The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-07-11
GRAFTON
~
loEl,vERKD on THE FOURTH OF July, 4,

49, ~
~ GRAFTON
.oEtivERkD on THE FOURTH OF JULY, tY
THoSfss MkfmALt. Esq.
sOar OF Tie ns.ss6crs 'cf tie Richmond LIGHT h.
-, taaicy BlneJ, esbisb qvs tubii4 sr;tb tleG/re
at Ne ,tqncf efthat Company.
FELIow. CoUHrS1MEN.
Once more, the revolving year brings
round the important day on which the people
OF America declared themfelves independent,
sand took their place among the nations of the
oearth. Throughout this wide extended empire,
,taou the St. Croix to the St. Mary's, and from
sthn Atlantic to the Mfffippi, our fellow.
-suns aficmb,e TO commemorate an event equal
llp glorious and intereftng, aud to manifeft the
10Y yet glowing in every hofom at the fuccefs-
,fsi Termination OF conflict, commenced on
9pric ciples the mott exalted, and continued with
ytIrtcnefs the mott infiexbe. Long, very long.
may we continue to rejoice, and to feel ali
ithott motives for mutual graduation, which
ought to animate every bofom.-Long may we
:hehold in ourieIves, one united, happy people |;
.inhpdfefIon of fertile, extenive, undmnfh-
ed territory: enjoying all the befiipgs of real
liberty, of mild and equal laws, enaeted by our.
felves,, THROTTLE medium of governments of our
own Creation. This Is, and this will be the
happy condition of our common country, 70
long as our own conduit be calculated to pre-
ferse it, 10 long az we remain faeredly OFFER
want Of The rights Of others, and actively vigi.
liant in Il maintenance of our own. America
alone can throw away American happinsf IS /;
and it is not among the leaft Of our advantages,
that the United States, if true to themfelves,
have nothing to fear from others.
The human mind on fome occafons; acquires
a fubime grandeur at other times unknown to
it and, as it elevated to the height of the OBJ
jet it purfues, difplays vigor, and manifefts
an energy, of which in ordinary htuations, it
would feen incapable. One of thrfe great oc.
cations was on the day we celebrate and it is
impoiiible to contemplate the circumstances
attending If, without feelisg for the actors i'm
the intereting fcene that exalted an enthuliaf.
tic admiration, which Actions, far above the or.
binary level of human achievement, can alone
produce.
Britain had clofetl a long and bloody war, ir
which fine had trumphed over the greatef DO.
tentates of the earth, and had torn from their
unwilling hands an immenfe territory which
ftrved to iwell and to fecurc her own extenfive
donl'nions France and Spain had funk be-
Meath her arm. She had unfolded powers, and
dfpiayed military talents not before attributed
10 her. Her armies were deemed invincible,
her Reefs covered, and trumphed in every o.
cean, and her retources appeared inexhaufible.
In no part of the habitable glote was her DOW
er more refpetttd, or her military capacity held
IN higher eftimation than in America. We had
ourtrlses contributed to gather the laurel with
which fl:c was crowned, and to entwine the
wreath which encircled her brow.
In this rate of things, claim was advanced,
which we believed, confcientioully believed, to
BE- incompatible with our liberties, and fubyer-
five of our rights. few gloomy years of ir.
ritating alteration demonfrated that this claim.
however pnrighteous, mutt be fubmitted to,
or repeIIed by the fword. Such had been the
connection between the mother country and
her colonies, that this unexpected change of
affairs, found US without arms, without folders.
without fhips, without revenue, and depen.
dant on annual importations from Britain for
the very clothes which were to filed US from
the frolts of winter and the pernicious inf1u
eDce of our Summers fun.
Could it be believed that in this defenceef.
fate, infant America would dare TO take I'D
the gauntlet thus haughtily thrown down by
this gigantic champion, and entering he liHs A.
lone, match herfelf in Jingle combat with the
miitrefs OF the deep had almoft faid the m il.
frefs of the world Yes, fhe did dare, fhe
greatly dared to enter into the tremendous con.
hict. Whereis the American, whole pulfe does
not beat high at the recollection of it, who ia
not proud of the fame of his country, and who
does lot feel ennobled by the manly retolution
then taken to preferve our rights, or to PERTH
"'u '"N'i IL 10 mus, dug thus alone. that
national grandeur and national fafety, are to be
obtained. BY daring under fuch circumttapces
TO contend for felf- government, America fhrw.
ed herielf worthy to be free and the courage
which prompted her to engage in the enterprise,
was a lure pledge of its fuccefsful ifiue
:. fIeSei Can Nc Efficiently admire thoie en-.
hghtened patriots, who, at 70 much hazard TO
thenfeIves, in the early FACES of the war, faw
abe form thickcD around them, beheld the light
ehIDg haih, and heard the thunder roar, bnt re-
tnfed 10 ieek lhelter from its violence. bv means
humIiating to Themselves or iniurio1s to their
pofterty. Wonderfully masnanjmous was the
reiolution taken by America, unfurnilhed with
the means of war, and having no other reliance
than the courage of her fons, to join in the ap
peal to heaven and the fword to meet with
uoihsken foFtitude the prefIure of varied and
multiplied calamity; and to fpurn the inplo.
rious idea of purchafng cafe and fecuri.y, BY
the abandonment of her national character
Turning our eyes from the fages who prefid.
ed IN our councils, With what pride and f,tis
faction mutt we view brave and vir;uous yeo.
many, who, unmpelled by motives Of per-
fonal ambition, could yield without reluctance
the accufomed and well earned profits Of no.
neft indultry, and devote large portion of
their labofs to ohje6is no longer productive of
individual wealth who could at the call of their
county, cbcer!ully rsiEqufh thofe labors for
the tented field; and exchange the fweetneCs
aud ferenity Of domeftic enjoyment, for the
din OF battle aud the clangor Of war. This was
4 al..E r