The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1886-07-10

MS country Cesar. Alexander. Han
nibal-all the old historical heroes
fought for self glory and plumber. Ma
poleou was great general in the in
science Of his audacity, but mean,
tyrannical and eontemptibls as a man,
sacrificing the only true affection be
ever had on the altar of selfish and
senseless ambition. NonGof the fight
ers of old made the world better 10y
their victories; they shed human blood
for no principle. But Washington
fought not for self-aggrandlzment, but
for his country's liberty and made
virtue, not conquest, the new criterion
OF greatness. 1t is said of Giotto that
he introduced goodness into the art of
painting. Washington carried il with
him into the camp and the cabinet.
ImmovableiD hisdcvotedness to right,
the purity of his will confirmed his
fortituJe. No selfish aim possessed
him; ia public trusts he used power
solely for the public good, and though
he was the life, the stay, the modsra-
tor of the most momentous revolution
in human affairs-its moving influence
and its restraining powers he sought
no recompense when the fight was
done, but shaving finished the work
assIged him he retired from the great
theater Of action" and returned
his commission to Congress, and
took leave Of all the emrloyments of
public life, until against his wish the
Ia I'D ltar 70 Ia
of the new Republic. He who had
achieved so much, voluntarily laid
aside all rank and power and was
content to become plain American
citizen. He had finished the work
assigned him. He had done more.
He had formed out of disconnected
and disappointed colonies such a
united and we'll ordered common
wealth as no visionary had believed to
be possible, he had maintained the
glorious principles of the Declaration,
he had created an epoch in the history
of the world, he had asserted the
rights of man. His victories brought
happiness to soreDy oppressed people
and paved the way for these majestic
strides in progress and civilization
which this country has taken in the
first century of her existence.
Inseparably connected with the
Declaration of Independence is another
Declaration made in the succeeding
century. In these free and independ-
ent States q strange anomaly existed.
In land peopled by the descendants
of those same patriots who had fought
to make the country free, four millions
ofhuman beings were held in bondage,
that few might live in luxury; and
then as now the Declaration Of Inde-
pendence was read amid loud acclaims,
and patriotic orators recounted the
glories of the Land of the Free, as if
in bitter mocksry of the toiling bonds
men of the South. The same mad
struggle for class supremacy had in
yolvet the youthful Nation in bloody
WAT. alas too fresh in the memories OF
most of US to be dwelt on now. But
even as the Tyranny of England gave
birth To the Declaration of Endepend-
ence, so did the conspiracy of the
COulH Chll IOTtu the cHnhuCIp dtlOh
proclamation. On the lst of January,
1868, the final proclamation of Presi-
dent Lincoln was issued, wherein after
declaring certain of the States to be
in rebellion he ordered and declared
that all persons, held as slaves within
said States, were then and thenceforth
| free and that the executive Govern
ment of the United States, including
the Military and Naval authorities
thereof would recognize and maintain
the freedom OF said persons. This
was the second great declaration in
the cause of Liberty issued by the
gentlest and most merciful of men, the
most beloved of Presidents, the mar
tyred Father of the Colored race.
Of this grand production one leading
English paper said: ut is the noblest
political document known to history
and should have for the Nation and
statesmen he left behind him some
thing of sacred and almost prophetic
character. Surely none was ever writ
ten under a stronger sense of the
reality of Gods government, and GER
tainly none written in period of
passionate conflict ever so completely
excluded the partiality of victorious
faction and breathed so pure strain
of mingled Justice and Mercy"
One more grand utterance, one more