The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-07-09
THE DIGNITY OF AMERICAN CITI.
ZENSHIP.
Address OF Maj. E. B. Murray Before the
Literary Societies of Erskine College.

Without consulting Maj. Murray, during
his absence in Columbia we take the liberty
of publishing the following address, which
was delivered by him before the Literary
Societies of Erskine College at Due West
during the recent Commencement, and
which we copy from the Abbeville Press
and Banner of last week, rs we know it
will be read with interest by our many
readers. local EDITOR.
Patriotism has in all ages been account
ed one of the highest of human virtues.
It has given to history its grand0st heroes,
and has been the foundation stone upon
which the best governments OF earth have
been built. It lends dignity to people
and always clothes them and their efforts
with the sympathy of the world, even If
the calee in which 1t Is exhibited docs not
command the appreciation of the public
4 Judgment. Where it is displayed in the
| Support of country whose institutions are
Just and right. it receives the plaudits OF
an adlniring world and leaves to history
| its most lofty types of manhood, and its
richest lessons of statesmanship and valor.
1t is well, therefore, for every people to
cultivate this virtue; and that nation Is
Il
citizens are patriots. 1t is we'll for a peo-
ple not only to exercise this virtue, but to
analyze the reasons which actuate them in
so doing, and to draw the distinction be-
! tween the citizen who obeys the govern
ment, and patriot whose aim and purpose
is to advance the interest of country and
its people. The citizen may obey gov
ernment because it is to his individual in
terest to do so, or because he has not the
physical power to resist- its laws. The
patriot shapes his course upon higher prin..
ciple than either of these-his standard
being the character of the government and
welfare of its citizens. Hence history
abounds in instances Of patriots whose
fame has been achieved i'll sacrifices made
or valorous deeds performed in the defence
of governments of which they were cltl-
zens, and likewise instances of the highest
order of patriotism where men in the in
terest of their homes and their country,
have risked their fortunes and braved the
dangers of battle and of the gibbet to over
| throw despotism and tyranny.
THE DIGNITY OF AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP.
Patriotism is not measured by success,
but by heroic deeds performed in merito-
rious cause. A great country whose lnsti-
tutions have been founded by the heroism
and judgment of noble population may
feel Just pride in their inheritance, and
it is both eleyating and improving for
thom to contemplate the forces which gave
rise to their government, the principles
| which it represents and the duties which
it imposes upon the citizens who owe it
allegiance. tits my purpose therefore to-
day to ask you to consider the dignity of
American Citizenship" as reflected in the
origin and the principles of our govern
ment and the obligations which it impo-
ses upon its people.
Revolution is the Mother Of nations. 1t
is the human agency by which old dynas-
ties are torn from the seats of their power
and new governments established in their
stead. It has been alike tie source Of good
and evil to mankind-has in turn carried
the conquerins arms of civilized nations
into the realmns of darkness and then
given to the world the Ozark Ages" as the
result of barbarian triumphs over the old
nations of the earth and yet again it has
| restored civilization. morality and intel
lectual power to the mastery of the more
fovored portions of the globe. Like all
human agencies, it is not an unmixcd
blessing but the Worlds history will show
| that the tendency of revolution is to purify
! and improve, though its ends are wrought
in fearful expenditure of treasure and of
human blood. The mad tempest which
gathers in seething blackness as its grim
and awe-inspiring clouds rise above the
horizon, amid the lurid glare of the un-
chained lightnipgs which send forth peal
upon peal of thunder, making the earth
| vibrate and the structures on it tremble,
often wrecks the forests and habitations of
| men as it rushes from point to point, bear
ing death and destruction upon its crest;
but the calm which succeeds it is sweeter
and purer and brighter and better. The
disturbing elements which raised the tent
pest have been Gained and the sultrY
stiffness with its noxious presence has been
borne away upon the wings of tho storm,
leaving sunshine and beauty in their stead.
So it is when years of wrong, oppression
and tyranny, exercised by man in the
name of government, have been borne by
| people in submission, or it may be III
| abject despair, until endurance is too much
for human nature. The angry passions of
| long suffering people have blazed into the
fury Of a revolution, the scenes of carnage
and of conflict incident to that struggle
often display the darkest passions of the
| human heart. The crime, the wrong, the
| woe and the anguish of war may most
grievously scourge people but when the
end comes it often happens that the tyrant's
| SCCpCr0 IS broken anu us sway - oScl-
thrown, and in their stead q government
founded upon the interest of the people is
established.
The American. Union, was the creature
of great Revolution. The British gov.
ernment had established colony here.
With that disregard for human rights
which marks the despot's away, the home
government gave no recognition to the
settlers of the young colony, except their
right to obey the mother country and con-
tribute to its revenues, without voice in
its councils The Revolution was the out
burst of noble peoples aspiration for
Liberty. In every revolution the temper
and purpose Of the revolving party follows
from the character and wishes of the masses
who engage in it; and the character and
purposes of a people can always be learned
from the study of the leaders they put
forth as the representatives of the cause in
which they are engaged. Judged by these
an ideal type of the true, the great and the
good, as the United States of America. "a
government of the people, by the people
and for the people" was to be substituted
by the colonists tor monarch's arbitrary
sway, and it is not strange that master
minds directed the colonists in q move
ment for such grand results. 1t was the
accomplished Jefferson, who formulated
these bencfcent principles Of government
which recognized the equality of all men
in their right to the exercise and protection
of power; that claimed and maintains as
such rights, life, liberty and the pursuit OF
happiness, and establishes before the world
rs the bright cxemplar among nations :
the government of the United States.
1t was the glorious, peerless Washington
who laid down u commission in the Kings
army in answer to his countrys call. He
placed his life at stake upon the result:
He guided the strong arm of the army of
the young States and established in battle
these great principles of liberty. In peace
he illustrated, and by example impressed,
upon the world the sincerity of his purpose
and the beauty, the power and the ,perpe;;
tui,y of the institutions 70. which he had
fought. Rome, in the halcyon days Of her
Republic, had llcrgrcat Caesar who elevated
her reputation among nations. lie carried
her triumphant armies in glorious conquest
over the lands of her enemies and landed
the first hostile army upon British shores
Plcntcously did Rome lavish honors upon