Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1825-08-09
AS race. they have withere ed from the land

~~1'.AS
long since gone out on the shore, and their war.
E cry is fast dying to the untrodden west. Slowi,
and sadly they climb the distant mountains and reat
their doom in the setting They are shrinking
before the mighty tide which is pressing then
away; they must soon hear the roar of the last
wave, which will settle over them forever. Ages
hence, the inquisitive white man, as he stands b,
some growing city, will ponder on the structure o.
their disturbed remains, and wonder to what man.
ner of person they belonged. They will live only
IN the songs and chronicles of their exterminators
Let these be faithful to their rude virtues as men
and pay due tribute TO their unhappy fate peo-
pie.
To the PIoUs, who, in this desert region built a
CITY OF refuge, little less than to the BRAVE, who
round that city reared impregnabe wall of safe
", we owe the blessings of this day. To enjoy,
and to perpetuate religious freedom the sacred he
raid OF civil liberty, they deserted their native land
where the foul spirit Of persecution was up in its fury
and where mercy had long wspt at the enormities
perpetrated in the abused names of Jehovah and
Jesus Resist unto blood!" blind zea!ots had
found in the bible, and lameniably indeed, did they
fuihi the command. With Thus saith the Lord -
the engines oil cruelty set ia notion and ma
NY martyr spirit like the ascending prophet from
Jordan's bank, escaped in fire to heaven.
IL was in this night Of time, when the incubus Of
bisotry sat heavy on the human soul
1 When and ruled Il coward world
sand mental dai knees DER the nations cued,-
When, wr1pt nslecp. EARTH torpid Children Law.
nsged their vile chains, aud d. their ne away
NV, IVA, Then, by faith imPeled, ny freedom hred
~. hope suppoI,ci, and by God i,.spired,-
] Twas then the Pilgrim. Left their fi,hers graves
70 seek Home beyond the waste of wase';
And where IT rose all ugh anl winiy, Lere,
They swellel dvvoton song, aud dropped devotion, tear
| Can we sufficiently admire the firmness of this
little brotherhood, thus sef-banshed from their
| country! Unkind and cruel, it was true, but still
| their country There they were born, and there
where the lamp of life was lighted thew had hoped il
! WQIlH On nut bera f,-h. L. IL
a mothers smile had warmed them. There were
The haunis OF their boyish days, their kindfolks,
Their friends, their recoiiections, their ALL Yet all
was left; even While their hearlstrings bled at the
parting, all was left; and stormy sea, savage
waste and a fearful destiny, were encountered
For HEAVEN, and for You.
1t Is easy enough TO praise, when success has
sanctiied the act; and to fancy that we, too could
endure heavy triai which 3 20 be followed by
rich reward. But before the deed is crowned while
the doors are yet about bearing like ourselves the
common infrmies of the flesh, we stand aloof and
are hot always ready discern the spirit that sus-
tains and exas them When centuries OF expert
ence have rolled away, we aud the exploit on
which we might have frowned, five had lived with
those, who left their age behind to achieve it. We
read OF empires founded, and people redeemed, of
acuons en,balmed By time, and halloSyed by ro-
NANCE and our hearts leap the lofty recital: we
teel 1t would be glorious thing snatch the au-
| reis Oh immortal fame. But 1t Is in the day OF
! doubt, when the result is hidden in clouds, when
danger stands in every path, and death is lurking in
every corner; 1t is then, that the who are born
Tor great occasions, start boldly from the worlds
| trembling multitude, and swear to Z" do or die
! Such men were they who peopied-such men,
too, were they who preserved these shores. OF
these latter giant spirits, who battled for ndepen-
dence we are to remember, that destruction await
ed defeat. They were 4" rebels" obnoxious to the
l. IL.
ties OF loyalty, and hazardng all The sweet endear-
menfs OF social and domestic life. They were UNI
iriehded, weak, and wanting. Going thus forth,
against powerful and vindictive foe what could
they dare TO hope What had they not 10 dread /!
They could not tell, but that vengeance would hunt
them down, and mfamy hang it's black scutcheon
over their graves. They did not know that the an
! gel the Lord would go forth with them. and anile
the invaders OF their sanctuary. They did not know
mat generation aher generation would, on this day
rise up and call them blessed that The sleeping quar-
ry would leap forth TO pay them voiceless homage
that their names would be handed down, from ia
ther TO son, the penmans theme, and the poets in
spiratioh challenging. through countless years,
the Juoilant praises OF an eInancpated people, and
the plandits of admiring world No! They
i knew, only, that the arm WHICH should protect,
was opp essing them, and they shook il off: that
the chaiice presented TO their lips was poisoned
one, and they dashed il away. They knew, only
that a rod was stretched them for their audac-
| ty; and beneath this they vowed never to bend,
while single pulse could beat the larem to re-
bellion.' That rod must be broken or thew must
bleed And it was broken! Led on by their Wash
irgton, the heroes went forth Clothed in the pan
oply oil righteous cause, they went forth boldly.
Guarded by good Providence, they went forth
trumphantly. They laboured, that we might find
rest they fought, that we might enjoy peace they
conquered, that we might inherit freedom
Antt ss,al ,..Nf a 81
oil that evenful struggle. To the annaliss of your
country belongs the pleasing task of tracing the
progress OF a revolution, the purest in its origin
and the most stupendous ia its consequences that
ever gaddened the world. To their fidelity we
commit the wisdom which planned, and the valour
which accompishedit. The dust of every contest
ed mound, OF every rescued plain, will whisper TO
them their duty, for il Is dust that bresihed and bed
the halowed dust OF men who would he free, or
, nothing.
There, in the sweet hour OF eventide the child of
sentiment will lnger, and conjure UP their martyr
forms. Heroes, with their garments roll led in blood
will marshal round him. The thrilling ffe-note,
the drums heart kindling beat, will again run down
the si'adowy ranks; the short commanding word,
the fatal voey, the dull death grosn. the Glad hVy
rah again will break his cheated car The bat
tie that sealed his eountrys fate his countrys free
dom, Will rage before him in all its dreadful sren--
dour And when the airy pageant of his fancy fades
IN the gathering mists, lie will turn his footsteps
from the sacred field, witha warmer gratitude, aud
deeper reverence for the gallant spirits who re-
signed dear life, in defence Of LIES dear blessing.
! The Z" feelings, manners, and principles" which
led to the declaration of the fourth of July '76
shine forth in the memorable language Of its great
4 author. lie and his bold brethren proclaimed that
X all men were created equal, and endowed by their
4 Creator with the right Of liberty; that for the Sc
curiiy Of this right govcrnment instituted, and