Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1823-08-16
AN ADDRESS

AN ADDRESS
Delivered before the f" Sr. CLAIR Socr.
Err FOR THE PREyENTIoN OF SLAVE-
Rr IN ILLINOIS," in the kiu6ic hal
Of the 4" BeHepitie Library and De-
Dating Society,"" on the commemora-
tioa Of LVDEPENDE.vCE, July 4,
1928.
BY THE REV. JOHN M. PECK.
(Pu6iaied By order Of tie Society.
Fellow CITIZENS,
The forty-seventh anniversary Of that
important and eventful era, which gave
origin 10 the American republic, has ar
rived. This is the birth day of our free
dom-the triumph of liberty over dcs-
potism--the dawn OF aregenerated world
1.-The precursor of UNIVERSAL.
EMANCIPATION.
You have just heard read the impor-
tant state paper ON which the wrongs of
your country are registered, and which
announced 10 the world the determina-
ton of your fathers to live free or die
The causes which gave rise to this
declaration, and the wrongs under which
your country blcd--the usurpation OF
rights, and the burdens imposed, are now
only known to most Of us, as a subject Of
history.
The declaration of Independence, orr
sinally was asolemn exposition to the
world, of the causes which compelled
the people of these United States, to cast
off their allegiance, and renounce the
protection Of the king of Great Britain,
andto dissolve all governmental con-
Vnection with the British nation II now
only remains to be perused as a docu-
ment Of history. While we ever re-
main faithful to the sentiments which
this day celebrates, let US treat the in
habitants of Britain as we. should the
rest of the world, g ENEMIES IN WAR"
-" liz PEACE FRIENDS. Let then The
fesentments oil that aye be buried 10 OBJ
livion. Most of those who toiled in the
6eld, or sEone in the senate, are cold
under the ciod of the valley. Awaken
not the angry passions that once howled
in the tempest bf war Let US not an
nualiy reiterate the wrongs endured by
our forefathers to arouse from the SUM
behring's Of time the shade of departed ty-
ranny. Let not the mind be inflated with
some vain and idle exnltation of victory.
But let our thanksgivings and hallelujahs
ascend to that Almighty being who pre-
sides over the storm of war--who guild
ed the whirlwind of human passions
who was as pillar Of cloud and FIRE"
to our forefathers in the day of battle
who hath given us our privileges, and
confirmed US in the possession Of our
rights, and let our sympathies extend to
those nations which are now struggling
for their rights and national existence.
In the annals of history, the separa-
lion Of one nation into two, is an event of
no uncommon occurrence. The sue
cessful resistance ola people against OPP
questionable destruction Of a tyrant, or
even tyranny itself, is an event Of every
century. Almost every age OF the world
presents facts of the triumph of the op-
pressed, and the downfall OF the oppres-
sor. From the earliest records Of ma
,tional or individual history, the unaliena-
Die rights of man have been usurped by
his fellow. Man seeking to tyrannize
over man, is one OF the prominent marks
.ofhuman depravity. From the time of
.Nimrod, who, from hunting the beasts
of the forest, turned his arms against his
brethren, down TO the days of the /" Holy
Alliance" which now threatens to ex-
tinguish the reviying liberties Of Europe,
freedom and Oppression have waged I'M
equal war. And from all that can be
CLEANED from the records Of antiquity,
national tyranny has commenced by in
dividual oppression. 1t might be but a
waste OF time to present you instances of
this fact. It remains recorded in the
venerable pages Of holy writ. 1t shines
in the most resplendent records of pro-
fame history. The oppression Of Joseph
by his brethren and his subsequent slave
ry in Egypt-the tyranny Of Pharoah
over the Israelites-the names of Tar
ouin and Brutus, Julius Caesar and Cato
Of ancient ,Rome-of Geisler and Tell,
In Switzefand-of Christiern and Gus
,tavus Vasa in Swedcn-of Robespierre,
in France, and host Of others who stand
through tho vista Of time as mementos
ofthe propensities humankind. Other ma
tons had severed the letters Of bondage
before ours, though none. can be found
from whose emancipation such wide
spreading benefits have followed.
Long before Independence was de-
clared. the moral and physical causes