The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1866-04-10
FLOR the Spirit.1
Our Nations Unwritten History.

eminent, but failed. The sunny cline Of
Italy, favored of earth, had not hat en-
ergy within her to keep the rights she had.
When tyranny could be borne no lon
ger, France was not ready for asrepublic.
After many strugglesto be free, she sig
nally failed, and still wears the yoke of
servitude to a monarch.
The eyes of the East turned Westward.
America: formed by the All Wise to per-
feet the fruit of civilization, then receiv-
ed the seeds of that plant into her fruit
full soil. The time had arrived when her
mission to the human race must be per-
formed; it was given to her to show the
powers Of man in their perfection, and
we'll is she performing her great mission.
Of earth's great nations ours stands
first, proclaiming to all hat men can rule
themselves.
We are young in years and in expert
ence. Then in what does our greatness
consist? We haven no pageants of royalty
glitteringly sweeping through the land,
to impress the masses, 40 palaces rear
their grand forms to awe the mind. No,
no. Our pageants of royalty is the mind
of man; our palaces fill the land: schools
and colleges are found everywhere; herein
is our great strength; in this we are bless
ed beyond all Others. Yet who knows
the trials, the privations, the working
until the brain grows weary aud the body
faint, the porting over books ifar into the
winter nights, to improve the mind SO no.
bly, endowed. Well can we look over our
country with pride.
The nations Of old, who felt their man
hood and claimed liberty as a right, cul-
tivated the branches, but the roots were
left to die by degrees, and eventually the
dust rested above all. Not SO with our
favored country. When from across the
restless ocean the Pilgrims came; they
brought that with them which man can
not give nor take away: true love of
Christ in the heart. The Bible was their
guiding star. They opened its pure pa
ges to all, never more to be closed to the
meanest of Gods creatures. Our motto
carries more weight than armed hosts:
"In God we trust" Now, indeed, it is
our country to which the whole world
looks for yindication of her free prin-
ciples which they so long and yainiy
tried to maintain. True freedom is now
to all not only in aoords, but in reality,
as the struggle just passed, and so trium-
plant, will testify.
How different this result from that so
confidently expected by the leaders of the
rebellion. Truly, for four long weary
years has our nation been writing history
with pens of steel. in ink of blood, on
parchment Of human souls. Through
the black darkness of the overshadowing
night of trial, privations, and civil war,
volumes Of startling events have been
traced ~indelibly for future generations to
peruse. Well may we exclaim: aTruth
rs stranger than fiction" Scarcely in the
most vivid Imagination could SO wonder
full events be produced as we, the Ameri
can people, have witnessed through the
startling and almost dream-like past.
Through all this time the clash Of arms
has been heard in our broad land. Gold
and blue. in long lines, with glitter;ng|
steel have swept Southwark, like a cloud
heralded by the muttering thunder and
the fierce lightning.
From the East and the West they came
at the bugle call. Hordes far to the
South were marshalling with stolen brist-
ling baYonets. to do, to dare, and even to
die, in the unholy cause they had espous-
ed. =
History will tell us allthis. Look over
our beautiful land,from the far-stretching
Atlantic to the distant Paciic,an behold
the homes made desolate. Costs it no ef-
fort to give up the idols Of ones house
hold forever The heroes of this war are
alone among those who wear a star on
their shoulder. Requires it no effort on
the part of the private soldier to give up
the comforts of home for the arduous
camp duties, to untwine the clinging baby
arms, and press a last kiss on the brow Of.
her who had given her happiness into his
keeping?
Is there no heroism in putting aside
manfully, bravely, love and home, the
Of earth's pleasures, ANA give them
up, it may be forever? What higher de
votion than that mother giving her only
boy, young in years and to the worlds
experience unknown, with swimming
eyes, add q '-God bless you" sending him
to do, battle, not only with the rebel
crew, but with the temptations incident
to a soldiers life, which require more
moral courage to face and conquer, than
in the excitement of the battle ARRAY to
strike death to the armed foe?