The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-07-12
Mn. SELDEN'S oRAYION
DELIVERED
ON THE FOURTH OF JULY.

rFsenus une rSS0rp Cat gems.
i stand forth on: this occa aston
as the humble organ OF your feelings to cele.
brate the glorious anniversary of American In.
dependence. The soul, when called to such an
avocation, feels q conscious elevation ;-pours
out IT'S s,ft and generous illusions ;-mineles
with the kindred spirits that breathe around it ;
and, catching the contagion Of universal feel.
ing, dilates with graft ude to Heaven. A theme
so noble and exalted must excite mutual yratu
lations ;-must enlarge and multiply the sour.
ces of enjoyment in various ways It kindles
the ardor OF enthusiasm braces and anirnates
the soaring pinion of genius actuates sensibiIi-
ty to the exercise of the manifest virtues. and
acceierates the progress of laudable ambition.-
Let US then rejoice that the harp Of our national
ice dom has been so often swept. Often have
ITS wiling strings been attuned to harmony -
often have its dulcet sounds lighted up the soul
with the celestial lustre of heroic vrtue.-The
heroism OF some great souls, kindled into action
by the celestial fire of virtue, md nourisbed
and sustained by that amor batyi.e that sacred
palladium OF freedom, has erected fabric ofi.
berty that must stand as the boast of philanthro.
Pists the reproach OF despots, aud memorial
OF the degraded condition of those nations who
oppose q its elevation
when we evolve the page of nature, and con.
template the slow and lingering progress of the
human race, from infancy to manhood the tie.
dious gradations, from rude and inmod,fied
wa o"' tA'ictl TeUT' ElentS or polished
and organized society, the mind, tracing ,he re.
guiar series OF Causes aud effect s builds its de.
hght & admiration on grounds known & ascer-
eaIned-But, when we behold great portion of
the know habitable globe, claimed by tyranny g.
persecution rocked and agitated by tue rough
and pslsyins hand of lavyless ,nvasics, and e
prey TO the. fierce collisions of sspring and over
weenng dsspots, suddenly rise aooye the massy
pressure. ofaccumulstcd degradation, and claim
proud rank among the iairest nations of the
Earth, the, mnds IN accounting for tins amazing
aperratl0n from the ordinary workings of nature.
IS tossed and agitated by vsyions sensations and
emotions. The rapid growth of vegetation IS
easily accounted tor the rich snd luxuriant
blossoms of Spring are seasonably regarded as
suspicious Pieparatives to autrmnai fruits
put, never before, has nation, benighteu nd
foriorn, degraded and debased into a mere ma
chine-meanly submitting to the lswess usur,
pations oftyrants, and the willing 1nlnlon of her
own sufteFipgs, suddenly been. seen TO weather
and overcome he livid and portentous storms
Of ADVERSELY. and pass abruptly through the in
tefmediate spaces OF the governmental zodiac
until sue has az AIMED a conspicuous aai inp.
ing eievation-So sudden transitiOn,-so grand
and striking phenomenon,-like the boisterous
anu long-ragng hurrlcanS agitates the mind
with the liveliest emotions, aud units il for calm
and collected meditation. Such must be our en-
thusiastic admiration and unqualified aston;sh-
1880
lea: that Revolution. that was so goriously & so
happily accomplished that Revolution that was
directed by the genus of sages and achieved by
the valor of heroes.
1t hasb been usual, FelIow-C Citizens, tor the O.
rator selected on this occasion as the humble
medium OF your patriotic feelings, to dwell up
on the noble achievements of our revolutionary
heroes, Indeed, the task is sweet and easy: It
Impartial grateful pleasure to the soul, and his
heart must be formed ofmpenetrable stuff. who
could coldy overlook the Virtues Of those saint.
ed heroes and war-worn saviors of his country.
Without a sacred veneratieh for the celestial
vaior and heroic fortitsde; without recoilscti-
on other glorious contempt of difficulties of
dangers and OF death, shall never attain the
dignihed endurance of sufferings shall never
reach their elevated grandeur of CHI ,racter
shall never rival those noble and exalted virtues
which alleviate the horrors Of decrepituds, md
even the gloom of the grave---Tho'
many OF those departed worthless are no " moul-
dering in the tomb, their sainted images are
still before US tne willing tears of soft and at.
fectionate remembrance shalt deplore their loss
and tile gratitude of posterity immortalize their
names The few who remain among u are so
many monuments ofsteriing worth. their hoa.
~ locks, lanneG by the winds of purest liberty.
remind US OF those venerable mountain oaks,
whose tops are bieached BY the winters snow,
ana whose branches extend, majestic and aioft.
a..
But 1t is not by mourning over the ashes oil
the iiiuStTIous dead, that we may reasonably
hope to rival their virtues, and gratefully cult
vate the rich heritage whichthey nave left us
BY STRIVING to improve what they have success
FULLY lsbored to o6tai1, we shall permsn, ntIy e
vince our gratitude Tor their noble excrttons IN
the cause OF freedom show to the nations of
the Earth how far genius and virtue can fling
pedigree in the shade, and prove to the universe
that we sufficiently know how to estlrn ate SO
precious an article Llberty.r-I will not then.
Intrude upon your patience, by golag INTO a de-
tailed narrative of the various uncertainties of
fate our valiant predecessors underwent, the
numerous and complicated dangers they suffer
Ell or escaped, or the countless laures which
they won. Those days OF heroism and of virtue
are now the pride of story :-already they con-
stitute the brightest period in our national histo-
tory :-they have enriched mankind with useful
and instructive lessons, and are proclaimed to
me rising generation by the sages OF tue
Earth as the brightest era OF heroic virtue.
Let US then, with transient glance, review
the vsiorous achievements vi Illustrious pre-.
decessors and behold, for While, the "Ihroes
and convuls'ons Of an agitated world the sg
onizng spasfns ofinfuriated man, "opposing thro'
blood and slaughter the iawless invasion of mis-
rights and, alter having been long tossed and
nearly buried in the overwhelming storm, rising
at last in full and glorious triumph upon the
nerited ruins Of MS toes.-The lawlcss invasion
of the rights Of mankind, sanctioned and en-
forced by the bloody mandates of overweening
despots have frequently taught the nations OF the
Earth, that the indignant feelings OF insulted GA
triots will often work to an honest end.