The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1867-06-14

/ Guy " ALHf tcO& ~ AAttJ cV1 IOOd'
COMRADES: Truly ,and with great sat-
isfaction can / say to you that ''noW are
our bruised arms hung up for mOnu-
ments:" our stern alarms changed to
merry meetings, our dreadful marches
to delightful measures grim visaged
war has smoothed his wrinkled front.
witnessing this scene, the proudest tri-
butte to your organization is paid in the
flashes Of the bright eyes of ladies pre-
sent in this assemblage, seated among
the hardy veterans who have met de-
struction face to face in all its ways,
proud of the companionship, and ex-
employing the line that ''none but the
brave deserve the fair"
propose to-day to examine hastily,
few of the decisive battles of the
world with a view of noticing these
EFFECTS upon the nations engaged, in
order that, as history repeats itSelfin its
various cycles, we in our march to en-
pire and TO greatness, may profit by
their example and avoid their errors.
1t is instructive to notice at the outset
that from the organization of society
into national communities up to the
present time, the peoples of all forms
of government have been warning
with each other for the purpose Of p0-
HiicdG 0ggrd1aOlizenae,t under every con-
ceivable pretext, occurring either be-
| tween Republicanism and Monarchy,
or kingcraft and kingcraft, or civiliza-
| ton and barbarism, or race and race,
or that which has been the bane, in all
ages, of government assimilating to our
own-ciUH lC0r.
Ofall the various and almost number
less battles, sieges and cOmbats of every
description, where blood has flowed
like water, writer's versed in military
historic lore declare that from Marathon
| to Waterloo, there are scarce score
that have been decisive of the fate of
nations; either overthroWing govern
ments or establishing dynasties; yet
each has had direct effect on nations,
or political results have flowed from
them that in time produced cOnseqen-
ces which controlled their history
Marathon! How the name revives the
memories of our schoolboy days, when
we read, gloried in and painted to en-
| ulate the deeds of Greek valor perform
Ocl that field o5oinet the veteran and
\ hitherto invincible masses of the great
Persian monarch. From her geograph-
ical position as we'll as from her form
OF government, Greece was at that time
| the natural vanguard of European CIV
| ilization against the ambition of Dari-
US This, then, (even at such an early
day. was the battlefield of a free peO-
pie against the encroachments of mon
archical power, a power which, with
the exception of the Chinese Empire,
ruled the entire continent of Asia
The Greeks, fighting on their own
soil, not only for their institutions but
! for their political existence as ma
| ton, achieved a success beyond their
most sanguine expectations. 1t is not
to be considered at this time how far
the innate love of liberty in the Greeks
aided in this combat. But we venture
to say that the mass of the army struck
for their country, their altars and their
homes, and as liberty gives to each of
its sons that individuality which e.
wolves the responsibility of action, this
host, under such influences, became all
powerful. Comrades, need [ say to
| you that in the dark moments of the
late struggle, how often this feeling in
your hearts nerved you, whether in the
cold wet bivouac, or the deadly strife
Thus it is that from Marathon till now,
the liberty we adore, is the stimulus of
its defence, and from it spring free gov
| ernment and true patriotism.
But now the assailed became the as
ssilants. With pure lust for dominion
theGreeks> fitted out powerful expedi-
tion against Syracuse, in Sicily. This
city at shat day, was the Gibraltar of
the Mediterranean, and had been attack
ed periodically by all the great pow
ers that figured on the continents of Eu-
rope, Asia and Africa. In this ambi-
tious and oppressive movement, after
terrific conflicts, Greece was defeated.
Had it been otherwise, historians agree
that Greek, not Latin, would have been
the governing race in Northern Africa
and Southern Europe. Mark again the
aggressions of this now rich and pow.
erful commonwealth. Foiled in her at.
tempt for empire in the west, she a.
chieved it in the east, where under the
might and genius of the pupil of Aris
totle, the great Alexander, she conquer
ed Asia Minor, Tyre, Egypt, Media, Sy
ria and Persia, ,and pushed her victorious
arms beyond the Indus. At the great
battle of Arbella, Oriental despotisn
was overthrown by Greek power anC
European civilization established
which continued to exist Throughout
those vast domains for over one thous
and years. The Persian empire, which
had menaced the nations of the eartf
with subjectiOn, was no more. Instruc
tive and useful lessons are taught from
this action of Greece, which, like o.the
Republics in their day, have given free
Ixy of thair hIOOd and treasure TO main