Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1803-07-08
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FalDaY, JuLY S..
ADDRESS,
DELIVERED By DR.. W. A. DANCER
FIELD, AT THE EPISCOPAL
CHURCH, ON THE
FOURTH OF JULY. 1908.
As,oeiatxs and FELLOW. CtiSens,

scumsrances necessarily grateful to my
feelings, to deliver an appropriate Grafton
on this dav--stiil Ibid think, whilst intlu-
enced by the idea OF not having expected,
nor wished to be called to the performance
of a task so wholly above my powers
/ should long since have ap,logized to my
worthy Associates for declining to act IN
conformity to their gathering choice. But
when considered, that though the task
assigned me could have been assigned to
many Others, whose far superior talents
are completely competens to ITS full and
mastery execution--yet their more valu-
able time and pursuits might have pre-
vented them from carrying into effect IT'S
objects on the present occasion. Again,
when I,considered it should be deemed
matter of serious obligation, by every in.
sdividual amongst us, when called upon IN
this or any other way within the sphere OF
duty, to willingly meet such call with the
earnest exertion of whatever talents he
NAV possess, & without suffering himself,
for a moment. TO be restrained by motives
not Of paramount authority to sense OF
inferior capacity--T determined, there
fore, fofcibly impressed by such console
rations, to conform 60 the Society's choice
and views to the best of my humble abi.
lily, and to ask respectfully Of its liberali-
~, and rhas of the rest of my Fellow
Citizens present, a charitable allowance tor
the many defects and marked feebleness
that will be found connected with the
manner in which shall acqult myself OF
the difficult labour / have undertaken to
perform.
The subjects to be noticed in an Grafton
Ike tfrs--as will readily be conceived
are gor the most part Of POLITICAL cha
raefer--whether they relate to persons or
events.
The nature Of my previous habits, and
my professional pursuits, for several years
past, have almost whoIlyabstraeted my at
tention from political studies and inquiries
for during great part even ct the lare
convulsiye and awful period of politics, in
which human blood was so coplonsly shed,
national treasure so pyofusely expended,
and the social order of nearly the whole
family Of man, III its different parts, more
or less extensively agitated and deranged.
Il have been living in the shade of philoso-
pho retirement, where peaceful science,
!. In scenes Of uninterrupted tranquility, her
native element, has but little to do with
che more noisy turbuIens, and, too often,
Improbable affairs Of politics--aud where
she neither asks, nor claims Of political
authority any other boon or right, than
that Of being permitted TO conduct free,
unmolcstcd, and according to the bsst
dictates of a dispassionate Judgment her
calm, deliberate and highly useful inves-
tic atoms. Under such circumstances OF
disadvantage aud impeachment, and the
additional one of having never before ad-
dressed public assembly in. this manner,
must, of necessity, be deemed peculiarly
unqualified for the successful performance
of the undertaking, IN which, perhaps,
too rastsy and inconsiderateIy have
embarked But ] viii do my best, and
when / shall have done that, however
great my failure, however far | may tall
short of the expectations of NY literally
indulgent hearers, lean still console my
self with the reflection, that / have ear
-nestly endeavoured to discharge my duty,
and that, if the rest of my worthy assocl-
-ates will do the same, when called upon,
the views of our society will be pro-
spefly sympathised WIKI, its interests duly
promoted.
Insevery age and country in which the
human mind has beenin any degree culti-
waited and improved the true character
of man, the nature. sources, and consti-
tuents Of his happiness have Justly been
deemed the most important aud highly
interesting subjects Of inquiTy--an6 tho
n n