the plains of Boston. The war is inevitable; and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come. It is vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, peace! but there is no peace. The war is actually begun. The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms. Our brethren are already in the field. Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but, as for me, give me liberty, or give me death! PATRICK HENRY. 92. Christian Citizenship. Ephesus1 was upside down. The manufacturers of silver boxes for holding heathen images had collected their laborers together to discuss the behavior of one Paul, who had been in public places, assaulting image worship, and consequently very much damaging their business. There was a great excitement in the city. People stood in knots along the street, violently gesticulating, and calling one another hard names. Some of the people favored the policy of the silversmiths; others, the policy of Paul. Finally they called a convention. When they assembled, they all wanted the floor, and all wanted to talk at 1 Ephesus. For a better under- | where the incident referred to is standing of this piece, the scholar related. Ephesus was a city of Asia should read Acts, chapter xix., | Minor. once. Some wanted to denounce, some to resolve. At last the convention rose in a body, all shouting together, till some were red in the face, and sore in the throat, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians! Great is Diana of the Ephesians!" Well, the whole scene reminds me of the excitement we witness at the autumnal elections. While the goddess Diana has lost her worshipers, our American people want to set up a god in place of it, and call it political party. While there are true men, Christian men, standing in both political parties, who go into the elections resolved to serve their city, their state, their country, in the best possible way, yet in the vast majority it is a question between the peas and the oats. One party cries, "Great is Diana of. the Ephesians!" and the other party cries, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians!" when in truth both are crying, if they were but honest enough to admit it, "Great is my pocketbook!" What is the duty of Christian citizenship? If the Norwegian boasts of his home of rocks, and the Siberian is happy in his land of perpetual snow; if the Roman thought the muddy Tiber was the favored river of heaven, and the Chinese pities everybody born out of the Flowery Kingdom,-shall not we, in this land of glorious liberty, have some thought and love for country? There is a power higher than the ballot box, the gubernatorial chair, or the President's house. To preserve the institutions of our country, we must recognize this power in our politics. See how men make every effort to clamber into higher positions, but are cast down. God opposes them. Every man, every nation, that proved false to divine expectation, down it went. God said to the house of Bourbon, "Remodel France, and establish equity." It would not do it. Down it went. God said to the house of Stuart, "Make the people of England happy." It would not do it. Down it went. He said to the house of Hapsburgh, "Reform Austria, and set the prisoners free." It would not do it. Down it went. He says to men now, "Reform abuses, enlighten the people, make peace and justice to reign." They don't do it, and they tumble down. How many wise men will go to the polls high with hope, and be sent back to their firesides! God can spare them. If he could spare Washington before free government was tested; Howard, while tens of thousands of dungeons remained unvisited; Wilberforce, before the chains had dropped from millions of slaves,—then Heaven can spare another man. The man who for party forsakes righteousness, goes down, and the armed battalions of God march over him. It matters very little what spot may have been the birthplace of Washington. No people can claim, no country can appropriate him. The boon of Providence to the human race, his fame is eternity, and his residence creation. Though it was the defeat of our arms, and the disgrace of our policy, I almost bless the convulsion in which he had 1 Howard Wilberforce. philanthropists living in the early Names of distinguished English part of the present century. his origin. If the heavens thundered, and the earth rocked, yet, when the storm had passed, how pure was the climate that it cleared! How bright, in the brow of the firmament, was the planet which it revealed to us! In the production of Washington, it does really appear as if Nature was endeavoring to improve upon herself, and that all the virtues of the ancient world were but so many studies preparatory to the patriot of the new. Individual instances, no doubt, there were, splendid exemplifications of some singular qualification. Cæsar was merciful, Scipio was temperate, Hannibal1 was patient; but it was reserved for Washington to blend them all in one, and, like the lovely masterpiece of the Grecian artist, to exhibit, in one glow of associated beauty, the pride of every model, and the perfection of every master. As a general, he marshaled the peasant into a veteran, and supplied by discipline the absence of experience; as a statesman, he enlarged the policy of the cabinet into the most comprehensive system of general advantage; and such was the wisdom of his views, and the philosophy of his counsels, that to the soldier and the statesman he almost added the character of the sage! A conqueror, he was untainted with the crime of blood; a revolutionist, he was free from any stain of treason—for aggression commenced the contest, and his country called him to the command. Liberty unsheathed his sword, necessity stained, victory returned it. If he had paused here, history might have 1 Scipio . . Hannibal. Scipio | ginian commander, who invaded Africanus, a celebrated Roman gen- Italy, but was finally overthrown eral. Hannibal, the famous Cartha- by Scipio. doubted what station to assign him, whether at the head of her citizens or her soldiers, her heroes or her patriots. But the last glorious act crowns his career, and banishes all hesitation. Who, like Washington, after having emancipated a hemisphere, resigned its crown, and preferred the retirement of domestic life to the adoration of a land he might almost be said to have created? "How shall we rank thee upon Glory's page, Thou more than soldier, and just less than sage? Far less, than all thou hast forborne to be!"1 Such, sir, is the testimony of one not to be accused of partiality in his estimate of America. Happy, proud America! The lightnings of heaven 2 yielded to your philosophy. The temptations of earth could not seduce your patriotism. CHARLES PHILLIPS. 94. Emmet's last Speech. - Part I. This and the following extract form the principal parts of the splendidly impassioned impromptu speech made by the Irish patriot Robert Emmet (born March 4, 1778), who, on account of his efforts for Irish independence, was tried Sept. 19, 1803, for high treason, and was executed the next day. The following by Washington Irving, on the character of Emmet and the circumstances of his death, will help the pupil to an understanding of these selections: "Every one 1 "How ... be!" From a poem | lusion to Franklin's discoveries in by Thomas Moore. electricity. (See Lesson 69 of this 2 lightnings of heaven. An al-Reader.) |