The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1876-01-26
EXCELSIOR!
WRITTEN FOR THE LOUISIANA DEMO
Graf BY L. b.

Higher, still higher! is the cry of
every ambitious heart. None of us
are really satisfied with our position
in life. We try continually to i'm
prove it, and this is the great secret
of the success in the lives of great
men; they wish to rise higher and
higher in the scale Of earthly glory,
until they have reached the summit
of their aspirations.
Excelsior! Excelsior! cries the
scholar, as he pours over his duty
books. l will apply to my studies;
l will climb step by step up the steep
hill Of science, until have reached
the pinnacle of Parnassus.
Excelsior! Excelsior! cries the
young soldier as he stands upon the
threshold of his home apd bids adieu
to the loved ones around him. |
must rob myself Of the joy of my
home;.I must brave the dangers of
war and strife; | must accept with
pleasure the fate and privations OF a
soldier; must be foremost in bat
ties, in the thickest of the fight, en-
couragin. the weak and timil; |
mast risk health, happiness and life
lin the cause of ambition, for wish
to rise higher, yet higher. in militar,
glory, until l wear with honor ami
glory the great stars aud stripes 0
distinction and become the ruler o
the brave clan around me.
/ We see julius Caesar a young mai
rising by his own achievements unit
be became ruler of q mighty empire
which but short while before h
had been only one of its obedicn
subjects. The excelsior of his heart
the Unsuitable love O. glory and re
nown urged him step by step through
, his wondrous career. He united i
his person the threefold character 9
warrior, historian and statesman
: He rose by his own merits and fe
Z by the ingratitupe of his subjects
] What raised Franklin from the oil
scure printers Shop to distinguish
i. ed position among his fellowmen
It was the Excelsior of his heart, til
glorious rising impulses of soul ths
I made him aspire higher still highe
as long as life and energy lasted
He was poor and his occupations a
lowed him but little time for stud
He supplied this want by CAREFUL
3 reading at night, and soon gained e,
n tensive information. He rises SIT
by step until he is ranked among tt
). most distinguished philosophers al
d discoveries of any age. He is Il
~ father of that branch of philosopl
which explains the laws of the ele
: trio fluid. lie was d member of t
American Congress, and died VT
\ thy Governor, ofsP Pennsylvania. &
:, celebrity and renown are due to |
n own exertions, that exertion or q
d, bition which raised him from pc
Is apprentice and placed him among t
,ss most henored in our Great Republ
But what is this ambition of t
heart? Is it always rightly place
Can these great men who ha
?. risen to such an eminence be
teemed for their virtues, or W
they only slaves to ambition, q
sacrificed everything in Its eau
Ruling the world, did they r
,E- themselves? Here comes the gu
oil ton, (Which is greater, conquest
self-conquest?"
81 Is it greater to conquer ones {
defects and passions, to curb our
NJ fluctuations and subdue the m
inperfections of our hearts, than
~ conquer these same defects in {
ear ers? / reply to this argument t
self-conquest is far greater than 9
quest. But let us exemplify it.
The ambitious Napoleon Be
y 70 parte, in the 9th year Of his age,
,nd tonished the whole continent Of
rope by the brilliancy of his vi
Iries. The career of this extrao
La. nary man surpassed, in many