The united American : a magazine of good citizenchip., March 01, 1925, Page 2, Image 2

Page Four
MARCH, 1925
THE UNITED AMERICAN
Preserve the American Republic
By Lieutenant General NELSON A. MILES, U. S. A., Retired
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T ET US FOR a moment consider our condition — when both in war and in peace this country has
more than one hundred millions of people occu­ produced as strong a class of men intellectually, physi­
pying a continent walled in by two great oceans, exer­ cally and morally as the men of that age. The
cising the largest measure of civil government, enj ey­ highest, noblest and grandest with them all was that
ing more independence, freedom of thought and action, great character which was not only first in war but
more security, prosperity and happiness than any first in peace.
people have ever enjoyed in the world’s history.
The citizens of America need not look elsewhere
We might well ask the question: “Do our people than to the Father of their Country for an exemple
rightly comprehend and appreciate these unprece­ and a true patriotic character. No more instructive
dented and bountiful III IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII lillllllllllll lllilll limili llllllllllllll lllllll IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIUIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIillllllllHIIII lesson could be given
blessings ? Do our citi­
to the rising genera­
fY N THE EVE of the last national election Lieuten-
zens realize the cen­
tions than that which
ant General Nelson A. Miles, a venerable old
turies of fortitude, dan­
is found in his public
chieftain of the military forces of the United States,
gers, valor and sacri­
acts, his state papers,
now retired, wrote this stirring article on patriotism
fice endured by our
his wise counsels, his
and true citizenship at the request of the editor of the
ancestors before our
remarkable prophecy,
Lions Club Magazine. A veteran of the Civil War and a
freedom and indepen­
and the sage warnings
leading figure for many years in the forces of national
dence was secured?”
of the patriot and
defense, this aged citizen who has spent his entire
Our ancestors had
statesman who com­
long endured the op­
life in the service of this country is well qualified to
prehended the pas­
pression and tyranny
speak admonishingly to those who are to carry on.
sions and frailties of
of arbitrary and auto­
Though for him life’s sun is setting he sits in his
the human heart, and
little world, in a Washington hospital, keeping the
cratic
governments.
the danger that would
A little more than a
vigil while the shadows of evening are falling, in-
environ the great
terpreting the spirit of the America of the past, the
century ago the great
government that he
mass of the human
America that fought its way to the high plane of
had been so instru­
human liberty and justice, annihilating and shattering
race were serfs, slaves
mental in establishing.
the forces of doubt and fear whose strength had
or abject subjects of
He desired to pre­
some despotic power,
withstood all attacks through 'long ages. Having
vent our nation from
yet the spirit of liber­
caught a vision of the America to be, this venerable
running the course that
ty and the rights of
patriot is well qualified to give Young America
had ‘^hitherto marked
the individual had
counsel and advice and in a reminiscent way recount
the destiny of na­
been awakened in the
her blessings, caution her against reckless in­
tions,” and it was his
prayer that the “Union
minds and hearts of
difference and point to her responsibilities as he
the people; and they
throws the torch of liberty and justice to stronger
might be perpetual,”
hoped and prayed for
that the “free consti­
hands ere his arms that held it so high shall fall limp
at his side. Every American, whether he has been
a better sphere of life.
tution might be care­
The Magna Charta,
born to his rights or has become a participant through
fully maintained and
June 15, 1215; the
its administration con­
adoption, should pray for a baptism of that noble
ducted with wisdom
compact on the May­
patriotism that radiates through the life and thoughts,
and virtue,” that the
flower, November 11,
through the very soul of this aged American. Though
“happiness of the
1620, and the Bill of
his span of life is finished he belongs for ages to come
Rights, February 13,
people under the aus-
to that immortal army of Americans that will furnish
1688, were instrumen­
young America with its inspirations, aspirations, lofty
pices of liberty might I
be complete,” and that I
tal in promoting a
dreams and its determination to retain the faith,
they “might have the
desire for freedom and.
to keep the inheritance unsullied and the flag un­
glory of recommend-1
creating a more en­
stained. — The Editor.
ing it to the affection I
lightened civilization.
and adoption of every
The splendid patrio­ ^iiuiuiiiiiiimiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiihiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiuiiiiiiii
tism of our fathers in 1776, inspired by the spirit nation that was as yet a stranger to it.” He wrote
of liberty, contended against the most powerful nation to Lafayette that he “believed they had created the
of the world for seven long years to establish our best constitution ever devised by human minds and I
that he hoped it might be administered with such I
independence.
That was a heroic age when the resolute men in wisdom and integrity that in time the people of the I
every section of the sparsely populated colonies of country would have the glory of commending it to the I
the Atlantic coast espoused the cause of liberty, It people of the world who were then strangers to it.” I
brought forward from among that self-reliant, That prayer of Washington’s has been answered.
Patriotism does not alone require heroic acts upon I
sturdy race the noblest and the bravest, the highest
and most representative men of any age or of any the red .fields of war. The patriotism of Benjamin I
country. Orators, scholars, statesmen, soldiers were ' Franklin, Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, Roger I
the controlling spirits. There never has been a time
(Continued on Page Eleven.)
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