New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-06-19
YALLEY FORGE.

The people of Pennsylvania will repeat TO-
day one of those explosions Of excitement now
held essential at all Centennial anniversaries
and while the rest of the world enjoys the
quiet June day. Valley Forge will be deaf
ened with the roar of artillery, tire-crackers
and oratory, and find itself again in the
midst of the Revolution with its streets full OF
immortal heroes and the enemy not far from
the gates. 1t is all for the best, probably.
NobIeSse obIige III towns, as in individuals.
Prosaic people in Valley Forge may be bored
by this tremendous header into patriotism,
having already long ago made up their MINDS
as to the causes aud uses of the Revolution
But others will End their blood quickened and
their thoughts lifted by hearing OF any great
cause for which men have given up their daily
gIubbing for money, and have greatly died.
The history of the camp Of Washington ana
his troops at Valley Forge during the Winter
of l777 and 177S tells more of their indom-
table endurance, their bravery, the stun OF
which they were made, than that Of any battle
in the eight years war, for it is the story of
long suffering from cold, want and starvation,
borne with a noble patience Many Of the
soldiers, it is true, deserted to Philadelphia,
and came down Highest half naked shoeless
and hunger-bitten, carrying their arms, which
they sold TO the British. But these were
of the baser sort. The mass Of the men
stood 10y their commander to the end,
and he went steadily on his way, unmoved by
the attacks of Congress. Tray, Blanche and
Sweethcart-the little dogs all-were at his
heels He was, in fact, as yet even IN the
estimation Of his friends, the hero OF many
defeats and but few victories; it was the
Washington who might do great deeds that
his men put faith in ut Valley Forge, through
that miserable Spring, not the Washington
who had done them.
II is worth while for us all to look closely
back into those old times to find their curious
likeness TO our own. and take what comfort
we can from il. We think Of the past as
day of dcmi-gOds when the earth was well sated
with virtue. 1t is to-day that little men are
in power, that uickery and corruption abound,
that the Government is rotten, and the
country going hcadlOng TO ruin. We wonder
If our ucighbors in Pennsylvania have brought
fo light the real state of affairs when the
army was quartcrcd in the huts at Valley
Forge. Their marches were tracked in blood
for The want Of shoes they were starving
ror food while their friends and neighbors
were Teasing Howe and his troops not twenty
miles away. When Congress forcibly seized
goods and provisions for the use OK the army
half the good citizens publicly denounced
Congress and the army as thieves. Every one
of the States was weighed down with debt.
There was not a public man among those
10 whom we look buck as immaculate in
virtue, who was not charged daily with cor
mDlion. Patty hatred was as yiruent as now,
and had full liberty, which it has not now, to
wrcak its will on person and property. The
Government was utterly bankrupt
There il comfort in these things after all.
Our ccutrnnials ought to teach us TO pipe a
cneerlullcr key every day. 1t is high time
that we were done with abusing our own
"hard timcs.'
We are neither trucking to the British now,
nor fighting them. We have no Valley
FORCES, and don't need them. If we did,
we have millions Of men, instead Of twelve
thousand, who would fight hungry and bare
foot for the cause they thought right The
country is at least as TAR from ruin as it was
a hundred years ago, and We believe the men
in it are as honest, and the women as pure.