The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-02-27
Justice, Harmony, Peace

tan when, in us, he move the Blll
of Rights in the Irish Parliament.
, His idulized country had been dcpen-
dent for ages-harassed hy strangers
and oppressed by ~eNtortlon and ms
government, until the story of hel
! woes had excited the pity of mankind
mall uations and in every ciime-when
tive patriot statesmen, with heart ulI
of love for lis country and of graft
tude for the good onicnS III America,
where the struggle torliberty VAS the
a]nproacEing its glorious termination
arose in his place and proposed Il Dec
| laration of Indepcndence. he sa"
that the measure WAS tull-tllat llle
time had come; and feeling within
him all the enthusiasm of the patriot
mingled with the inspiration of tho
prophet, he proclaimed in advance tht
; assured triumph Of liberty and nome
rule.
! Sucl, occasions arise at long Intervals
in the history OF the world. Nearly
at the end of a century, in the distan'
coantry from which Grattan drew M:
Observation-Disclosures an cNhaustlng cl'i
war of nearly frye years, supplement-
> ed by unparalleled losses and a decad'
Of social and political chaos-we ar
happv in the consciousness that We
! can in the same spirit OF grateful eN
ultation repeat the declaration OF IN
GREAT Irish orator that We are IL lre'
people.' ,:o
There are events II the history o
the world which, from the interest AT
,,-,;,,.- -, tl,nt, mr. franz tie nD08llI
tude of the consequences which llo"
from them, mark the eraS OF cllro'l"io
gv and stand out as dma aio"s
the course of time. Sometimes lhos'
events are of such 4 character us no
only to mark as IL beacon or Il llght
honsc. but to give direction to the eur
rent OF events. No power OF lnteliec
can comprehend what would o lIav'
been the condition of the world II I'M
printing press had never been invent
ed or the continent of America uls
, covered. Some one has written an IN
tcresting book, entitled "lne flltcei
Decisive Battles of the World, OF whlcl
= contrary event would have essential
" varied the drama OF the "orlu IL
all its subsequent scenes. A'i'oi'+
those named are Marathon, Afpcia
! Hastings, and Saratoga. III Is nE
doubt true that those famous battles
i'm connection with the causes ina
produced them, had much influence
! upou the affairs of the world; but II
is believed that victorious .battleS-tht
) development ofuravery, physical force
and skill-have not had and DO MOI
have as mucl. influence in changing
the face of history, as the appearance
upon the stage of action at certain
epochs, of great men, seemingly pro
duced i'm the fulluess of time for the
accomplishment of great purposes
The battles indicated are among the
consequences of the appearance o
those great makers of history. The
incident must always he inferior tt
the principal. We must not take tht
effect for the cause. Miltiades madl
the battle Of Marathon, Alexanderth'
! Great that of Arbela, William the Con
uueror that of Hastings, and the event
full surrender OF Burgoyne at Saratoga
was brought about by George Wash
ington.
GEORGE WASHINGTON.
This is the Twenty-SecOnd Of Feo
ruary, and we are here to commenor
ate the birth OF Washington, whlcl
occurred one hundred and tnrty-sl9
wears ago-a day which should be eve
memorable, and in the calendar Of thi:
country dies jcstissimnS; for on tina
day was born Il man whose virtues ant
heroic acts beyond all doubt achieved
the independence Of these Unitet
States, changed the history OF tht
! North American continent, and hat
and still have All Influence for good tt
the %rcnlotest bounds of the earth
What a theme! How full OF prou(
"reminiscences, of material for reilec
ton, and of cause for admiration
gratitude, and love. and all the gener
Gus sentiments! How suggestive 1t !
of thoughts about the great events II
our history that have since takel
place, our present condition aud future
hopes and prospects.
The history of Washington is II
fact the history of the Revolution. NJ
retiectingm MAJ cali read the story of tin
UNEQUAL contest with the mother coun
try, carried on by thirteen colon
les without adequate means or forces
separate from each other, with indie
pendent governments, and afflicted b.
local prejudiccs, the rivalrics of arm.
officers. the cabal OF Conway, the trea
son of Arnold, and the poverty, dis
tre,s, and want of discipline in tn
patriot armies-withOut being perfect
iy satisfied that the struggle would
have ended in misfortune but for tn
great leader of the Colonial armies
who in every calamity presented II
his own person an unfailing rallyin!
point-whose wisdom, patriotic mod
GRAFTON aud tirmness, allayed the trou
bled waters, and brought the great I'LL
dertaking through to its triumphan
termination. Speaking generally, j
is no commonplace gloritication-it i:
no false adulation, but it is indeed thu
very truth, that George Washington
was the saviour of his country.
Every intelligent people every il
age of the world has hon0red its early
sagcs and heroes, and endeavOred t.
perpetuate the memory of their deeds
: The ancients deitied them. The Ath
enians built a temple to Theseus, anc
the Romans placed Romulus and Re
mus in the Pantheon. The modern:
give expression to the same desire by
) "stOried urn and animated bust
bv bontires and illuminations. ami
: versuries and concentrations. 1t i:
Il just and generous sentiment, spring
ing from admiration, love, and rever
I euce and i'm those who are the bene
{ ticiarics, it is but the prompting o
common gratitude for character estab
lished and benefits received in thu
fruits of their labors.
But such commemoratiOns have {
much greater Importance. They arr
not only creditable to the heart
Of those who join in them, bur
they are in the highest degree
useful. 1t is important to kecl
alive the memory of great virtues
and achievements with a view to theil
reproduction i'll the living present t.
stir the fires of patriotic ambition, anc
to induce an emulation which viii
shape character. 1t is difficult to esti'
mate the effect upon Il peoples charac'
ter of the example of their founders
and heroes. The character of Il people
naturally assimila.es to the object oj
their admiration. "Think on BuGuhu
and YOU become Buddha.n 1t has been
said, "Show ME the songs of u peo-
| pie and / will tell you theircharacter.'
| would rather say, show me the he.
roes and eXemplars of Il people and
will fell Won what they are. The val.