Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-03-04

united with US in the participation Oh
our rights and duties, of our burdens
/ and blessings. The forest has fallen by
| the axe of our woodsmen-the soil has
been made to TEEN by the tillage OF
our farmers; our commerce has viii
| tened every ocean. The dominion OF
| man over physical nature, has been ex-
| tended by the invention of our artists.
Liberty and Law have marched hand
in hand. All the purposes OF human
association have been accomplished as
effectively as under any other govern
ment on the globe; and at cost little
exceeding, in whole generation, the
expenditures of other nations in SIN
gle year.
Such is the unexaggerated picture OF
our condition, under constitution
founded upon the Republican princi-
pie ofequal rights. To admit that this
picture has its shades, is but to say
that it is still the condition of men up
on earth. From evil, physical, moral,
and political, it is not our claim to be
exempt. We have suffered, some
times by the visitation of Heaven,
through disease J often by the wrongs
and injustice of other nations, even to
the extremities of war; and lastly, by
dissentions among observation-disclosures
tons perhaps inseparable from the
enjoyment of freedom, but which have
more than once appeared to threaten
the dissolution of the union, and, with
it, the overthrow of all the enjoyments
of our present lot, and all our earthly
hopes of the future. The causes OF
these dissentions have been various,
founded upon differences Of speculation
in the theory of Republican govern
ment upon conflic ting views of poll
cy, in our relations with foreign ma
tons upon jealousies of partial and
sectional interests, aggravated by pre-
JUDGES and prepossessions, which
strangers to each other, are ever apt to
entertain.
1t is source Of qualification and Of
encouragement to me, to observe, that
the great result of this experiment, up.
on the theory of human rights, has, at
the close Of that generation, by which
it was formed, been crowned with sue
cess, equal to the most sanguine expec-
tations of its founders. Union, JUS
tice, tranquility, the common defence,
the general welfare, and the blessings
of liberty-all have been promoted by
the government under which we have
lived. Standing at this point of time
looking back to that generation which
has gone by, and forward to that which
is advancing, we may, at once, indulge
in grateful exultation, and in cheering
hope. From the experience of the past,
we derive instructive lessons for the
future. Of the two great political par
ties which have divided the opinions
and feelings of our country, the candid
and the just will now admit, that both
have contributed splendid talents, spot.
less integrity, ardent patriotism, and
disinterested sacrifices, to the forma.
ton and administration of this govern
ment; and that both have required a
liberal indulgence for portion Of hu.
man infrmity and error. The Revolu'
tionary Wars of Europe, commencing
precisely at the moment when the 60
vermennt of the United States frs
went into operation, under this onsti
tuition, excited collision Of sentiments
and of sympathies, which kindled al
the passions, and embittered the con
flict of parties, till the Nation was in
| volved in War, and the Union was sha.
ken to its centre. This time of tria
embraced period Of 6ve-and-twenty
years, during which, the policy Of thu
Union, in its relations with Europe
constituted the principal basis of oul
political divisions, and the most ardu
GUS part of the action Of our Fedora
Government.
With the catastrophe, in which the
wars of the French Revolution ter