Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1898-03-03
Patriotism.

Soohply.
What is a home? The enshrined
throne of peace and love, where the
weary spirit of man can at all times
find haven of rest. Never since
man was driven from Eden has truer
words been inscribed by a pen: "Be it
ever SO humble, there's no place like
home" If the first law of nature is
self-preservation, why is not patriot
ism the second.
True manhood will leave all, will
even lay down life itself in behalf of
home and country. Why is this done?
Is it to gain honor and fame, or is it a
wontoness in human nature; a desire
at the first opportunity to shed human
blood?
Nay, patriotism is only in reality an
advanced stage of the first law of
nature, self-preservation. 1t has long
been confirmed fact that man is a
social animal. In the history of by
gone ages we find, in all races of peo-
pie, be they black, white, yellow or
copper, they have always banded to-
gether; all have recognized, ''in unity
there is strength" Mutual safety,
therefore, calls together high, low,
rich and poor, and leader is chosen.
Sometimes the leader has been given
absolute power; but that decade, we
are thankful to say, is slowly passing
away. The majority of governments
to-day consists of a leader with two
houses of executive representatives of
the people. Kingdoms and Empires
are thus formed. A constitution is
framed, laws laid down, and govern
ment established. The land wherein
they thus form, the people call "our
country" They individually have
sworn to obey the constitution and
laws of the country; to guard, uphold
AID defend the country, even to death
itself. They thus have become each
one link of the great chain that binds
man to man, man to home, and home
to country. The name of that chain is
Patriotism. The sweetest memories of
manhood's years or declining age, are
the photographic views engraved in the
art gallery of the brain by the eve of
budding youth. The sapling may be
bent at pleasure, but the sturdy,
mature oak can withstand the blast of
hurricane. A great deal depends on
the surroundings of the youthful sap
ling as to the beauty, strength and
value of the tree, or whether it shall
become tree. Should the ground be
rocky, bleak and sterile, the tree shall
be knotty, gnarled and almost worth
sess.. Good soil and favorable circum-
stances will grant to the tree a far
different birthright. He shall rise a
monument ofstrength, gem ofnature,
a perfect gift from the hand of it's
maker. Thus with man, though down.
trodden from the cradle, the youthful
mind is more susceptible to the joys
than the sorrows of life. Great and
wonderful indeed is the superstruction
on which is based the life of the uni
verse. Frolic and fun is the natural
gift of youth from the Supreme Giver
of all gifts. To prove this, look over
the picture gallery of your own mem
ory. You will be surprised to find
how many sunshiny spots the camera
of the eye has engraved there. No
water was ever SO sweet as the spring
that came bubbling from beneath the
rock under the elm tree, at old home
stead. No apples were half so sweet
as the rosy-cheeked fellows that grew
on the little tree at the corner of the
orchard, no sky SO blue, no mountain
SO fair, no meadows so green; the
birds, the bees, the butterflies we have
chased; the flowers we have plucked.
all comes rushing back to us in flood
of recollections, bearing us almost
bodily back to the old home-nest A
man may forsake all, and in a moment
of fury curse all, and become wan
derer to either or all points of the
compass. Anger may part him from
his grey-haired father, may part him
from the mother who bore him, but
what can turn him against the sunny
spots of his native hearth. Patriotism
is the father of liberty. The stronger
tho natpint tho fer ha r.
this great nation, which ranks among
the foremost of the world, we do not
we cannot realize our Indebtedness to
the patriot. He stopped his plow in
the middle of the furrow, slung his
musket over his shoulder and started
at the call ''to arms" to drive the op-
pressor from our shores. The patriot
will not, cannot be slave. The
morality of a nation depends largely
upon the patriotism of it's citizens
"God made all nature free' Freedom
of conscience is the glory crown of the
patriot. Where ought we to look for
a higher sphere of morality; where
shall we look for a higher standard of
patriotism, than in this great, glorious
and most noble of Democracies on the
face of the globe. AS a people, we are
family, with half a continent for
home Though of all nations, all
colors, all creeds, we are still one peo-
pie. We are governed by the same
laws, have all the same freedom and
independence. The constitution and
laws of the Democracy place all men
on a level. High, low, rich and poor,
young and old, all form unit Of this
great household.
What interest in common have we
to hold this household together? Is it
a love for our neighbor; do we strive
for the advancement of those whom
we have never seen, or having seen,
may have only done us a personal
injury? No, not even a brotherly
love, would hold this nation, as
family. Love of home, love of country,
patriotism alone can bear us through
the various vicissitudes, turmoils and
trials of human life. Sow the seeds of
patriotism, remembering that the boy
of to-day will be the man ofto-morrow.
The true patriot can never be aught
than good citizen. True to himself,