The Litchfield County post., 1826-07-11

d0ur m the blaze Of our cOuntfy's glory, 10 Oc- cupy our admiration, without mingling in it's brightness the long smOthered smoke 0fPrej- udice and revenge.
 By the arbitrary customs of the world there are certain periods in existence, when, as ifby general consent, it stops it's career. to revert to thepast. At one of these periods in the his tory of our country, we now stand. Fifty years have elapsed, since that instrume mt, which has now been read, was first published to the world, and according to universal GUS tom, the freemen of this land are now, every where, assembled to trace the improvements and to recallto memory the events of the last fifty years
 Our first emotion, in this retrospect, should be gratitude to that F ower, who gave strength in battle and wisdom in council to our ances- tors; and who, through the vicissitudes and revolutions of half a century, has brought us to this day in prosperity. Your government is still standing in it's primitive purity, and is still executed in its original equity. While na- tion has been dashing against nation, and while the blood and flames of revolution have be- come familiar to the world, you have been comparatively free from war. Your land has, itis true, once witnessed it's terrors but, how ever different may have been your opinions respecting the justness of its origin, or the cor rectness of it's management yet the reputation it has given us in Europe, and the effect 1t will have in preserving us from insult abroad, will lead us all to rejoice in its existence as prov ing ultimately national blessing.
 The extent of our commerce, the creation of our manufactures, the increase of our agri-.. culture, the progress of the arts and sciences are topics ofself- graduation this day; the ere alton of our canals, the application of the prin- ciples of steam, and the facilities of finter- course are among the improvementsofff the past half century. How different the aspect ofthe country, amid the gloom, the poverty, and the distress oft776.
 @ who are now young who see around us the monuments of the greatness and the power. .ofthis nation, who view only the exis- ting effects ofthe mighty enterprise of our cit izens, can hardly realize what this nation was, when in 177esit declared itself an inde- pendent republic. Starting into existence with an enlightened population, and with the freest
 institutions, it could at once fling away the trammels that shackled Europe in improve ment and arrive at the perfection of manhood, almost in its infancy. Bound down by no prescriptlve customs; chained down by no hereditary arlstocracy governed by no titled and pensoned priesthood, its progress in inn proyenent has been unexampled in its extent and prosperity. Situated, then, as we are on the banks of this mighty river, which now bears on its bosom the Improvements of ages, we cannot realize that but short time since it was feeble rivulet, struggling for it's exis- tence, through the rock and forest of savage violence, and dashing away in its career, the mounds of foreign tyranny. Seeing this nation, as we now do, in the Herculean strength of it's manhood, we know little of the trembling of the infant Hercules, in its cradle, when it stran gled the serpents of oppression and tyranny.
 Viewing, as, we now d0,e the extent of it's resources, the power of it's wealth, the increase of its inhabitants, and the manliness and wig our ofits government, we can know nothing of the trembling ofknee, and sinking of heart, which the patriots ofthe revolution felt, when they launched their little boat on the edge of the mighty cataract and propelled it with bro ken oars against the stream. It was haz- ardous experiment; without money, without credit, with no navy, with nc, regular troops, to rush into battle with a power, whose com merce covered the seas, whose navy knew no defeat, whose army had supplied the strength and the sinew of many an European victory: but our ancestors felt their wrongs, and they knew their rights, and trusting in the God of battles, they dared the conflict and conquered.
 But there are some, who nows hear my voice, who can realize this great change: men, whose heads are now beginning 10 Dc whiten- ed with the frosts of age, who, though in ten der childhood then, can well remember the agitation and the uncertainty of that eventfuf period. Yes there ares some now here, whose fathers anxiety and whose mothers sufferings are still fresh in their.memories who can we'll recollect the tear shed over the unsuccessful struggle; and who joined their infant voices, in the loud shout of tr- umph that sounded throughout the land. To such men, this fifty years retrospect must bring nought but pleasure. The progress of the country has been identified in their very existence :" they have grown with it's growth, and strengthened with its strength: :'' it is, to their industry, it owes it's wealth; to their perseverance,, it ascribes it's rank among na- tons; to their talents and character, it at tributes the commerce, the manufactures, the education, the responsibility, and the religion it possesses. Such men can sink contented- ly into the evening of life, leaving their coun- try's freedom and prosperity, the best legacy to their children.
 But there is yet another class still more in- terestinS in this retrospect: the actors in that arduous struggle, the few survivors of band that now sleep in the soil they defended.
 Soldier of '7e !-(if any such now hear my voice.) could you have seen when you fled before the pursuing enemy, over the plains of Jersey or when, after the hard fought Clay