Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1875-07-16
THE LOGIC OF BUNKER HILL.

THE LOGIC OF BUNKER HILL.
what the London Times hns 10 snv nm
the Bunker uiil CentennIaI-Tbc
Americans Dared 20 Prove Them.
selves Men.-The ThrashinE England
Receiyed Regarded Beneficial 10
both Nations.
The Irish World is giving more space
to patriotic illustrations, historical sketch
es, &C., of the series Of Centennial Celebra-
tions, commencing with the first skirmish
at Lexington, April 10Th, 1875, than any
paper that comes under our notice. The
lrishmen who took q prominent part in
this rebellion against the English Govern
ment, which commenced hundred years
ago and who have been somewhat over
looked by historians, are brought promi.
nently to the front and their deeds Of dar-
ing properly recorded. In the last issue
of the World we find the following article
from the London Times on the Logic Of
the Bunker Hill Centennial, which will
be regarded, on this side Of the Atlantic,
as more liberal expression of the situa-
tion than could be expected fsom that
source:
There was war, bloodless though it was,
at home as well as across the Atlantic.
While the great majority of the British
people, a. represented in public opinion
and in literature, was on the American side,
the Government and the majority in both Houses
g Pdrhdment were absolutely proof against e.
cry consideration Of humanity, prudence or com
mon sense. They had become ncapablc of
making an estimate on the proportion or
applicability OF means TO an end Com
mlnding the sea, commanding n few SOL
diers and an abundance of brave officers
thirsting Tor distinction, commanding. still
more, the fullest Exchequer and the best
credit IN the world, with ten thousand
profitable abuses at stake, they could only
hound on the dogs OF war, as many as they
could get, to the most impossible and the
most Improbable enterprises They IS
sued wordy proclBmaiIonS Which could an
swer no purpose bnt to provoke, they order
cd The destruction Of ports and forms of no strn-
tegic imporionce, and expeditions that could
do no real good and might, as the event
proved, he attended with great loss and
harm. On receiving the news of Bnnkcr's
Hill, the first thing they did WAS TO rake
Europe for mercendrieS, and to send A rcgi
mcnt OF cavalry to Boston, where tbero
was nothing for horses To do, nothing for
them to cat, hardly spare grourd for them
to stand upon; and where both soldiors
and citizens were already on short com,
mons Of bad fool. II any method is TO be
found III the madness Of the British Gov
ernnent it is that they thought it lust pos
sible to frighten, bully and cajole the Amer
leans into submission. Al the loud talk
about The inuincibiRly Of The British soldier and
The ineuitabte cow0rdicc Of men accustomed 10
take shots from behind trees at game or Red In
dl1ns, pointed TO this. THEY DARED
THE AMERICANS TO PROV THEM
SEL YES MEN, and they had TO cncept the
W1gsr. The Americans proved themselves
not only brave, but sensible men. At the
present hour, with the experience of GEN.
tury, England would be not only disposed
but ever compelled to rate more highly
the scientific audacity shown on the Amer.
ican side than the bulldog courage and
obstinancy which was all the British
brought to the encounter. Elder people
may remember to this day how often it has
| been said that the Americans could only
hight behind breastworks and that they al
ways shrnnk from the open. II became
tradition Of ot'e, deriUed from times uhen life
'rds cheap, when men were ol,rays in the market
ana ireland produced any number of nafire
tcdT17ors. Since those days few rude lss-
sons that we have had to learn ourselves.
besides operations on a grander area in
"hich we happily took no part, have
taught US that IN order even to destroy life
we nave to learn first how to economize it,
and that the only courage worthy of a ra.
llnn0I hnlnT 10 hat 81
highest exercise Of reason.
Not only the Americans. however but
England and all the world have far more
substantial reasons for a grateful renem-
ornnce OF the day. The gain to all sides
Is great and unquestionable. The princi-
pies OF popular representation. and no tax
alton without it, seIf-government bv nonu-
lar municipal institutions. the indonen.
dence of the judicial bench and complete
responsibility in the exercise of all power
and patronage were equally at stake on
both sides of the Atlantic. No doubt the
sense OF this added to the reckless and in
human obstinancy with which tie British
government persisted in the struggle long
after every man at liberty to use his own
senses and reason on the question saw that
IT was hopeless The politicians then at
the head of affairs and the people by whom
they were surrounded, knew we'll that
their own position depended on their sue
cessiulIy maintaining the principles of ut
ter a6solutism, both at home and in the
colonies; and that IL those principles fail.
cd their own fall followed. They fought
Tor dear life against Chatam and Burke
and, as they all well knew, against the
true people OF England. Meanwhile. they
mad to do all the work, whether sor peace
or for war, by Recond-ratc men. 1t is
significant fact that one of the witnesses
and chief actor in the scene at Bnnker's
Hill left on record his opinion at the time
that the British Empire in America vas
then trembling in the balance and himself
lived to suffer the disasrou reverse which
tive years after left no doubt how tba, bal
ance would finally rest. Fortunately was
II ior England TINT the question WINS
fought 80 far from its shores. The triumph
@ Amerloan Independence inauourated orent
out 6food'tss eork at home rin England here. /
Inc shape Of popular reforms, or rather in the
tiHIer Development Of those Democratic inaitl-
hons by rhich, IL has been said. the Braish
MTone 10 surrounded. Whatever the Ameri-
cans have gained, we have gained also. and
fought for.