Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-10-12

end educating people; Jurisprudence the D, 4
mtration of the world; metropolis the centre of
Refinement; literary and scientific mstitutcs pre-
eminent; press Comparatively free; above all,
morals long abandoned To thepnost profit gate dis
solutcness, of which the court set the example
caastcned by the first pros alence of those. do
inestic virtues which are the pure fountains Of
all the rest these are the sequel and the fruits
Of the Revolution; thesc arc tue cnjoymciits of
those who deplore IFS ravagcs.
In Europe, a clamorous and uDgeucrous re.
action may cooiound all periods, persons, and
transactions of that agony, in one dark cloud of
obloquy. But America is sort of posterlty To
Europe. Here il is that the principles ofinie-
pendcnce are to be vindicated, not only by
the wisdom of government and affection OF the
people, but by history, philosophy, eoqueuce
and ell the means Of Justification. If the truth
be not radiatcd fr0n this luninary, where can
it prevail. Though the origin of those priuci-
plies i'm this hemisphere, like its first settlement
was forlorn, aud their progress hong disastrous,
as III Europe il has been convuisivc and porteu-
tous; they are nevertheless already established
here beyond contradiction; If for moment c.
cipscd in the East, yet there, ;,nt here, and e.
very where, destined to be soon the spell to dis
encant and reform the world.
Our euviabe associate General La Fayettc
has enicycd the singular happiness of sharing
their fortunes for the half century of their exist
ence. Disciple ofFranklin, intimate of his lc-
gitinate successor. for many years the President
Of this society, who carried into the IreSf
Of the country tie benevolent, ccono,aica, Isl,
and pacific doctrines of the philosophy of lineage
-hc las uniformly under all viciesi:udes i'll both
worlds. maintained ii from the first, till reward
| ed by the brilliant present; wien part ofhis re-
quital is popular coronation, to which the tri-
. umph of old my modern pageant bears but a
faint reseInbauce For cold and chceress is be-
spoken and organized pomp. No spectacle is
either physically or morally comparable in mag
| n,ficence To thatof a rejoicing nation. No gov
, eminent can rouse people like their own ava
kenining- No treasury can afford the means,
no ordinance can proiuce'th effects Of the gra-
tuitous ostentation Of an unanimous people. A.
-ncrica does not forget the roman ic forthcoming
ot the most generous, consistent ami heroic OF!
the knights ofthc old world 10 the rescue of the
new. She has always dwclt delighted on the
| constancy of the nobleman who could rcnouncc
titles and wealth, for more historical and i,nilan-
thropIc honors; the commander rcnouncine
power, who never shed u. drop of blood for con
| quest or vain glory. She has often treinbcd
| but never bushcd, for her oriental champion
when tried by the alternate rarcsses and rage OF
the most terrific :.!obs, aud imposing monarcl,s.
! ,he knows that his hospitablc mansion was tho
shrine at which her citizens in France consecra-
| ted their faith in independence.
| 1hi:her did all her valiant youth resort,
10 matches vaior, aud adventures high.
(! Invited to revisit The scenes of his frs. emf
nence, the very i1olatry OF the welcome a
| bounds with redeenling characteristics of self
government. A squadron of steam boats bro't
| him TO the shore. 4 steam boat of Iarrcr d.
! inenSions than the ships of war to which, in the
time OF Hcnry tire great, those OF all the rest of
Europe vailed their ilfgs, has been vehicle OF
!i's plcasurcs-emblcnatic ofthe entcr;.riZc. mo-
! abundance MI IL.
country, which the last time our distinguished
Guest assisted ut nIeetirc. of tins society," JULY.
+! 1855, was poor, In debt, feeble, and uncertain
| OF ITS destiny. n population more numerous.
| homogeneous, and incoTparablv more ineli-
gent than that of England, when ,o,is the tour
tecnth, with half a million of regular soldiers,
was chased to the gardens of Versailles bet
! ter housed, clothed, and fe,i, than any ether ;
stand forth, in mass, more than ten millions
strong, covering two thousand miles square oil
| territory, martial and lofty nation, without
any impulse Of governments displavi,lc tnci,
happiness, their strength and their gratitude hy
national jubilee TO gIializc the arrival other
guest. The sons of sircs whom he led TO battle
III calamitous resistance 60 n triilinc tax, are
ready TO lavish their last cent 10 make bin wei
come an industrious people, who earn their
! tatiy bread by labor, suspend all occupation but
reloing with him. His voluntary escort consists
ofiarger bodies fwefl equipped troops than coula
be raised throughout the revolution. Hundreds
ut Thousands OF enthusiasts, of all sexes, s,res anil
concitens, are daiiy and nightly throneed to-
gctter IN his tram, without disorder, confusion
or crime. Learned and pious societies, tie fe-
male sex all ages, the church, the professions the
various trades, the swaTrns of innurncrab bic
schools, city corporations, the magistrates of.our
q twenty sovereign states, and of the adult en-
p!re of their Union-all business LAID asda-tI,e
courts OF justice siiut-rarty. and ayarice and e.
very other passion hushed-from every private
dwelling and public ejtficc, pour out TO swell
the perfectly placid and regulated current thai
bears upon IFS boson-not a chieftain reckino
from reckless victory, sparkling with tie tro-
pines OF rnhan war, dfcnched with teas ot
blood, lnccnsed by vulgar ailuIatiotl-No: But q
simple individual, without authority, power. pa
tronage or recent exploit, venerable with age
mellowcd by misiortuncs-wlI0 has nothing Luf
his blessing 10 give in return whose merits are
remote recoiiectons. whose magic is oisiutcye.i.
cdness, proved by long life Of temperate CON
sistenCy, to be worthy Of this ho,norc in thc
connnerDoration of Independence. The man of
whom no instance IS known of seIfisIncss or dam
~erous abuse, whose sword itself was the oin or
the founder OF the Temple ofconcord; with such
man as the representative of their prosecuted
but triumphant cause sedate and thinking pco-
pie give vent 60 their enthusiasm. They raise
him before the world as its image. and bear him
through illuminated cities and widely cultivated
regions, all redolent with feslivilv, and every
device of hospitality and cnte: tainrnent, where
when their independence was declared, there
was little else than wilderness and war.