Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1865-09-08
aNiseellanepus.
The True National Eagle.

y
dcrstood. and which, properly, should be
fully understood, than the real reprcsen-
tativc of our Rcpublic-thc great Eagle
of Washington. We have noticed that
in all drawings Of the bird upon our Ma
tional Bank Notes, supposed to be correct.
and without artistic blcnisf.. the White
headed Eagle is made our National en-
blem. This is u gross mistake,an should
never have been male. 1t was not the
eagle selected by our toreiathers to repre-
sent the American Republic. But before
speaking upon this point, we propose to
dwell for little while on the Eagle in
general.
In the earliest ages of classic history
to the eagle was attached the most mystic
rous aud supcrstitious awe. The sculp-
cd images cxhumed by DR.. Layard, dur
ing his subterranean labors an the banks
Of the Euphraics, prove it to have played
no nconspicuous part in the lore OF the
ancient Assyriais. In the days Of Greece ;
glory, it sat with Xeus on the summit OF
ympus-the bird Of Jovc-who per-
mitted to it sovereignty over all the fowls
Of TIE air.
Coming down through history, we find
the eagle regarded as divinity BY the
eyes Of Rome, as it had been before -
From the scycn-hillcd City. Caesar bore
it at the head OF his terrible leg!ons,
across the Rubicon, into Gaui, and into
Britain itself. Later still, but in Il more
glorious state, do we find that fitting de-
scendant of C;csas, Napoleon, bearing the
Eagle of France up into the highest peaks
oil the Alps, and to the very heart Of the
'Russias. Perhaps history does not COLI
tain more thrilling, touching incident
than that where Napoleon bade his final
adieu to the eagles ot the French army
As his carriage was about to pass that
part Of the line where were placed the
standards that had so often hoatcd proud
~ in the red light of battle, he ordered
it to stop The bearers lowered their
staiis until the faded tatters lay against
the great mars face. Napoleon, with his
head reycrently bowed, rose with just such
Il look on his countenance as sat there At
Aas,erltz Then casting his glance over
the ranks Of bis Old army, he extended
his arms, gathered the standards to hi,
Bosom, cnhrarcd-tAem as fond mother
would the darlings of her heart, anc
ki sed each golden eagle. a moment
later he released them, and, in sorrowtu
voice. said: Eagles Of France, farewell
forever -
The eagle selected by European nation:
as embematic OF their national glory wa,
;hc Golden Il gle, which, unlike the basci
eagle, is brave, daring, noble, and clean
ly in his food, hesitating not, III his liercc
ness to attack even man, the lord OF crca
ted animals, and spurning to satisfy hi
hunger. no matter how keen, on any dcac
bird or hare that he has not taken by hi
own prowcss.
Crossing the ocean to our own land. ",
find our Republic independent Of the OF,
World, in every other respect. From til,
shores OF the Atlantic Ocean, to these o
the Pacific, there inhablts every specie
of eagle to be ound in Europe, and be
side all these one species that not exis
there. This cXccptiyc and magnitecn
monarch Of the air is the Great Washing
ton Eagle, SO named by tho besu> Of au
tuoruieS, AUDUBON.
This, undoubtedly, was the bird origin
ally selected Ivy our ioreiathcrs to en-
b!emlze the greatness and uoblemess OF The
Republic they heqncalhcd to us thciI
sonS to keep great and uubrokcn forever
Thank God, tie millions Of our bray,
comrades who, since 1861, have fought
and bled on hundreds oil bloody fields
have kept the sacred trust uubrokcn.-.
The fathers Of l1I6.anl the sons Of 1851
sleep in graves equally honored, equally
reycred by every true American.
A brief description Of the Great Wash
inaton fage, compared with that of the
Whl,e-Headed or Bald Eagle, the one sl
commonly represented on United State,
seals aud lnitol States money, will al
once prove the ilosItimacy OF the latter,
claim.
I he bald or white-hcadcd eaglc is, in
his temperament and habits, a coward, a
| Jul duu hio>e SoHtSul l'tip!o 'hloi. IL
truth, though somewhat more bulky thar
other eages-excepting that Of Washing
ton-the white-headed eagle is the mo
despicable OF the whole eagle tribe. II,
is nothing beyond an ovcrsrown buzzard
For he never allows a second phug oi hun
ger to seize his stomach, ere be plungee
bcak and claws into the most filthy carri-
on. Nature herself has marked his cow
ardice with tail of lrhite feathers.
Not so the Great Washington Eagle
The boundIess prairie sky, CT the inacccs.
sible crag of the ocean-bounl shore are
his domains. lie builds on the highest
peak his home, and there attends most de-
vouty to his mate and her eaglets. He
never approaches the line Of civilization
but remains alone monarch OF his wilder
ness home. When he wants food he takes
the live fish from the ocean. When he
desires an animal of the land, he launches
himself from his eyrie, and ON his mighty
pinious sweeps majestcally over forest and
plain, until his piercing eye selects his