The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1821-08-01

Ope ned paradise upon tho wild, would have
rung. with ooe accordant voice, louder than
tho thundets, sweeter than the harmonies OF
the heaven, with tho solemn and responsive
words, 4" NE ssoear."
The pledge has been redeemed. Through
six years OF devastating but heroic war !;
through forty years of more heroic peace, the
principles OF this declaration have been sup-
ported by tho tolls, by the vigils, by the
blood, OF your fathers, and Of yourselves.
The conflict OF war had begun with fearful
odds of apparent human power on the par, OF
the oppressor. He welded at will tho col.
lective forco Of the mIghtiest nation IN Eu-
rope. He, with moro than poetic truth, as.
serted the dominion Of the waves. The pow.
e. 10 whose unjust usurpstion your fathers
hurled the gauntlet of defiance, baffled and
vanquished by them, has even since, stripped
OF all the energies of this continent, been
found adequate to give tho law to is own
quarter OF the globe, and to mould the desti'
MES of tho Earopean world. II was with a
sling and stone that your fathers wen forth
TO encounter the massive yigor OF this Goliah
They siuog the hesven -di ected stone, aud
"With heaviest sound the giant monster fell"
Amid the shouts OF victory your cause soon
found friends and allies in the rivals OF your
enemies. France recognised your 1odepen.
dence as existing in fact, and made common
cause with you for its support. Spain and
the Netherlands, without adopting yonr prin
eiPles, successfully flung their weight in,o
your scale. The Semromis Of the North,
no convert TO your doctrines, still con jured
oil the maritime of Europe in arrsy against
the usur2ations ef your antagonist upon the
seas. While some of the fsitest OF your
helds were ravaged; while your towns aud
villages were Consumed with 6re; while the
harvests OF your summers were blasted
while the purity Of virgin innocence, and The
chastity OF matronly virtue, were violated {;
while the living remnants Of the field Of bat.
tie wese reserved Tor the gibbet, by the fra-
te nal sympathies Of Britons throughout your
land, The waters of the Atlantic ocean, and
those that wash the shores Of either India
were dyed with the mingled blood Of COM
oatants in the cause Of Nor,h American In
dependence.
In the progress of time that vial of wrath
Was exhsusted. After seven years Of ex-
plois and achievements like the sc, pei form
ed under the orders of the British king to
use the language Of the treaty Of peace, at
having pleased the Divine Providence to dis.
pose the hearts Of the most serene and most
potent Prince, George the Sd, by the G ace
Of God, King Of Great B'itain, France, and
Ireland, Defender of the FaiIh, Duke of
Brunsw'rk and Luncburg, Arch Treasurer
and Prince Elec,or Of the Holy Roman EN-
pi,e, and so forth--and of the United States
Of America, to"-whst " To forget all pos,
Misunderstanding and differences that have
unh,ppiy interrupted tho good corrcspon.
dence and friendship which they mu'ual'y
wish to restore"-wbat then! Way, His
Britannia Msjesy ACKNOWLEDGES the said
uun ed States, VIZ: NJ W Hamp nire, MAssa.
chusetts Bay, Rhode Island and Providence
p antations, Connecticut, New YD'k, New.
j. sey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland,
V, Slnia, North .Caroina, South Carolina,
and Georgia, to be Free, SoUeretgn and Inde.
J1endenf States ; that he treats with then ds
such and for himself, his heirs, and success
SOS, relinquishes all claims to the govern.
me ut, proprietary and er,itoriai rights Of the
same, aod eve'y part thereof"
Fellow c,'izeos, am not without appre-
tensions that some parts It this extract, cited
TO the word and to the letter, from the treaty
OF peace OF lYS3, may haye discomposed the
sereniiy Of your temper. Far be il fcon me,
20 dish use your hearts to a Ievity unbecoming
the hal'owed digniy Of this day. But this
crcaty OF peace Is the desert appropriate to
thc sumptuous banqnet of the Declaration.
Il is the ep'logue to that uupar allclcd drama
Of which the Declaration is tho prologue.
Observe, my counttymen and friends. how
the rules OF unity, prescribed by the great
masters of the kctive stage, were preserved
in this tragedy Of pity aud terror in real life.
Here was beginning, o middle, and an end,
Of one mighty action. The beginning was
The Declaration which we have read the
middle, was that sanguinaty, cslamitous, but
glorious war, which calls for deeper colors,
and brighter pencil. than mine to pourtrsy:
the end was the disposal by Divine Prov,
dence-thst same Divine Providence upon
whose protection your fatbors had so solemn
iy and so efsctualiy declared their 6rm reli
sncc, of the heart OF the most serene and
most potent prince to acknowledge you, In.
dependence 10 the precise extent in which il
had been declared. Here was no great char
ter OF Ruony Mead, yielded and accepted as
grant Of royal bounty. That which tho
Declar alton had asserted, which n seven vears