The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1869-06-24
Curtin and H uSsIa.


''as is a banquet" and we are very certain
from the published account of what was
there and then said, that it never had it,
parallel. The speech of the "War Cover
nor" was a fulsome eulogium on himself
which a becoming sense of modeSty ought
to have admonished him was sadly out o
place. JOHN SCOTT was there and made a
| speech. the burthen of which was to prove
! the great resemblance between the princi
pies of Grant and William Penn. If this
were so, then history is base fraud and a
wicked cheat. rs we'll might Wilberforce
be compared to Wellington, or John Bright
to fighting and swearing Philip Il. Sheridan.
Francis JORDAN, the Secretary of the Com
monwealth, pronounced an cxtravagant eu-
logium on ''nqy Champion" as he mOdestly
styled John W. Geary. Indeed, to read
Jordan's speech one would readily suppose
that the "banquet" had been rendered to
Geary and not to Curtin. The inevitable
ALECK M'CLURE was on hand, and after hav>
ing alluded in glowing terms to the merits
of the Young Republican leaders of 1860"
he proceeded to speak, in his own peculiarly
modest style, Of his dear friend Curtin. Af-
ter JOrdan's conmendation of Curin it would
not have surprised US to have read an en-
comium By Mcclure on Simon Cameron
M'Clure's ShddOlc WILLIAM B. MANN, was
also one Of the distinguished guests, and
ought to have pronounced a panegyric on
Mcclure, but Williams modesty forbade
him, and herein consists the only defect that
we have discovered in this self-laudatory per-
formance of what might be very appropri-
ately called first class "Mutual Admra-
alton Society"
OF course on such a festive occasion the
usual amount of praise and adulatiOn was
heaped on Russia and her Emperor. One
of the speakers, Jordan, pronounced the
government Of the Russian Bear 'a mod
ell of its kind" ;" and such it most unquestion
ably is-a model not often approached and
seldom equalled. We confes that we have
never been able fully to comprehend why
this feeling of excessive admiration pervades
the American mind, or at least large por-
tion of it, for despotism so pure and un-
adulterated as that of Russia. The public
men of both political parties have constantly
cherished and encouraged it. If there is any
one government in Europe winch ought to
create feeling of aversion among all true
republicans of this country, it seems to us
it is that unlimited and despotic power
What is there in the history of the Russian
government to commend it to the favorable
consideration of the American people The
phrase, Russian Tyrrapy," has passed into
a proverb. 1t has always been a cruel, op-
pressive and v.ndictive despotism. The true
character of government is best illustrated
by its conduct towards It's weak and de-
fenceless neighbors. Judged by this stand
ard, the treatment that Ireland, for three
hundred years, has received from England
has not been as cruel and inhuman as that
which unfortunate Poland has experienced
at the hands of Russia. Under The celebra-
ted coalition formed between Russia, Prus
sia and Austria, in 1875, the kingdom If
Poland was blotted from the map Of Europe.
That constituted one Of the blackest pages
in modern history and will stand as an IN
dying monument of iufamy against the des-
potic triumvirate that perpetrated he great
and unpardonable outrage. The greater
portion of her territory was incorporated
with Russia. and remains so to this day,
while hundreds o; har best patriots and
statesmen have dragged out miserable ex-
istence in the dungeons of Russia, or in the
inhospitable mines among the sterile noua-
tains Of Siberia. In order that the work Of
destruction might be completed, the Rus
sian government has very recently attempt
ed to abolish the very Polish dialect itself
In our own day she intervencd in the strug-
gle of Hungary against Austrian despotism
and coming down with her legions like a
wolf on the fold, crushed out the best hope
Of Hungarian freedom. This is the govern
meut, "a model of its kind" that tie people
OF the United States a1e asked to applaud
and in whose favor they are expected to
shout paeans of praise. We adult that i.
is the policy vel! as the duty of this
country to maintain friendly relations with
all nations, no mater what may be their pc
culiar form of government. We do . with
the COVER nment Of the Emperor of Caiaa-
But there is no sort of reason whv we should
pay this obsequious deierence % Russia and
her people. TIE sentiment attempted to be
inculcated among US seems to be peculiarly
one of personal admiration for the Emperor
1t is false and snti-republioan feeling, and
one that ought not to find a lc-9ment in
the American mind. Austria IS just as
worthy of it, and yet such sediment has
no existence in this country. Whatever
merits the Emperor of Russia may possess,
and he has many, we deny that there is any
Just foundation or this feeling of profound
respect and a-nirasion, on the part of our
people, either for um or his government.
JuDcE SHARswOOp has de1iyAred an onin