pain. 1t can contemplate no insult, injury
or degradation to that country without fash.
ing indignation. 1t feels the nations cause
to be strictly personal: every blow it gets,
falls on its own breast; every shadow resting
upon it. darkens its own brow. Do you th nix
such patriotism counts odds, contemplates
defeat measures cost and acquiesces in fail
ure? No! that is left to the false patriotism
that regards country only as sailor might
regard patch of mid ocean in which he was
becalmed. no better than any other thousand
square miles of brine-that feels no wound
when the knife Of political division cuts into
the nations heart-that considers and calcn-
iates the snug advantages of separation and
belittlement-can coolly weigh the arguments
against relir quishment Of its territorial in
tegrity and commercial boundaries of its
old honor and position in the eyes of the
world That patriotism alone, which can tie
weighed in the bankers scales aud sold in
the stoek-market. can be expected to be calm,
and cold and self seeking. and self consider
ing at time like this. When the parents of
an only child suddenly striker with a fever,
stop to count the cost Of physicians skill, or
the price of essential medicine aud food, he
fore they send for either-=when men of hon
or stop TO philosophize about the value ofrep-
utation for veracity, or business fidelity, or
allow themselves to discuss the honor of theip
own wives aad daughter, then we may be ez-
cused for talking about the country as if
traitors stab here, or a States secession there
or slaveocracy' triumph over US everywhere
weere things that could be paid for in pence,
and cotton and peace
Men that can feel thus for dear America.
our sacred Union, our inyiolable territory,
are men not to be trusted any where. They
are soulless vipers. to be trodden under foot,
for they sting as they glide about, shining
our hearths and homes with their guile and
their selfishness.
Who can have any real peace in his heart
at a time like this who has not given in an
uSNotlbn III MS soul ana UouY. his
possessions and his prospects. to the National
cause, and uncalcrlating, unmeasured, pas
sionate and all absorbing conservation of him
self &c hIs country? Tha-c who 10 this have
no longer the melancholy..strugle of doubt and
pondering to gn through every day Their
hearts do not veer obout with every rumar as
news seems favorable or unfavorable to the
National cause. They are not seeking to
know whether the West or the Northwest
may not be able or inclinced to patch up
disgraceiul peace in the supposed interests
of the next harvest They are not nwardly
hoping that foreign Governments will inter
vene to compel compromise They are not
believers that the Vaccinations OF old parti-
zans, jobhing in stocks and politics. and
ing simple minded and popular soldiers as
the stalking horses of their unpatriotic pur
poses and plans, are going to succeed IN de-
moraizing the honest Democracy of the coun-
try. All this is left for the timid half heart
ed people who think handsome traitor bet
ter than homely patriot, who would sooner
be ruled by an elegant secessionist than by
lank legitimate president-who think the
South has been wronged and ought to be con-
cillated. and agree with our euemies over the
water, that we can nerer put down the rebel
hon. l wonder such reasonable sentiments
do not drive their owners over into Richmond,
and | believe they would if our enemies lad
not the spirit to despise, quite as much as we
do those who entertain them, knowing such
dastards If they were on their own side.