The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-07-09
THE DIGNITY OF AMERICAN CITy.
ZENSHTP.
Address OF Maj. L. ID. Murray Before tho
Literary Societies OF Erskine College.

Literary Societies or Erskinc College.
without consulting Maj. Murray, during
his absence i'll Columbia We take the liberty
OF publishing tho 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 Rrc.,
"nd Banner OF last week. as we know it
will bo read with interest by our many
readers. ]-IoCAL EpIroR.
Patriotism has in all ages been account.
ca one OF the highest Of human virtues.
III has given to history its grandest heroes.
ana has been the foundation stone upon
which the best governments of earth hayc
been built. 1t lends dignity to a peopIe
and always clothes them and their efforts
with the sympathy Of the world, even !.
the caree in which 1t Is exhibited docs not
command the appreciation OF the public
judgment. Where it is displayed ir. the
support of country whose institutions ara
just and right. it receives the plaudts of
an admiring world and lenyea 70 history
its most lofty types of manhood, and its
richest lessons Of sta.csmanship and valor.
1t is well, therefore, for g, cry people to
cultivate this virtue; ami ti,at nation Is
hnppy and worthy of admiration whose
citizens are patriots. Il is we'll for peo.
pie not only to exercise this virtue, but to
analyZe the reasons which actuate them in
so doing, and to dIlT the distinction be-
tween the citizen who obeys the govern.
ment, and patriot whose aim and purpose
~ to advance the interest of country and
It's people. The citizen may obey a gov
ernment because 1t is to his individual in.
terost TO do 80, or because he has not the
phyeical power to resist. its laws. The
patriot shapes his course upon higher prin-
ciple than either of these--his standard
being tho character of the government and
welfare OF its citizens. Hence history
abounds in instances Of patriots whose
fame has been achieved in sacrifices made
or vaiorous deeds performed in the defence
OF governments Of which they were citi-
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 battlo 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.
rions cause. A great country whose insti.
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
"
which it represents and tho duties which
it imposes upon the citizens who owe 1t
allegiance. 1t is my purpose therefore to-
day to ask you to consider the "dignity of
American Citizenship rs reflected in the
origin and the principles Of our govern
ment, and the obligations which il impo-
ses upon its people.
Revolution is tho Mother OF nations. /.
Is the human agency by which old dynas-
ties are torn from the seats OF their power
and new governments established in their
stead. 1t has been alike tie source OF good
and evil 10 mankind-has in turn carried
the conquerinG arms Of civilized nations
given to the world the Ozark Ages" as the
result of barbarian trilmphs over the old
nations of the earth; and yet nguin il has
restored civilization. morality and intel.
lectual power to the mastery Cr tho more
tovored portions of the globe. Like all
human agencies, it is not an unmixed
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-inspirirg clouds rise above the
horizon, amid the lurid glare of the un-
chained lightnings which send forth peal
upon peal Of thunder, making the earth
vibrate and tho structures on it tremblc
often wrecks the forests and habitations OF
men as 1t rusheS from point to point, bear
ing death and destruction upon its crest :;
but the calm which succeeds 1t is sweeter
and purer and brighter and better. The
disturbing clements which raised the tenn
pest have been calmed 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
HeeP!s IN ssb:::!::s;on, Or IL may be III
abJect despair, until endurance is too much
for human nature. The angry passions OF
o long suffering people have blazed into the
fury of revolution, the scenes of carnage
and of conflict incident to that struggle
often display the darkest passions of the
human heart. The crime, tho wrong, the
woe and the anguish of war may most
end comes 1t often happens that the tyrant's
sccptre is broken and his sway is over.
thrown, and in their stead government
founded upon the interest of The people is
established.
The American. Union, was the creature
ernment had established q colony here
With that disregard for human rights
which marks the despots 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 reyolting party follows
from the character and wishes Of the masses
who engage i'll 1t; and the character and
purposes Of peoplecan always be learned
from the study of the leaders they put
forth as the repI of the cause in
which they are engaged. Judged by these
rules no country has ever presented 80 near
an ideel type Of the true, the great snd the
good, as the United States of America. "a
government of the people. by the people
By the colonists tor q monarch, arbitrary
sway, and it Is not strange that master
minds directed the colonists IL a move
ment for such grand results. II was the
accomplished Jefferson, who formulated
these beneficent principles OF government
which recognized the equality OF all men
in their right to the exercise and protection
of power; that claimed and niaintains as
such rights, life, liberty and the pursuit OF
as the bright exemplar among nations =
the government of the United States.
1t was the glorious, peerless Washington
who laid down 4 commission in the Kings
army In answer to his country's call. He
placed his life ut stake upon the result.
He guided the strong arm of the army Of
the young States and established in battle
these great principles of libt tty.. In peace
he illustrated. and by exam pie impressed,
and the beauty, the power and The perpe.
tuity of the institution. for which he had
fought. Rome, In IT, {, halcyon days OF her
Republic, had her rcst Caesar who elevated