The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1880-07-21

! w
! of patriotism and fratcrnal love.
+; Let us then hold our heads erect,
nOr kiss the earth in sad humility.
: Our heroes have not died in vain,
: but from the graves will arise the
: holy incense Of high and gcncr
, Gus emotions to impel TO renewed
: duty the generations yet to inhab-
: it and develop this grand coun-
, try.
! How appropriate: then, that we
observe such occasions as this !!
And as each recurring Spring her
aids its existence with floral beau
ty, may you, with your sons and
daughters, repair to this spot TO
| cherish the memories it evokes-
not in grief or desolato sadness,
but with pride; softened by recol-
Icctions Of regret for the loss Of
the loved and the brave. Let it
ever rekindle within you holy and
healthful sentiments and be pa
renthasis in the busy rontino Of
your daily life. Such impulses
purify national life, and no
people can ever rotrograde who
will pause in the momentum
Of existence to indulge them.
They are a beacon light to warn
US against the absorption Of the
aesthetic and softer elements Of
our better natures by the deterl
Grating effects Of an over-pursuit
Of the practical. Whenever the
Achievements of the past have lost
their charm or fail to animate a
people to emulate its virtues, then,
indeed, is decay written on the
doorposts of their future. IF in
the language of Professor Leckie,
"to kindle and sustain the vital
fame Of national sentiment is the
chief moral end of national insti-
tutions," how Important is it that,
as q people, we cherish everything
which makes US better and more
virtuous, and which may tend to
check the intensely utilitarian
tendency Of the age. Patriotism,
respect for religion and homage
to heroic action are essential to
heroic action are essential to
healthful, vigorous and refined
public and private life. "SOme-
times, no doubt, the reverential or
conservative elements have an ex-
cessive force and form an obstacle
to progress; but that they should
exist, and under some form be the
basis of national character, is the
essential condition Of a perma-
nent government" ltis a traism,
based on universal observation,
that civic virtues can never -four
ish where considerations Of the
present alone control, and Edmund
Burke uttered a grand truth when
he SAID, 'They will not look for
ward to their posterity who ne7-
er looked backward to their ances-
tors" We have but to step into
the alcove of a nations history,
where loss Of national character
and individual manhood are writ
ten on It's pages, to see the truth
Of this aphorism and trace its
gradual decadence and final ruin
to indifference to the achievements
of the past, and among whose
people luxury, self:indulgence and
over-fondness for the present sup
planted every consideration Of the
future. The Greek fell an easy
prey to Roman conquest when
Salamis and Marathon had lost
thei: charm for his sensitive, re-
fined nature, and the names OF
Miltiades, Periclcs and Epaminon-
das were but myths of shadoWy
past, and the SeUcn HlLed mistress
Of q suppliant world bowed her
proud neck in humble submission
to the advancing hordes OF Attlla
and Alaric, when Gamma, lama
and Actium were but idle stories,
and the fortitude and courage and
triumphs Of Scipio, Cato and Au-
gustus we're obscured by the licen-
.tiousness and iniquities Of her sub
sequent rulers and people. The
present controlling powers Of Eu-
rope are those who, mindtul OF a
glorious past, have emulated the
heroism and achievements of their
ancestors. England, Prussia and
France revere the memories and
proht by the lessons Of M;lrlbo
rough and Chatham, Frederick and
Blucher, Henry " and Rlchelleu.
1t helps a people to bear misfor-
j