The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1869-01-07

The history of our country should, there
fore lie kept constantly before our youth.
Whatever is great aud noble ia cur annals
indeed, everything Of extraordinary merit in
the conduct Of our il!ustIious dead. whether
Gistinguis he'd III the field or by the less bril-
liant though not less useful services civil
life-shoud be their frequent anil familiar
study. They should be taught carly III life 10
look up to these glorious models. even as tie
young eagles are tau2h; 10 GaZe 1T lie sun.
But again IA, intimate knowledge Of oar
HISTORY, particularly of tie cha dctcr sercices
and Sdc3ifces Of o"r WHstrjouS men triH
produce u SdiutaTy mOrai influence ~ on oar
youth.
Who can tell how much the rrcr!i, ct;ous
OF the former greatness ut Greece, revived by
thu stirring Appeals Il the heroic days and
deeds OF her rGnovt ell men by the pen Of
Lord Byron, when lie fist visited That teau-
tIful country vino can tell now Iauch these
recollec,ions ard his stirring az leais may
have contributed IL awaken that spirit In the
modern Greeks Which resulted in |! cir Iude-
pendence and their emancipation from Turk
ish vassalage? No one can d, ubt that the
remem brance Of her ancient grandeur, visible
even through the long night of her ;e. vituoe
in her mouidering IulLs and relics, and glow
ing fresh in the pages IF her orators and poets,
must have Lad some lLHueucc In III uusng
her oppresSurs. The enslaved, degenerate
Grecian, knowing what his country once was,
must have seen III every object around him
n look of reproach. Must not his cheek have
uurned with shame while he cringed and
crouched to Turkish master on the very
spot, perhaps, where LeouiGas expired, and
with the bones, too, of that gallant hero re-
posing beneath his feet? What feelings
must have filled his bosom when, in plough
ing the old battle-felds cf his country, ne
turned up the rusty weapons or mouldering
bones of his fathers Every sod must have
called him a degenerate, degraded SLare.-
Every relic Of former day s, every classic vale
and fountain, every leaf Of ancient literature
and every trophy Of former freedom must
have reproached him.
Uuder the influence Of such feelings they
could not have looked culdly on their past
history. 1t must have kinoied enthusiasm
in their 6osoms. The contrast Of present
degradation with former greatness must have
awakened some of the spirit Of their fathers;
for at last the spirit stirring recollections Of
what Greece once was broke the spell that
had for more than three centuries bound her
down in bondage. 1t was the voice burst
irg FROM the tombs of her old heroes orators
and poets that awoke her from her trance of
death and nerved her with strength to burst
the bonds Of her sepulchre and rise up TO
newness of life.
IF such be the moral Influence which the
lives Of il!ustrinuS men exert upon their coun-
trymen in after limes-if the glory and re-
nown of national character add so much TO
the strength and fervency with which we
love our cuuntry-if the examples Of the
past are such eloquent and impressive moni-
tors to the future-if through the history Of
their lives we can holu converse with our
ilIustriUus dead, and feel that they are pre-
sent in spirit with us, exhorting US to follow
the examples Of their own pure patriotism
with q more impressive eloquence than can
belong to mortal lps-then surely the mem
ory of the bright names and noble achieve
meuts of our history should be kept fresh
anu green in the hearts of our youth. For
the usefulness Of great men, If their memory
be preserved, docs not Gle with them. Kos
kiusko, it is said, aided Poland more in her
struggle with Russia by the power of his ex-
ample and the very magic of his name, than
he did in his life by all his great services
Ills body, it is true, was confined within
narrow grave, but has spirit filled all Poland.
Living, he could Cnly be present in one place
Mt a tiLne-dead, be was present everywhere,
at all times, inspiring all and encouraging
al with more than mortal influence.
The case would be similar in this country
If the memory of our history be kept fresh
and green in the hearts of the people. ln
times Of public danger the memory OF our
departed patriots would animate their coun-
trymen. They would feel and act as If the
spirits of the dead were lowering in the air
around them, spectators of their actions; and
rs they hooked up 20 the broad stripes and
bright stars Of our ensign waving above them
thev would remember that it was the ShTOua
the winding Sheet of the gallant Lawrence,
as he lay corpse on the deck of the ship
which he so bravely defended, aud which
with his dying breath he charged his crew
''nerer TO give up ~
Again, as they would behold the gorgeous
standard of Great Britain floating upon the
breeze, their hearts would kindle with tho
recollection that it was the pilloto of the nc
ble Pike in his expiring moments-that it
was the insignia of his victory, aud Upon
which he laid his faintng head and exclaim-
cd 81 die contenLed!"
4 thousand similar recollectious, touching
and tender. would Thong the memory, ex-
citing and kindling therein a love Of country.
Long. then, may our country and our coun-
try's history continue to bless and beautify
the world. God loves this land, and lie will
palsy the hand that touches to destroy the
sacred ark of our independence. He will
smite to dumbness the tongue that cries ''re-
bellion," and they who oppose God must bat
tie with the thunders OF eaven.
Let us, then, as parents teach our chill
dren, and as teachers instruct our pupils,
the American students, to pray fcrVcntly:
"God bless our native land
Firm may she ever stand
Through storm and Light;
Wien the lid tenpests rave
Do THoU our country
BV Thy great might ~