The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-08-04
For the Enouircy..

LIA-Qk t"C Il " y "a OF JCLI
The spirit of liberty and Independence seemed to
have infused itself into the breast OF every citizen oil
this place, and to have excited a joyous cxuitation at
the return OF this glorious Day--this exultation was
exhibited by SOME in the spiendpur Of IA a military pa
rade by others in feasting, aud by many in the ex-
pres ion OF noble political sentiments, thro' the me-
dium oil Toasts| sypnpathised with all. aud partivi-
patel IN the enthusiasD, but not in the display OF eN-
uitaton being almost ap entire stranger ia the an
habitants OF the place, L did not join in their social
giee, but Toasted in q calm observation Of their Gu
Joyments, and Of the handsome performances of the
students-My attention was irresistably drawn to
the method and style, and manner of delivery, as
well as the matter of their several compositions l
must hgst however by way of prelude, give you the
by the President OF the College, the Rev. Mr.. Brack.
ca, which l have accidentally met witt, in the hands
OF a friend and obtained "a copy ct.
"THE PRAYER
so Lord God Of our Salvation, who hath been ex-
aeedingly gracious unto this land, and by thy Provi-
depce didst deliver us from a state Of despondenc,
and oppression, Notwithstanding the power and ma
lice OF our ensiaies, aud secure to us our just and un.
doubted rights as OH this day, by the establishment Of
Freedom aad lndependence-We yield thee praise
and Thanksgiving Tor the same, and Acknowledge /;
thy goodness that we were not delivered over as a
prey to those who sought to Cypress us, beseeching
thee still to continue such thy mercies towards us
Under the guidance OF thy Providence, we have
been conducted to, and planted in, a fair and fruitful
country, OF which we may say in the words OF thy
Prophet Moses, The Lord thy God bringeth thee
into a good land, a land of Brooks OF water, of Foun-
NNhNS &HN II LbNt SPituH Jul VI v utc ~ Il1US Il.
a land OF Wheat and Barley & Fig-Trees, " Pome-
grantees, a land wherein thou shalt eat bread
without scarccness, thou shalt not lack any thing in
II, q land whose. stones are Iron, and out of whose
alis thou mayest dig brass" In this land, we have
continually experienced the kind protection of thy
Providence, the fostering care OF Heaven; so that
within a short period, from a handful, We have be.
come a great people, and from those who had no
name, we have been raised to take our rank among
the Nations of the World. In the scenes which led
TO this successful event, we have had deliverances
fftIa laSg IN NINA nt. lptrc ,n.rsnf a
as, and have eeen many visible interpretations of thy
Providence, causing such concurrences of circum-
STANCES tor cur, I'D vantage as no human wisdom could
either foresee, direct or overru,e. We have been
fayoured with q succession of thy favors from above.
and of the Earth beneath, OF fruitful seasons and a
pIentiful increase. And for the better and more as |
sured enjoyment of those favours, thou hast been
pleased To bless us with the peaceable establishments
OF n most happy constitution OF government, which
under the protection of wise and good laws, secures
60. us all our private rights and Just liberties, and rem
ders this country the honored Repository of sacred
freedom, tan ASYLUM from oppression, at a time
when almost all the other civilsed nations have thro'
hrce or ~treachery lost their sacred rights. We are
here now before thee with all due thank.a,uess 20
acknowledge thine uuspeakable goodness herein rs
upon this day showed unto us, aud for what since
that time thou hast done for us; and to offer unto
thee our sacrifice of Praise for the same. Let the
consideration of thy repeated Goodness, o Lord
work in us true Repentance, that iniquity may not
he our ruin and increase in us raore and more a
lively faith and love, fruitful in all holy obedience.
L4C( 4 ttN 0oNsO hI1AA0tiN hillnNGSs ANU Cnafl-
~, devotion and Piety, Concord aud Unity, with all
oti,e r Virtues, asurisi, among rs, that they may be
the stability of our times, and make this cur land q
Praise in The Earth, thst all the world may know
that thou art our Saviour and DeiPerer, thro' Jesus
Christ our Lord
Mr.. Andrews then addressed the audience and de-
Iivcred a splendid Grafton on Che Day, teeming with
enthusiastic and patriotic sentiments.-Nr Tyler
followed him in an able and most logical argument
in favour OF the abolition OF Capital Punishment in
every case except cne.-Mr. Carter Harrison gave
-, an fla IA"a 4f - N
Moseby with great force of language and reasoning,
and with a propriety of delivery most natural and
impressive, supported the liberty Of the Press.--Mr.
Gillian gave us q handsome Essay on the Causes of.
and the Effects produced by, the American Reyoiuti.
en.--Nfr. Prentie delivered a Dissertation on CO.
vernment and Mr.. Peachy on the Arts and Scien-
ces-both displaying much erudition and correct re-
fection.--Mr larry advocated with much energy
Of argument the unrestricted Right of SuRrage--and
Mr.. Boswell concluded with a warm and animated
Euiogium on those who achieved our glorious Re-
yo.ution and q pathetic exhortation to immediate
party spirit on the altar OF our ~country's tlonor.-I
found in the numerous audence many strangers who
felt and expressed great pleasure and deiight--to me,
/ assure you it wasa feast of great luxury. i saw in
our young countrymeD, the Germ of Talents, a pro-
crossed Improvement in Science, and a virtuous pa
triotic sentiment which promise g strong support of
our grand political fabriek. !
The intervals between the CITATIONS were filled
up by martial tunes, drawn from the clear and deep
soned Organ, by some of the most accomplished la
dies of the city, accompanied by Mr.. Plumket on the
Clarinet, and by the firing of Cannon, which frsm
the Temple Of God seemed to announce to the
world the grand, solemn, and immutable political
truths irregocabiy established when independent A.
mevica was born, and at this moment again promu
gated.
As it is by the Torch of Science alone, that pby.
sicai, moral and political truth is discovered, and the
Improvement Of the mind is the only security for H.
berry, there is q peculiar ~propriety in maIingthis
the day Of commencement in I'm University. The
Degree OF Datchelor of Arts was conferred on the
onlg Orators who were candidates for that honor.
viz: Mr.. Tyler Of Prince William, MIR. larry of
Merkienburs, Mr.. Gillian of Petersburg, MIR. Prem
It's of the same place, Mr.. Peacl,y of WILLIAMSBURG,
Dir. G.. Harrison of Cumberland, aud Mr.. Moseby
OF Powhatan. The President declared TO the audi.
ence that in the course Of forty years, during which
time, except a short interval, lac had been a Profess
cor. he had never Witnessed q more satisfactory ex-
animation.
COMMUNICATIONS.
Departed this life on "Wednesday morning the
goth inst. aged 81 years, Mrs JANE PAGE, the
beloved and affectionate wife of MIR. William Byrd
Page of this city Richapoud1
Seldom does the shaft of death, at one blow. de-
prive the world OF so much worth and so many yir.
tues as we're united liz this nov sainted being--She
possessed a mind strong in adversely, resigned in az
Fiction, moderately elated by prosperity she had
were not slight but her department in every
change OF situation, served to create for her new
friends and to strengthen the attachment Of Old
ones. Firmness aid mildness, feeling and for1ituIe
sincerity and a~ffabihty were 50 equally mingled in
her eemposiLiOn, that each embelNshed without OBJ
securing the others. Her actions were but the moys-
roenfs If her soul made visible. vet were fh,v sr.h.