Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1819-07-31

The pen of the faithful historian has
already recorded the revolutionary war
amongst the annals Of the world, where
it stands the unrivalled competitor of the
best days and highest achievements Of
Greece and Rome, Switzerland and Hol-
land. In the light, eyanescent illusions
of your speaker, little more can be ex-
pected than passing tribute of respect.
He has tear for all that died, sympa-
thizing feeling for the sutTerings of our
forefathers, the most exalted reverence
for their characters, grateful remem-
brancc of their services, for the victories
they won, the battles they fought, and the
triumph and independence to which they
led. But
" What boots the oft repeated tale of strife,
The feast of vultures, and the waste Of life
The varying fortune of each separate field,
The fierce that vansuish, and the faint that
yicldi"
IF Greece had her Leonidas, Rome
her Brutus, Switzerland her Tell, Scot
land her Wallace, and Holland her no.
bic house of Orange, we boast of our
WAsHINGToN, linked with band of he
roes as brave as the world ever saw
There is Green and Montgomery; Schuy-
Ter, Mercer, Warren, Lincoln, and Nor
gan; the brave De Kalb, the courageous
Pulaski; La Fayette, and kosciusko.-
Where SO many died, how few, alas !!
survived to see these halcyon days of
peace. One solitary survivor remains,
and, gallant Frenchmani /" hold thine
owns" we greet thee with nations
blessing, and, if you will its hospitality,
here is our country and our homes.----
And are ye all dead? Is there no living
monument of " the times that tried men
souls ?" Brave soldier " welcome to
Illinois. You have passed through your
country's ordeal, and in the land Of pro-
mise mean to pass the remnant of your
honored life. Where are your compan-
ions in arms ? The field of battle, prodi-
gal Of your blood, spared a few whom
time and age have since cut off, and left
you blighted memorial for millions to
revere. That reverence you shall at
least meet in the son Of brave compan-
ion in arms. In his breast there is kim
dred feeling. Farewell! asoldier's need
and your country's gratitude be thine.
How vain are the attempts of your
speaker to do justice to the immortal
honors Of this day. Princeton, Trenton,
Bennington, and Eutaw how few ofall
the names Of note which fill the page of
our history The laurel bloomed, and
yet blooms in unfading wrcaths, gallant
Stark on thy brow; whilst, lamented
Mercer! the dropping cypress incurred
over thy untinely tomb. votaries Of
liberty go, and water with your tears
the grave Of fallen chieftain, and from
its inspiring lesson learn to prize the
inestimable blessing at the hazard of your
lives. Fields were lost and won; but
though defeated at Brandywine and re-
pulsed at Quebec, we conquered at Mon
mouth and triumphed at York. How
delightful the transit from the turmoil
and distempered passions Of war to the
tranquility of peace.
Left to ourselves, we showed to the
world that we had not shed our Blood in
the,pursuit Of a shadow, and that liberty
was not the phantom of deiirium. The
Articles of Confederation we abandoned
as unwisc and unfit for our future gov
eminent, and adopted in their stead the
present FEEDER el Constitution. Our con-
tinued prosperity under it has convinced
the incrcdulous that arepublic can exist,
and abashed the political jugglers of
Europe who prognosticated our ruin.
Our country now extends from the
river St. Lawrence to the Gulf Of Mexi-
co, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific