Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-07-14

staecs,- III 10 Sho'iSh W NiuulCatc our ShOics
of a.free polity, that in republics those who
judge Of the policy of measures, are tbcv
whose rights and prosperity are involved I;
they go wrong, who are more probably q,
more intcrestedto go right Like the Roman
lawgivers, We have made no enactment apaiDs.
pdyricide.
Once more then, fellow citizens, conpratu.
late yourselves on the return of day which
spoke the distinct language of freedom CAN
reverently up the shades Of the sages and he.
roes, who have reconciled in your constitution
security and liberty. Cherish that wholesom.
political philosophy which converts subject,
into citizens, rulers into ministers of the PEG.
plc-and peryert not the rod which you com.
NIT to them for the restraint of crime, into
a scourge for the injury of innocence. Re.
jocc that you can think in freedom, worship
God in repose, and contribute your talents to
the service Of the state, without being stigma.
tized as Plebians, and thrust back into obscu.
rty as to your proper element Exult in the
epoch which reinvcsted you with the attri.
bmes Of man, reared for yourselves the spa.
cious fame of constitutional government, and
threw wide its hospitable gates TO all the on.
pressed and unhappy of Observation-Disclosures
for in one comprehensive word, you are free.
This city which every year widens around
you,-whose inmergence into populousness
and wealth-almost before the original forests
of the soil have disappeared before the axe
is not unaptly quoted in proof of the invigo.
rating principle of liberty,-is no inappropri.
ate spot to celebrate its festival. But there
is in it further appropriateness, of which We
ourselves are hardly sufficiently aware. Asa
native of Maryland am proud to remind YOU,
that this colony was watercd in its infancy.
not by the blood of determination and perse.
cution, but by the beneficent stream Of civil
and religious federation. At time when "a.
naticism disgraced the mother country, and
stained the minds even of those who had
thrust the Stuarts from the throne, the bene.
VIOLENT and judicious founder of Maryland, Ca.
tholic in spirit as well as in creed, placed his
province Gin the words of historan) on the
broad basis Of security to property, and of
freedom in religion. Il will not (thus ran
the oath which he prescribed to his Governor
and Council,) will not directly or indirectly
trouble, modest or discountenance any person
processing to believe in Jesus Christ "The
scrple of King William adds the historian
sat taking the Scottish Coronation oath, which
obliged him, as he conceived, to become
prosecutor, has been justly celebrated; but
the laws of Maryland, with spirit that cab
not be too much praised, obliged those wbs
administered them, to swear that they would
not persecute. On the tomb of Cecilius Cal
vert should be engravcr, that while fanati.
cism deluged the empire, he refused his as.
sent to repeal law which, in the spirit Of
Christianity, gave liberty of conscience 10 all
The day which we celebrate, vindicated,
extended and secured these sacred principles
and these invaluable rights. Freedom, once
a novelty and an experiment, is become IA
miliar to your hearts, is inwoven with your
lives and gives its colouring to every action
and thought. Around and within you spring
up its happy fruits-in your land cultivation,
elegance and wealth-in your minds the sense
of security, and that salutary vigour which
springs from their unschackled exercise You
dwell in your wide empire like one family,
and the household gods are Patriotism and
Peace. In yow moral atmosphere the cleo
trical element of thought circulates freely
purify II HUm Us abundance, but never CUT
vulsing it from an impeded and irregular &C.
ton. In your borders repose the oppressed
stranger and the prosecuted patriot, safe from
the edicts of princes, sharing, on the one hand,
your protection and your privileges, and, OH
the other, adding strength and intelligence to
your empire. In the language ofthe prophet,
"The sons of strangers shall help to build up
thy walls: the sons of them that are afflicted
shall come to thee: will make thee an eternal
excellency, the joy of many generations."-
What have we to wish, indeed, but that this
happiness shall be perpetuated to us and our
children; that our empire may stand firm on its
lie within its bosom, may CLEAN with thou.
sand cities Of the free; and that We may never
prove false to freedom, or to the example
which we owe to mankind.
Nay, my fellow citizens, there is yet one
thing more. For it let our VOWS ascend
whenever this anniversary returns to glad
den the land, and remind us of the infinite
benefits it has bestowed. To Him whose
providence will not always let the Cypress
or triumph, nor the oppressed eat his bread.
in bitterness, let us prefer our prayers tor
the enfranchisement of the nations. Over
Europe government i'll understood or i'll adj
ministered, cramps, as We have seen, the ma
tive freedom of the mind, and abridges the
rightful privileges of man. Ireland, with its
FIVE millions ofdisfranchised Catholics; SPAN,
in the torpor which has succeeded her IN
happy effort to be free; Russia, where de'-
potism Of Asiatick rigour, dares to intrude on
European soil; Germany, where thousand
inquisitive spirits wage fierce but Intellectual
war with prejudice and power; Greece, where
the spirit of Marathon hath walked again; de-
mand your sympathy, and one day, trust
will not disappoint your hopes.
"May the next jubilee" said the virtuous
La Fayette, "be that of the acknowledgements
of Europe" Such a wish from lips SO vene-
rable, hasin it, to my imagination, something
prophetic To the prayer Of her sublime
apostle, Liberty cannot be deaf, and though,
like the illustrious man whom have named,
she has suffered both from the hate of Kings
and the madness Of the peopie-has as yet
failed to accomplish her ardent wish, and
borne the obloquy Of excuses to which she
was not a party-she may yet make through
mankind the same triumphant progress as ne
through this grateful theatre Of his glory
There is in the thoughtful and curious spirit OF
the age an ever progressive force, silent and
slow but sure and irresistible. In all parts OF
Europe it is collecting volume and weight