The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1824-03-26
> From The Gidsgoo Free Press.
SPEECH OF MIR. JEFFREY.

> From The Gdsgoc Free Press.
SPEECH OF MIR. JEFFREY,
Deiirered recently at Edinburgh, at n eeie
6tt3,on an honor q The late Charles J.
For.
MIR. JEFrREY rose and was welcomed
with long md loud applause. After this
had subsidized, he proceeded" Though il
is the principal business of n meeting like
! this To do honor to the champions of our
own rights. and the principles "f our own
/ freedom | propose now, with your Lord
! ships indulgence, To bring under lie roiiee
the concerns Il the merits of another coun-
try, which, though, | thank God nov TO
reign and Independent in relation to u.,
trast never will to- regarded "a alien either
to the people of Britain, or the common
interests Of liherty--i aIludr, my Lord, to
the United States Of America. II is nat
! any part, however, % my purpose In en-.
! large on her present greatness and growing
| importance. or the mighty influence which
she is destined, hereafter, To exercise on
the fortunes ofihe world. To that futurify
il is anmating To look forward and to think
| that there IS nothing in the prospects it
presents 10 MS that is not bright with the
| promise of great improvement But il is
rather 10 her present condition, and 10 the
advantages We have already derived from
| her, that wish III call the attention of the
meeting. For, To my mind, that nation
! has already done the most essential service
Ia the cause of fire., dom,-not SO much,
perhaps, by the conduct of the people, or
by the acts nf 'teI government, as by hei
mere eXlstence-n peace, respect, and
! prosperity, under Institutions more practi
cally popular and constitution more pure
! ~ democratic than has ever prevailed IA
| monG civilized men, from the beg ming
! of the world thus alprding splcndid il
lustration and irrefr, 1pswi lQ2t the posi-
| bdity of rcconeiling in6st extent of
| lreedQuI. With the maintenance of publ
authorhy, & the greatest order, Il tranquil
| ~, " security, To private rights, with the
| most uDbuundrd exercise of political ones.
| What else indeed, can furnish So conclusive
x iui phant "A refutation Of the pltlfnl so
phisn,s 81 absurd predictions by winch the
advocates ofcXisllng abuse ha,c e, at all times,
endeavorcd to create Jealousy and apprc-
tension Of reform You cannot touch the
most corrupt and imbcciie government
without unsettlng the principles, and I'm
! Ringing the frame uf society You cannot
| give tho people political rights without IN
| couraging them ~ be dis brdicnt 10 lawful
o'its, and sowing the seeds OF contlnu
| al rebellion and perpetual discomfort nor
recognise pr'pular prctcnsons in any shape.
without coming ultimately To the abolition
of all distinctions, and the division and de-
strucion ofail property without involving
! society, in short, in disorders al once fright
| lui and contemplate, and reducing all
things tn the level or an insecure, and igno
bic, and bloody equality Such are the
/ reasoning5 by which we are now To be- per-
suaded that Liberty is Incompatible with
private happiness or nathral prosperity,
and that the despotic government, of the
! world ought To be maintlired, II it we're
? only Ia protect the people from the con
sequences Of allowing them any control
over the conduct of their rulers. To these
we need not now answer in words, or by
references tn past and questionable tx
| amples but we put them Gown AT once,
and trampir them rontrmptuonsly tn the
earth, by Il Short appeal to the eflstcnce and
condition Of. lmt'icdt What is that conn
try of the Universe. | would NOW ask, il
which property il most sacred, or industry
most sure oi its reward p? Where IS the IN
thoritv of law most onniputent? Nher,
i Intelligence and wealth most widely diff
fused and most rapidly progressive Where
is socirty, in it's scurra. description, mos
peaceahle and orderly, and moral, and con
tented z Where are popular tumnIts les
known, and the spirit and existence, an,
almost the name, of mob least heard "f
Where, in short, is political anlmoslty leas
prevalcnt-f-cf;on subdued-and, ut TIN
!, moment, even party nearly cxt'nG'dshed
in a prevailing feeling of national pride an
satislacii II where, hut in America ,
(ImmenSe applause. )-Amcrica, that ii'
tar foundation of her republican constltu
ton in - violent, radical, sanSulnary revo
! lntlon-Anerica, with her iHdamertA
Il. mocracy-Amadc more unmanaS"abl'
aud, apparently, more hazardous, by beln
broken up into, do moi know how man
coniedcrStcd aud Independent democracie'
; America, With universal Suffrage, an
; monthly or weekly "lccilons-wIth Ire
and unlicensed press, without an estahlIshe
prizes, hood, an hereditary n"b'lty, or pei
f mancnt executive with all that Is conhus
{ iil,lc, in short, and pregnant with danger Il
h thr hypothesis oftyiLnny' and without on
= Of the checks or safeguards by which aion'
= they contend, the benefits, or very BEN
: of society can be- maintained Ihfr"
i something, at once aud tcl"us ana fdiel
e Ipns, in maintaining such doctrines III Il
II face of such experience. Nor can an I'M
= b. founded on the novelty Of these Insult
:. rions, ORTIZ prr,-nce that they have ndt y
e been put fairly out on their trial: Ame!
Il ca has snn. on prospecting under them +
= forig years and has exhibited picture
a uninterrupted, rapid, and unprecrdenl'
: advances in wealth, population, Intelligent
|, and concord while all the arbitrary 90
). crnmcnts of the Old World have been
n yerr,li With bankruptcies, conspiracies, +
t, hrl.inns, and revolutions, and are, at IL
IS moment, trembling in the consciousness
Is their insecurity, and calmly endeavorIne
i, rerroes irrrpressib'c dfsconiens' by cal