Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1873-07-24

patriot, was too highly wrought up to
be other than what he was; the tide
was coming in and il must have its
flow before it could recede and turn
itself seaward, and so he went on amid
the hush of the assembly: IF we wish
to be free, if we mean to preserve invi-
olate those inestimable privileges for
which we have been so long contend
ing, if We mean not basely to aban-
don the struggle in which we have
been so long engaged, and which we
have pledged ourselves never TO aban-
don until the glorious object of our
contest shall be obtained. We must
fight! repect it, sir, we must fight !!
An appeal to arms, and God of hosts,
is all that is left us!''
It's vain, sir, to eXtenuate the mat =
ter. Gentlemen may cry peace! peace
but there is no peace. The war is act
ually begun. The next gale that
sweeps from the North will bring to
our ears the clash Of resounding arms.
Our brethren are already in the field
Why stand we here idle? What is it
that gentleman would have? Is life
so dear or peace SO sweet, as to be
purchased at the price of chains and
slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God.
| know not what course others may
take, but as for me, give me liberty or
give me death. The history Of the
revolution inspires us vet. The decla-
ration Of Warren on Bunker Hill, as
his life blood ebbed away saying, Ills
sweet, Oh sweet, for our country to
die ~ has been pillow on which many
weary dying soldier has rested his
aching head. The calmness Of Wash
ington on the field of strife has given
his calmness to our great commanders.
The fire and dash of Marion has been
reproduced i'll our own Sheridan. Our
battle fields print their lessons as with
the diamond point. Bunker Hill
strikes the fire of courage in our
hearts as the sparks from the smitten
steel. Saratoga and Brandy Hill have
magic power. Valley Forge makes us
weep, and Yorktown inspires the shout
of victory. This glorious day will
ever keep those heroic times fresh in
our minds; and even if this day should
cease to be observed, history will be a
faithful reminder of the success and
heroes of the revolution, and gladly
would linger the hour away under the
umbeageous bows of this young but
vigorous tree of liberty, and satisfy
our thirst at this fountain of patriot
ism. that never runs dry. When we
look back and count the years it seems
hardly true that we are nearly hun
dred years old as a nation, and yet
this is our ninety seventh birth day.
Ninety seven Winters with their chill
ing blasts, ninety Springs with
their showers and flowers, as many
Summers with their golden harvests,
and Autumns with their ripening
fruits, have come and gone. On the
4th day Of July. 1875, the nation was
born amid the roaring Of cannons and
the pealing of bells, and rocked as it
was in the cradle of war, and growing
up as it did during this terrible strug-
gle, it is no wonder that it matured
rapidly, and at the end of five years
entered upon its majority strong
and vigorous young man, with round
ed limbs and sidewy arms; with eyes
sparkling with life, and cheeks
roscate with the flush Of health, and
with a heart bold with courage and
buoyant with hope. But we must re
member it was only a young man
just entered on the platform; it was
the debux of America among the ma
tions. Its fortune was yet to make
its position among the nations to hC
won, and its resources yet to be de
veloped. The savage tribes on the
frontier and the wild beasts of the for
est were to be subdued the hoary for
ests were yet to fall before the sturdy
woodman's S ak; the pick was yet to be
struck that would reveal its treasure;
Of coal and iron; the mills were ye
to be built, whose rumbling wheels
would meet the wants of the thousands
who would look to them for bread
the keels of the boats were yet to bt
laid, the dip of whose wheels should
drive the commerce across the lake
or up and down the bosom of til,
majestic Mississippi; the cities ant
towns were yet to be built; the cen
ters of commerce and manufacture
from which should irradiate all th'
needful articles of husbandry and do
: mestic life; where art should fourisl
and science and scholarship max
their highest achievements, and int
which should be gathered the surplu
, product of the country from the tielt
and flock and herd and orchard, th
; surplus of bone and muscle and brain
u 1nd fearless independence. Th
- .loomy wilderness was to give plac
= o fields of waving grain and ri2
D. !asture and lowing herds and bleat
2. 1g flocks. Yea, it was to blossom a
is he rose, and become even as the gaI
y Cen of the Lord. The highways Q
taveI and commerce were to b
opened up: the hills were to be levele
ND the valley raised; the rough place
pade smooth and the crooked place
6raight that the cars might 60 load e
ith the good things of the country
tlith flocks and herds and tons of go
r Gen grain, and coal and iron and lum
l. er and gold and silver, and change
} fraiment, and pilgrims on their wa
O rom one country to another. Ther
Il is in almost every lite at sometime,
4 struggle for the attainment of forum
= or honor or fame or character o
/ skill, and it is no childs play to figl
o out this battle and bear off at lengt
. the palm of the victor. ''There is
! tide in the affairs Of men, which seize
d at the flood, leads on to fortune" .
e Many a man has seized the tide whe
N ebbing away, has been drawn und'
e the receding wave and drowned, an
,e many a nation has launched its Ii
r BOAT on the ebhing tide but to be e.
# quilted and ruined, and as only tho'
Is who gain the victory in life's stru:
v gle, enter upon the afliuenco, an
= honor and rest of old aoe. SO it