Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-07-12

1T the request Of the g SoCIETY OF
FRIENDS OF THE REvOLUsIeN,"
In the Capitol in Richmond.
BY GEORGE HAY, ESQ
FELLow.CITIZENs,
FROM the year 1875 to
the present time, the people of America
have consecrated the 4th day of July, TO
Soy, and gratitude joy, for the assertion of
our national independence; and gratitude
90 those, by whose wisdom, patriotism and
Yalor, it was effected. The anniversary of
that day, on which the representatives of the
people Of the then British colonies of North
America, declared their constituents to be
a free and independent nation, and assun
ed, for them, among the powers OF the carlh
that stat;on to which nature and natures
God entitled them, has again come round.
And it has come, like the day on which cur
fathers met, finally TO decide OH the future
destiny of their country. while our ports are
shut, our coasts invaded, our towns laid
waste, and our frontiers exposed To all the
horrors of war, in which Cunning, cruelty
and murder in cold blood, have usurped the
place Of courage. If then we are l.ere met
together, to pay the annual tribute of our
unfeigned respect, to the statesmen, whom
riors. who fell. for us, in batsle, let us make
the Offering in the way, which they, If they
could be now consulted, would most approve.
Let us emulate their spirit; let US be gov
erned bytheir precepts; and following their
high example, UNITE as they did, and en-
counter difficulty, prya:ion, danger, desc
iation aud death in every form, rather than
submit, longer submit, 10 oppression and de-
graduation. Let US attend to the valcdlctory
admonition of him. who has been empha-
ticaliy called the saviour of his country let
us shew that his memory is dear To our
hearts, and that his preCepts are held IN
our gratatul remembrance by resolving. to
be and to continue 10 be, one people. Let us
attend to him, and not to those false pro-
phets, whose coming he foretold: men, who
under the sanction of his sencrated name,
prsach doctrine, which he abhorred.--
s,Union," he tells us, is the main pillar OF
a. the ediGce Of oar real independence: the
support Of our tranquility At home, OF our
- peace abroad; of our safety; OF our pres
''perity; Of that-Hery liberty which We so
a. highly prize 1t is the point of our poll
teal fortress against which the batteries
of Internal and external enemies. viii be
most constantly and actively, Qho' often
seoyertly and insdiously) directed. Frown
"therefore, i,.aisuaatl} frcigii. TO contin
ues a. on the first dawning Of every attempt.
:" to ALLEVIATE any portion of cur country from
a the rest. or to enfeeb'c the sacred ties,
- which now link togetherits various parts "
To this haIlowed spirit, speaking from the
tomb. the prophetic and inspired language
of truth and petriotism, ! conjure you. and
all the reople CT this nation 70 attend : to at
tend with reverence. The enemy ky dis
eriminatiou both military and commercial,
between the ueliigerent and -conibataut
States. is endeavouring to undermine this
great pillaY OF our Independence, while some
of our ovr, citjzens, from the phrenzy of par
Nv spirit, cooperate with him. b. attempt
ing to ALLEVIATE the people Of the East from
their brethren OF the South and of the West.
At this very moment, when the enemy is
upon our Atlantic and inland frontier, when
all the energies Of the government and OF the
people ought to he directed 20 the pGbiic safe
ty. when the men of Kentucky and Ohio,
undismayed by past calamitles. go forth 70
battle TO support the cause of their couu-
try. and to avenge the death of their muir
dered friends, snlien neutrality in the Eas,
is observed, and questions deliberately SET
tied by the best and wisest men of this coun
try, with Washington at their head, are re-
vived> and strcnuously pressed upon the pub
lie mind. Questions which have slept dur
ing FIVE and twenty years Of peace anC
prosperity, are now in the hour of difficulty
and danger, GENEROUSLY forced upon oui
notice. Why is this doDe nowf WHY il
this done at ala These are questions which
] will not now stop to answer but there Il
one point in which we must all concur. We
must all agree, that the effect, as far as an,
effect can be produced, is not only to encour
age the enemy, but 20 ALLEVIATE one por
ton of our country from the rett, aud Il
enfeeble the sacred ties which now lini
stogether It's various parts" But this de
testable plan caA never succeed. The PEG
ple of America, have too much good sense
to enter into the gloomy & periicus scenes
iEto which the advocates for disunion woul
lead them. They will not hearkeEI, to tl
unnatural voice, which tells them, ,ha
knit together, as they are, by so man
cords Of affection, they can no longer liv
together as members ofthe saue great IA
mily; car no longer be the mutual guar
sdans, of their mutual happiness; can u
longer be fellow~citlzeus Of one great an,
aourishing empire" AdmOnshed by Gin
most distinguished advocates of the existin
confederation, they will shut .heir ears a
gainst this uDhallowed lang1age-they vii
Shut lheir hearts against the poison whicl
sit CONVEYS. The kindred blood which flow
I'm iheir VEINS, the mingled blood whicl
'they have she'd" (and are nov shedding
sin defence Of their sacred rights. couse
scra,e their union, and excite horror at III
idea OF their becoming aliens, rivals, enc
mies."-Such, fellow citizens, is the elo
aueit and pathetic exhortation Of the tri
,i,n,ir2ie. whom the year 1887, cndeavorel
to impress on the hearts Of their country
men belief the vi'al Importance Of unto
among the States--May this union, the oil