The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1825-07-21

- '"'", 'he dfueut love Il liberty
,'e manly resolution ofour ancestors. who
uarea IN encounter an enemy the most for
W'danle the world ever saw-whose veto
ran armies marched no, but 10 victory
whose thousand ships Of war covered the
lace oil the deep, aud waited her thund.rs
10 the remotest seas. If Mt any Time the
manly soul OF the warworn soldier wa,
wrung with sorrow and disappointment At
the uhresenged wrongs nfhis insnlted coup-
Try, and al the few WIN haa the " nnbl,
daring 10 stand up in her defence: if at
any tune, he was filed with awful forebo-
dings at the alarming & portentons cloud,
that lowered with impending horrors" in
| the hnrlzon-the recollection of "wif.
children aud friends - the cheering antici-
pations ofindepenhrnce and liberty anim,-
ted him with courage IN the tremendous
conflict 10 " sustain the glorious caust. the
cause oil liberty, the cause of nations"
Yes, fellsw citizens, many were the ap~
! palllns difficulties our fathers had In encoun-
ter-many the hardships, privations and
sutiefln5s they bad 10 undergo; hut con
sclons of the r6ctitnde If their cause, and
with hrm reliance On the support of IIea-
ven, they met them with determination
10 be tree, or perish In the attempt aud
after contest of eight years in duration,
III which they displayed equal frmness
and wisdom in council valor aud intrrpl.
duty, patience aud ioIttudc in the field,
! they glorlously surmountrd them all. The
Almighty Dl'poser of events, conducted us
safely through the wilderness of terrors
supplied our every want: parted the " dark
deep wapers," and led Us through the stor-
my sea, to the land oil promise.
Thus terminated a war, fellow citizens,
which, whether we consider Its ease, its
object, the manner Gifts prosecution, or its
happy issue, reflects the highest honor on
ourselves, and is a source of lively satsfdc
ton: of seasonable encouragement TO the
| friends of liberty throughout the world. II
was not undertaken Tor the purpose of
splitting great empire, and diminishing
the prosperity of the parent state not to
wrest from any people the sacred right to
choose its own ruler, and to place upon the
throne a monarch odious To the nation
not for the accused purpose of arrcstlng
the progress Of liberal principles, and die
tatnS amid the din of arms AID oceans of
blood, to intelligent belpGs the manner in
which they shall offer up their devotions To
the Majesty Of Heaven nor yet for the
the world, and marching over slaughtered
millions TO gIery, L. conquesl,s and re-
nown." No, fellow altlzcns, ,ach unholy
motives actuated not the opottess patriots
of the revolution. They took up arms to
repei wanton and nnprovokrd aggression.
They nnsheathed the sword in defence of
"our sovereign aud inpresCnptlble rights"
without which we are slaves, in form, n
fact, and in consequence. 1t Vas returned
to the scabbard the moment orr wrongs
were redressed, aud our rights acltnowledg-
ed. In the whole course of the war, we
have not To reproach ourselves with any
wanton effusion of human blood with any
violation of the laws of humanity or hon
orable warfare. No laurel that graced
their brows was stepped in female tears
no victory that perehcd on their banners
was unhallowed with the " subs aud dying
shrieks" of infant innocence.
The war which secured our indepen- |
dence, having terminated, fellow ctlHens
the confederation which was formed in the |
tempest oftherevolution, s. which was kept
together by the emergencies of the times,
aud the strong cenents of common dan
gers, of united interests and councils, was
found extremely defective. A convention
was assembled at Philadelphia and the
present constitution was the result of their
Joint deliberations and laburs. A consttu-
tiOn of government as beautiful in theory
as the success which has hitherto attended
It, proves it TO be III practice congenial
with the promotion of the welfare, and the
augmentation of the happiness of the com
munty II is a government peculiar to 1t
self: different from all others ancient or
modern. The celebrated Amphlclyonic
and Ach9dn leagues of antiquity 10 which
it approximates tho nearest, bear a more
striking smiltudr To the confederation,
than To the constitution which has been
since formed.
Previously TO the formation of the fcde-
raj constitution, the states were lndepend-
ent of each other, and of all nations. They
coded part Of their sovereignty To the Uni
ted States for the benefit OF the states col
Iectlyely but on the express condition
that all powers not delegated, nor inhibited
are reserved to the states respectively, or
to the people. From consideration Of
the powers Of the two governments, re
suits the conclusion that they are separate
s. distinct, & when In the exercise of their
constitutional powers, as independent OF
each other, and the general government
as Great Britain is of France. Ofthe two
extremes to which our government IS ex-
posed, view that of consolidation as more
alarming as well as more probable than dis
union. Aud iftbc alternative WEI THIS
moment presented ~ me, should not he
state as 10 the choice. So different are
the productions, situations. and interests of
the different states composing this union,
that one consolidated government, found
ed on the total anniilation Of the state go
vernments, would be iIl-calculated to unite
the affections, To promote the welfare, and
to augment taer happiness OF people SO
dissimilar in their pursuits and occupations.