The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-07-04
,iH;t ENQUIRER.
RICHMOND. JgLY4. 1909.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE ENQUIRER.


~ American. There is perhaps no princi-
pile in human nature which possesses more
impuisivc force, than that which leads man.
Kind TO trace the rise of their national eX-
istcnce. Memory upon most occasions pur-
sues she directions OF Judgment, but upon
TINS. 1t acquires an interest and feeling of
its own; it throws aside every thing like
restraint, and insists upon. laying before
US the interesting scenes of our History
Yes, there is something indeed about the
fourth OF July which awakens the most
vivid and delightful sympathy, it seems
70 possess the very air by certain tender
anfuenccs and to communicate kindred
passion throughout every order of society,"
Under this ascendanCy of feeling, we are
naturally inclined to examine the earliest
lineaments of our infancy, to mark the dis
asters which hung upon our youth. to look
with pride and admiration upon that band of
Patriots, who amidst every calamity broke
the heavy chains which bound us in servi-
tude, and lastly to contemplate our advance
mcnt in refinement, and the science of
SELF GOVERNMENT. At one time we be-
hold ourselves feeble, forlorn and powerless,
1t another blooming into prosperity, then
81 II encountering the insidious arts of ty-
Fanny which would have kept US in the
bondage of impotence, never TO have known
the maturity of manhood, never to have felt
never to have established this happy and
harmonious system of polity. 1t appears to
be impossible. my Dear X. that any Ameri-
can can look upon this picture without the
most tremulous sensations at every feature,
without feeling that" warmth divine" which
tights up in the bosom of man the most glow
ing affections. There never was a people
bound by such variety of ties to hold their
. ancestry in dear and grateful remembrance
as the Americans. They have only to look
around and they will not find people upon
whom the sun shines from the moment " he
pillows his Chin upon the orient wave" until
he retires in the west, who can boast of
banquet SO pure, rich and Supremacy
transcendant as that which this day gives TO
them. 1t is the radiant Era of political re-
form they celebrate when, man rose from hui
miiity and dependence to claim the unalie
nable gifts of nature, the only source and
type of his dignity and happiness. A reform
which like the Shepherd Lad in holy writ
over threw the great Goliah, and barished
from one quarter of the Globe the disastrous
influence of tyranny. Unlike the vassals of
Europe they do noe assemble to offer the
fauiteriHg homage of applause to the revolt
wing brth day OF King, nor fearful of the
petrifying glance of power do they hail with
trembling conscicnccs the coronation OF a
Despot:
We know that national festivals have been
heid III every age, and perhaps in every
country. Butno can we compare TO this.
1t we turn to the enlightened nations Of anti
guilty, we are instantly impressed with tile
unted emotions of surprize and contempt
at their superstition and idolatry. They
were chiefly dedicated to the purposes OF
Jd6fe and religion, and were either intend
ed to give Importance TO piiest craft, TO set
OH the ostentation of wealth or to proreote
the views of intrigue and ambition. The
Iupercalia OF Rome and the Parathenea
ot Athens, Cannot be considered by lie stu
dent OF their history in any ether light than
us the objects of senseiess phraIizy and de
fusion. But far be it from me to draw arY
comparison between ourselves. and these ce-
lebrated people. Every age has the vanity
to claim the pre-eminence. Let us not stop,
however, toexaUic the manner in which
they poured forth tic warm and trembling
libation of animal blood, by way Of sacrifice
10 an, imaginary God. Or how they boastcd
IN deiirions revelry at the idea OF their birth,
bcmg coeval with the glorious lumOary
which roll'd above them. How very differ
ent is the American festival We assemble
to offer up the incense of gratitude to that
blessed genius of liberty, that kindred spirit
ipsphered in regions of mild and serene air,
which inspired our fore fathers in the en-
oatticd plain, and protected them from the
blasting smite OF dcspotism. 1t is orr ccnse-
Grated republic we celebrate, where man
.8 man, where the humble tenant OF the fur
rlowed field is equally the object of law AVID
justice as even lie who could boast of the
golden showers of Peru. The government
we adore, is the mid and equal sway OF Just
and generous laws in imitation of that grand
ana iniinite wisdom, where every thing is
confronted by regular, calm and harmnni-
ohs system-whcre every sphere is kept
within its own activity. Bat let us not for
get to look upon that great chain &c events
which led to this glorious result Here per-
nit me to remark, that shall not fatigue
your patience with the familiar aud perhaps
uninteresting detail Of circumstances which
preceded the birth of America But for
tins, might be apt to indulge myself in
wondering at that spark of chance winch
k'ndicd 1T lnto being But for this, I might
toiiow that bold and aspiring genius, which
pregnant with celestial FIRE, shot its rays thro'
this dark and unknown region and convin-
ted astonlshed Europe, there was - .fqoIhtr
ana u bcttet soorid but fer this, might
Pause over the difficulties i,c encountered
How Tor eight years. he few from court to
court before he could equip his little navy
ana now, at last, he was borne to these desert
snoreS.-Such III miniature was Columbus
such the man who, upon his first step, fell
PROSTATE on the earth to receive the maiden
KISS of this new bern world All Europe
now avoke as from dream The spirit of
adventure which was not little stimulated