The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1871-09-02

by many wild storms, threatening
destruction to our frail banks.
Whatever may be our vicissi
tudes of fortune, let us remember
the precepts of that great Spirit.
who rules unnumbered worlds
and temperS the wind to the
shorn lamb. Fn- .-.a.gFT
Here we might stop. but VIC
cannot help readmonishing oul
pupils and the youths generally,
that knowledge is power; the
philosophers stone which turns
everything into gold. Itthis alone.
which elevates us.above the bruteS
and enables US to intelligibIy fill
the high calling intended for us
by our great Creator. Nature
has done much in our behalf, aud
If we, now in the morning of life,
improve those advanta res, they
must rebound to our infinite wei
fare, both temporal and eternal.
We will SOON be grown men and
women, and he called on to per
form duties, both public and pri-
waite, for which it is our duty to
prepare. How valuable then IS
every moment of time; it is so
precious, that we can only have
one moment at once and then it is
gone forever. The fruits of in
-dustry cannot be gathered with
out its toll. Then let us take
heart anew and struggle OH in
our slow, but sure way, up the
hill of life, for it is only by un-
wsaIied exertion, that We are en-
.abled to stand, as Lord Bacon
says, "On the vantage ground of
science the only one which ad-
vances or elevateS the soul.
Remember that poverty is no
excuse ter short cOmings: that, if
we are determined to rise, there is
scarce a combination of circum-
stances that can keep us down.
Indeed, poverty has been the
cause of the ascendency of the
brightest geniuses the world ever
saw; and infinitely more persons
have risen from indigeu ce and oh
scmity and been shining lights in
the world, than ever accomplished
anything with the aid of wealth.
Since the latter ofteler makes
the intellect dull anG inactive,
causing its possessors to lead Il
life of sluggish ease of no use to
themselves, or their fellow crea-
lures.
We are brought Into the world
at Il most interesting period Of its
history. 1t was in this month,
just ninety.five years ago, that
the United States proclaimed the
immortal Declaration of Iude.
pendence, making themselves "a
free and sovereign people. For
mere than three quarters ola cen
tury our people were proud of,
and, throughout the length and
breadth OF the land, were pre-
pared to say, I'VE have IL glorious
country;' from the north to the
south. from the east to the west.
the smiling countenanceS of IL
happy people atteSte4 the love
for their institutions. and the
land that gave them birth. Here
no nobility could grind down,
with the iron heel of oppression,
the geniuses Of the land-the road
TO henor and distincl ion being
open to all. In consequence OF
this. the oppressed and downtrod-
den OF all Europe were crowding
to our shores. The Frenchman
with his native politeneSs, the
Dutcllmap with his love for lager
beer and sour krout, and Paddy
with his wit and brogUp, all crowd
ing TO the land of liberty and
equality.
Apart from the love we have
had for the free Institutions of our
country there is a something else
which binds US closer still to this.
our native land. There rests on
the now peaceful BANKS of the Pc
tomac the remains of one to whom
all the world do homage; the very
spot is sacred to an American, or
even a travelleE it is the grave of
u Washington. He needs no ell.
logy from such humble lips as
ours. His name is eulogized by
adulations of a free and enlighten
ed people. Go each and all of
you that need inspiration TO en-
courage you, and kneel at his
shrine, aud then with the patriotic
warm in your breasts,
start anew on the road TO honor
with the determination to do or
die. We look adown the streams
of time 70 day. and find mucb