The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-06-28

II be one Of the ancient heroes of war or cham
plons or literature. Shall il be the far-famed
Ulysses, or IN later dates the wise Socrates, men
who, IN their times and state of civiliz aton we're
nrst IN the rank OF the aspiranss for greatness
or shall we descend to more modern times-Na.
poleon, great in war, and later, Goethe who
stood high above all competitors of his time ia
literature? Shall we come TO the present and
name the beloved hero Of the South, Thomas j.
jackson, Christian and a soldier? Bot why
endeavor to fix upon one who shall bear the
laurel. Truly all have claims to more or less OF
the elements; but the mind acknowledges itself
incapable OF deciding who shall be the superior
IN the last century there lived the Christian
Howard. the great philanthropist, who spent his
whole time and means WISHING the prisons of
Europe, and showing his truly Christian zeal in
comforting and assisting those who were incosed
within the dungeon walls; truly, here is true
Christian greatness, developed to far extent.
His death. which happened in the beginning Of
the present century, was indeed loss to those
poor sufferers, who had been objects of his
charity and attention. Similar to him, and a
d bic representative of her sex, stands the
woman who has a just claim to greatness
Florence Nightingale. woman given to charity
and good deeds. .-.
II we allow ourselves to consider the difference
OF education in different ages, permitting the low
standard of early days, we could doubtlessly
choose from each period truly great man; bat
such is not our privilege; the criterion is the same
Tor Gil ages and times it makes no allowances
IVr tue STATE OF toe world at any period: the
height 10 be ascended ere we reach the glorious
acme OF greatness, ERE we can stand at the very
pinnacle OF ambition and have placed in our hands
the glorious crown Stimulating with the gems of
herdesrned labor. was the same then as now
" win and wear it ',is imprinted on blazing charac-
tiers upon its very 'front.'
Retracing our steps, viewing the herein made
comparisons aud desiring to let our ideas of true
greatness rs nearly approached rest on some men
who, if they have not fully attained the required
standard, have approached so nearly that the re.
naming part can be well overlo ,ked men COM
binng the bravery and skill Of warrior and
putting this skill to-a proper use, delivering with
u their country from their oppressors
and men Of true Christian principles as
far as developed in their time and
letting their light shine before men" and in very
nearly every respect reaching the proper critic,
riou-we refer to Alfred the Great aud our coun.
tryman. George Washington. With them good.
ness, and purity of heart and soul was united to
the requisites OF warriors and statesmen Others
might be chosen from out the list, but we prefer
TO ietlt rest here with these two men others NAV
have reached the standard in many respects Vet
failed in others. And. in closing, we bow in
humble praise Of worth to those two noble speci.
mems Of the human race /; TO them we hand the
powerful sceptre-it is their brows which we shall
crown with glory and honor. and we hold them
up before the world as examples worthy of iml
tstion, and as types of men, in every sense Of the
word their nsmes andItheir praise il sung By
Hlhsueisln every cline. EsPERANcE.