The Revolutions of 1776 and 1861 Contrasted [pp. 718-726]

In Memory of Ashby.
ley Brooks, Percival Leigh, and others,'
are m'ost of them great advances upon the
satire of our progenitors, and in some instances of exceptional tnark and pungency
Pwnch may not bear comparison always
with the old esprit Gaulois, but he may
nevertheless review the efforts of all his
staff complacently when he thus i-%pes
again their joint products to the world.The Tioies.
The Revolution of 1776 was, whlen subjected to the searching analysis of learned
and comprehensive philosolphy, the commonest thing in nature. The birth of a
child, or the weaning of a calf, excites no
wonder, and stirs up no fanatical ardor,
because of their frequent occurrence; yet
the birth of a nation, or the separation of
a colony from its parent stem,, are events
quite as much in the order of nature as the
birth of a child, the weaning of a calf, or
the dropping of the ripened apple from its
parent stein. The Revoluttion of'76 had
nothing dramatic, nothing novel, nothing
grand about it. Every child and( every
chlicken,that, getting old enough and strong
enough to take care of itself, quits its parents and sets up for itself, is quite as
singular and admirable a spectacle, as
that of the thirteen adult States of America
solemnly resolving to cut loose from the
state of pupilage and dependence on their
parent. England, and ever thereafter to
assert and enjoy the rights of independent
manhood. It was an exceedingly vulgar,
common-place affair; it had nothing poetic or dramatic about it. A birth, a christening a circumcision or the induing of
the "toga virilis"-in fact, anything that
marked an epoch in life, was quite as admirable as this weaning of the American
calf from its trans-Atlantic dam.,
Colonies are sure to set up for themselves
when strong enough to (lo so, and had been
thus setting up for themselves since the
world began, and excited no wonderbythe
procedure. So well aware were thle Greeks
of this fact, that they anticipated and obviated,this weaning process, which
whether it occur with Colonies, calves or
chickens, occasions heart-burning, family
quarrels, scratching and pecking and fighting-that they sent out their Colonies as
fiull-fledged and independent nations.
Declarations of Independlence were unknown then. Nothing so pompous, so
mal-apropos and s o s illy is to be found in
history, until our Revolution of'76. A
hundred guins are fired when a Prince is
Weep, women of the Valley-weep, Vir ginia women, weep,
Ho! warriors of the Southland, let not
you r vengeanc e sleep.
The bravest of a knightly race, has
sheathed his sword for aye;
Yes, the horseman of the Valley has
hushed his battle cry.
Amidst the carnage of the foe, as hle heard
the victory shout,
The life-light of a hero, our brave young
chief went out!
He was first to draw his sabre, and mount
his gallant steed,.
Whet. the Old Dominion called her sons, in
her dread hour of need
Then, al rous the dark clouds thickened and
bloo d, like summe r rain,
LMoistened the grassy mountain sides, the
valleys and the plain,
The flash of the blade was deadly, for
Ashby dealt the blow,
And the vandals fled before him, as fli es
the frightened doe.
Make his deeds a household story, teach
the babe to lisp his nameLet every Southron glory in Turner Ash by's fame.
Yes, mourn Virginia women-ye of the
Valley weep,
For yourselves, and for your children, make
mourning wild and deep.
" IRIS.,,
FORTUNE.-Happy accidents are the parents of a thousand great designs; but the
same person who charges all his miscarriages upon fortune, never makes the least
acknowledgment tt the same goddess, in
the day of success.
718
' Nov. & DEC.
THE REVOLUTIONS OF 1776 AND
1861 CONTRASTED.
BY GEORGE FITZHUGTI.
IN -MEMORY OF ASHBY.