The Wilmingtonian., 1824-02-05
ADDRESS

ADDRESS
OF TIE COMMITTEE OF THE GREEK FUND |
10 the Citizens Of Itilmingfon, and its gicinHy
FELLOW CITIZENS:
The subject Of this address is one which car
lries with it farcible appeal to the heart OF eve
Try American. 1t is in favour OF people, who,
latter ages of slavery in its most odious form, are
now making noble and, we trust, successful ct
fort for freedom. Greece-that land so interest,"
ling and so dear to every friend of letters and OF
land of Leondas, OF Arstldes and
of Phocion-the cradle of those principles OF Gil
lyil liberty, under whose benign influence these
States have reached their present degree OF hap-l
lpiness and prosperity-ths once favoured land
has been doomed to witness her glores obscured.l
lher liberties prostrated, and her holy temples pol
Iluted by the hand Of . barbarous and lnf1dei OPP
pressor. Nearly four centuries have elapsed
since the cities and plains of Greece have been
subject to the iron sway OF the Turk, and the de-
scendan,s of the heroes OF 1hermopylae and Ma
ra,hon, have been treated As strangers and out
casts in their native land. Protesting the same
faith with ourselves, the prosecutions OF false
religion have added weight to the burden OF their
chains Il is, indeed, because they are christians
THAT they have been oppressed: 1t IS because OF
their adherence to the faith of their fathers, that
they have been regarded with delestalion by the
,|de 4dly enemy ofihe christian name. Driven to
desperation by ages Of suffering, animated too oy
Iancient recollectons, they have shaken OFT the
yoke of the oppressor, and the cry OF freedom is
|once more heard on the mountains and IN the
|vallies Of Greece The hazard Of the attempt has
l|been a,tested by the unprecedented m'serles
;, (which have attended it. All the horrors All
DISCRIMINATING war, all the cruelties of feroc'ou'
and yindlctive soldiery could infiic'' have beer
Iet loose upon this devoted land. efeece ma
1seen her cities wrapt in flames, her piains isle
waste, her people massacred, and when the swort
b|has been stayed by the hepessness ofage. or thu
Ifeeblenesss Of woman, the wretched Survivors
. reserved for fate hapless than death Itself
have been sold into slavery.
!. Amid the dangers which encompass them, th'
Greeks have displayed courage and constanc
:. lworthy of their name and their cause. undis
mayed by the gigantic power of their tyrant, u
supported By foreign aid, their struggle regard
nled with Indifference, if not wit hostile feeling
by that unhallowed association Of d@spots Win
|now rules the destinies of Europe, and. by pre-
ane abuse Of language, is styled the holy alliance
hhey have maintained the contest with uhabate
ardour, and, in many instances. with brilliant SUI
cess. Assuming their equal station IN the f.n,
= of nations, they have declared their independents
and adopted constitution and form Of civil gn'
10 ernment, Of which, our own happy institution
constitute the model.
lc lis for this interesting people, fellow citizens
khat we now invoke your aid and sympathy. Fo
z Ia people who, inspired by our example, desire
tread their native soil under the protection OF
InIuual laws, unmoested by barbarous tyranny.
ths extremity, the Greeks have naturally and il
es voluntarily turned their eyes towards us for th
assistance which has been codly withheld by Il
We christian powers of Europe. The Grecan Sena
as addressed to us an affecting appeal, invokiI
/. las by the tender appellations of brethren al
st.lChrs' ians to remember them in this period
I,beir utmost need. The Chief Magistrate OF Il
I. T.lUnon has declared in the face of the world th
lthe cause of the Greeks is entitled to the be
i'm mlwishes of this government and people and u
|generous sentiment of that venerable patriot u
rslbecn re-echoed from every quarter OF this exte
i've Republic. Our fellow citizens, in dffere
parts of tile Union, have caught the generous II
err pulse, and are now extensively engaged in pr
viding pecuniary aid for this suffering peop
Let it not be said that the people ofDelaware
insensible to the feelings which, we trust, a
nd cherished by this whole nation. That they
gard, with Indifference, the suiierings OF gala
TO- nation, in its struggle for freedoms OF christi
nation combating against the inveterate enei
70. of the christian faith; Of helpless age and feel
woman surrounded by the horrors of famine q
ing desola'lon.
To that highly respectable portion OF our +
nd low citizens, whose sympathies, on this occasl'
might be restrained by an impression, that to :
80 the Greeks would be departure from the pa
hc principles they have ever colkcien'lolisly ma
~ ltaned, we would respectfully suggest, that q
~ donations they may feel disposed to contrhu
J., may be appropriated by an express stipulation
" the part ofthe donor, TO a purely benevolent p
pose, and We beg leave to refer to the subje
~ ed letter of the chairman of the Greek Comm
lice in New York, to shew, that channel is P
10y vided through which their donations shall be
mitted agreeably to their wishes. In no posi-
Avs Iexigency, We conceive, could more ample
portunity be presented for an exercise of
purest feelings of benevolence, than is now r
cry scented in the case of distressed and unfortu,
lf,- ,.f h,,r,