Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-02-22
THE DAY.

LIE LIN
The anniversary Of the BIRTH Of Wash
ington will be observed with more or less |
of ceremonial Throughout the country to-
day, but nowhere with as much of pa
triotic fervor as should yearly mark its
passage. The national holidays which
preach to us from the texts Ct early
struggles for freedom, 'sre but tive and but
one of these is celebrated as it should be.
No nation whose people are deyotedly
attached to its institutions can have too
much of patriotic education The mere
sentiment OF love of countfg exists, how
ever hard the conditions OF the people.
Whatever their burdens, nicn grow up in
attachment to the soil of their nativity.
But it is only in the free governments
where ii is recognized that all power is
inherent in the people, that self-govern-
ment is an inslIenable ktman right, that
devotion TO native lard rises above the
mere sentiment due 10 the fact that tie
man is born upon its soil. In such nation
as ours, we have something more tkan
tradition and birthr ght to inspire our
patriotism, for underlying all guarantees of
American citizenship is the eternal princi-
pal upon which the right of the people to
rule themselves is based.
Our patriotism, IN other words, repre-
sents more than mere love of country
that the most down-trodden peasant of
Russia has, and even the barbarous tribes,
whose very lives depend upon the within
Of a savage autocrat, will shed their blood
freely for the land of their birth. The
American stands uncovered before the
memory of George Washington to-day, not
alone in reverence for his lofty character
and the nobility of his example, but for
the principle for which the patriot fathers
whom he led, did battle 1t is of this
principle, its genesis, development and
firm founding that this day should preach
to US. 1t is concerning this lesson of hui
man freedom that we should advise our
children to-day with Washington's patri-
otto devotion and sublime heroism as
texts.
The contemplation of Washington should
reveal him to US as IA example of human
action that, more than any other since the
days of the reformation, has affected for
good the history of the human race, and,
in a degree, the liberties and rights of all
the races of men; human activity more
far-reaching in effect than any other of
later centuries, that has operated to mold
society into more symmetrical forms, and
uplift men toward the ideal standard of
perfect freedom in perfect order Wash
ington was, because free-thinking was pos
sible and free speech inevitable in the
march of civilization. The nation whose
cornerstone was baptized in the blood of
the heroes who died at his side sprang from
the conception of a government in which
pure democracy might be attained, and
the sovereignty Of men be recognized as a
divine gift that none should venture to
question.
1t was impossible that the system which
grve refulgent glory TO the power and
culture of Athens could endure for there
WAS no proper adjustment of the
sovereignty of the people of the cities of
Greece to secure national unity. The cir
cumscribed bounds of that sovereignty
strangled it, because there was no ade-
quate conception of representation of
sovereign bodies. Such as existed was but
a refined and enlarged idea of clanship.
Political development that resulted in the
American Republic was born of the far
sightedness that conceived of nation of
sovereign and Independent groups bound
into IN inseparable union, governed under
the highest form of representation of the
individual members of society, the politi-
cal units of an indissoluble aggregation
Roman and Grecian civilization at their
flood tide lacked TIE essential democratic
principle of unity, through undiscriminat-
ing representation. Later, there were in
dications OF the struggle of the principle
for recognition, and in Britain it gained so
much of strength as 10 secure to the lesser
groups of society representatives in COM
mon council, and from which English
society built its system. of Parliaments.
But it came to full flower in the
United States Of America, where, through
Councils and Legislatures andsCongresses,
chosen frequently frem among the
sovereign people of the country, it has
reached its present exalted stage of de-
velopment.
The day ought to be observed with more
ofthoughtful ceremonial because of all that
for which thememory of Washington stands.
as well as. fe- admiration for his char
acter and his inestimable services to his
COUNTRY. That it is not observed with
more of patriolc manifestation is regret
able. but is net to be taken las indica-
tive of decline. of PATRIOTISM or any les
sened devotion ,-ea the part of the people
to republican form of government. We
may he somewhat Indifferent 10 cere-
monial, but the American heartiis sound
and true. The destiny of the republic is
not yet fully attained. The principle of
representative government is to knew no
pause in Its spread .uatil the civilize; ma
tions Of theearth hare embraced it.
IT will OCCASION surprise to great many
people to Learn that insthe care of Its in
sane, the State of California is very much !
In advance of the State of New York.
From report ,publishediin the New York