Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-02-07
SPEECH OF MR.. W. c. KIDD,

Delivered "a Meeting Capitol on the sO,h ult
for the adopon OF measures in regard IL the Greeks
4 tIhe Known situation al this eeoileman IN relation
10 'hs paper, will not, * hoped, uuer the peculiar
circumstances of the case, expose us to the chang
Of cseni.tIon.
! The following speech WAS sever intended for pub
l,c'''on--i WAS noi ibuugli of, until few hours he
lore the meeting -batf uf the Greek Cause look
place u Is now drawn zap from the few notes which
were previously made, az" from the recnilactinu Of
~" rNirniI ard citing passages which
r""'"s"ci thu principal ar OF the speech 10 avoid
Az es"'l>ni, - hat Justice that the request or
i,""nc"'mn came iIun such quarters aud from gen-
i'm"" oi such standing, thai resistance was impos-
Phe@irl
Mr. Chairman Though stranger in this
| City and unknown To the great majority Of
'ht CITIZENS, hope that on this occasion, il
WIZ mol be deemed presumption la me 10 al
tempt Ia offer some remarks ON the rcsolu-
tons and preamble before this meeting. Sir.
As the Son of an American citizen and as am
individual who has been in regions closely
bordering On the Greeks who are now com
batting fir fhrir rights, may perhaps be per-
mlfted To Offer some ohsrrya tro,,s on the sub
pet which Is presented for the consideration
of this meeting. From this dome and from
this Capito-from this favor,e seat where
| Virginia has exhibited such devotion l., the
cause of liberty from this spot where the
yell oil the proving savage was once heard
and where the tOmahawk Of the Indian was
once brandished the mind is led to the
scenes which were presented g in other times
and in the days of other years'-it is led To
Greece-to Thermopylg. To that place where
lretmen fIst in conflict for their rights waved
trepdoms banner ;-whrre freedoms temple
was FIRST raised where freedoms votarirs
first presented the offering ON its altar-an,i
where frerd"m's Gvd was first invoked On
the survey, we cannot hut reflect how much
we owe that people, and how much wp in
dividually and snrially, are indebted Ia the All
cestors of those now struggling fur liberty
Al that pass of Ther,nopyip, the first instance
of srlf devotion was exhibited and there the
first example was given where men voluntari-
ly gave themselves up To death. From them,
we have received lessons nf The highest worth
and from them WAS thea heuu-aihrd legacy
whose value ireem"n shall appreciate whilst
Liberty exists. In that I'ar- was first OPEN
| rd the fnuntaIn, whence issued The stream
| which, though nften nI,scurrd and pvlluted
| by the weeds and rxcresce,.crs of Drspntism.
! has hurst through these intervening obstacles
and has become clear ard crystalline
Hood. Sun beams glance On its wat.rs.;- il,
washes cities aud bounds empires until il las
mingled with the mighty ocean nf time; aud
ships watt over It's surface the commodities of
different countries ;-navies ride n'-r lis hill
lows; and where IL avrs the shores of the
Atantc-the clearest, loverst and most rf-
fugent resplepdence wlncf hlaZ,s DER thr ex
pause is the glorious light which is reflected
from the 4" Stars" of the "SpangIed Banner ~
Considering then that all winch is great
holy and sacred in the cause of Liberty has
DESCENDED in a line from The Greeks. we are
hound TO remember that the blessings which
we posses, first originated with. and wrrr
conquered by the Greeks we are bound To
aid them, by our individual sxertinns AS Anne
ricans and Republicans IN their presrn,
fierce contest.
: But we are indebted to the Greeks for o.
Their important advantages. independent OF
e the improvements which they effected in arts
and arms, IN SCIENCE and philosophy, they
4 gave to the world display ofmoraHy OF in
y tellectual and yirtuous endowmrnts which
J had never been before exhibited. When we
q look TO the state of the surrounding couniri O.
and examine the state Of savagism and barba-
rfy which pervaded the western nations oil
Europe-when we examine the horrd scenes
E. which were displayed by the Oriental region.
humanity revots from the disgusting srene
The human soul was sunk in the most drgrad-
ing and revolving servility all its power.
were deferloratrd and vitiaied by efIeminacv
Ihe page OF history then only presents on,
continuous detail of hi'Ieous cruelty. of The
most grovelling dtbabchery, aud Ofthe disso-
nature. The noble faculties which had been
implanted by the Creator for the wispst pur-
Z. poses, were blunted by ferocity aud perverted
ny the most eDervatiDg licentiousness But
repubiicanism raised IT'S head in The states vi
Greece =" its loud long voice" was beard
J aud human nature responded To the chprrinr
sound and WAS Influenced by the gpncrou
Impulse-NIan again walked forth IN somr.
thing OF his pristine greatness. The spirit re-
summed its never dying energy and was illu.
mined by The rays Of the divinity, and drrds
were done and achievements performed =
actions of morality, self denial, patience, lem
perance and fortiiude, in fact the practice .,
ahthe suhmer virtues were exhibited, there.
' ny restoring to man his long lost elevation and
, grouping cOngerteS M patriotic and worthy
minds whose real grandeur and exalted gl1
RES have never been transcende d in any epoch
of The world Rcpublicansn came tn Greece
and It acted for the preservation ofomr race
instead OF that purer and perfect code Of reli
: glon, which was afterwards PROMULGATED II
, prevented the total overthrow the fair T.,
hric which God had erecfrd-It collected tbr
WRECKS which were scattered by the tyranny
: and usurpation of despots-ii repaired In,
{, broken breaches, and the temple of lbrr,,
was founded majestic in its architecture and
"Fely IN us symmetry and proportions. Re
lpuoncanism came, and IL was like tiIe Aue,.
commissioned by Heaven to trouble the wa
tPrs OF The pool of Bethsaida ;-ii removed IN,
siagnant, noxious polluiinns and man iast
ing Ut the healing waters. Of" the waters {,
NE, became restored, and fresh and fee.
but, Slr' M the review Of this su,iec w,
D are farther required bv policy and 6y ever,
motive "linlere~t to aid and assist The Grprk
: ny every possible means The whole rom
merciHl world, Tue masufacturrrs. the impo,,
I. ing merchants, The shin LnIlders and shil