Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1826-09-05

pcndeuCe. Little DAD thlub, UiIc'tl, Nih'ot tOUuu !
the festive board, that jnyfai offering the
strongest testimonial, of t"Ga;d o! reverence, and OF
love IL these venerable sages,-that they had bid
long and las, farewell and were, at that moment, wing
ing their To u world of spirits. Wonderful, m,s
terious awful coincidence! IN do look 10 'e
Annals of huI,ia 10y FOR another compare with H.
Its great and sublime picture for ourselves and Our
Children to contemplate. II may be regarded III iact
the seal of divinity stamping alike with iinnorta
Il, our liberties and their departed authors We still
enjoy those liberties, my coun'TIH:e" let us not Tor
get the friends who gave them act their names and
their deeds descend fom generation to generation
until the commissioned Angel "sha!l put foot ON
the earth, aud the other foot the sea- and i up iis
hand aud car, that tame shall be n, i,nger."
To pretend 10 ichncate, with any degree of accu-
racy, the peculiar traits OF character the incStima
bic services of such men, JrfFEFsCN and ADAMS,
would be unnstruCtivc yUu. for me would be
difficult and p,esumng. The history OF their actions
fe,c " it'll evidences OF thcr mGtlycS,has long
been indeliby written your hcarts;-and has cxh
bied In the world, models OF pure heHevoenCe, and
self created greatness-oquaed only III .'te father of
his country ''-''abOve all Greck,-ahuvc all Roman
praise" How vain, then, would be tic essay, 10 rcca>
ptu!atc ticir deeds, enumerate al the which
were concentrated in the bosoms ofthesc eminent
How much more vain the attempt, place their cha
rac,crs in favorable light, than that in which
you wont TO view them.
Bat If | cannot instruct I--or shed anv addition
al usire the attributes of men, whose everlasting
lame nec's not the aid OF euloe comprehensive
view Of their tves and qualities, may awaken many
grateful feco'lec,ons snj perhaps prove incentive
TO initiate their virtues, II emulate their public
services Influenced hv these considerations every
celebrated nation of antiquity nourned over The unbs
OF The patriots and heroes who c>ab;ishodo pFeserv
Cd the Institutions of their country ana act poll
tc--as well as iljal part following ii.ci. example.
JEFFERSON and ADAMS patriots, in the
most unlimited and exalted sense Of The word From
the first dawvu5 of manhood. the very Instant OF
dissolution, thry were distinguished by every quail
~ Which characterles the great, the wise and the
good. iheir history Is the history natiun--pre-
seni!ng one conlinucd chap Of mruifceut and noble
acts Like their immortal companions w ashne ton,
franklin, Samuel Adams, Henry, Hancock, Lee, and
host OF oihershey lived for tlcir country, not for
themselves and every Of protraci ed exs
tencc earth, zealD,isli eyued TO the welfare of
ier species 10 vndicaie the rights of the oppressed
anu 10 elevate man 10 the high al raall ao. led TO
him by his Creator the darling ambition of their
souls and gailany p!edyng themselves for IFS achieves
ment every faculty Of thcir stupcndous minds was OK
cried with Zea! and which no blrrer Couil
successfully resist Lucid anl determined in t,,oi
N'e'vs,-t'ey descended 10 narrow poicy-no Graf
" iianiiaIiineuts-no unlaliowed means--to advance
Their popularity, CT 10 aggrandize their fanc;-but risk
ca "iF fortunes Their populations, and their existence,
10 redeem people from Colonial honlaee and TO nm
hold them in their we'll earned freedom.
So many and striking are the condolences in their
lives, ana 50 cmneny they seryiceable TO their
country, at shall find but It;!e occasion to senaratc
tIc'n iHG!r des:inics we're should be their
cnirgieS.
They we're c!rcatcI IL tie most G.a.;!:ag i,stitu
1ns IN ;heir respective States and each was ionoreh
Nth the highest rewards that this Alma Mater could
es'pw. Equally endowed with minds of the most un
OF KNOW ledge That could reuder them useful citizens
or agreeable companions, they rose while vet in the
bloom OF life, 10 the first order of scholars philosophers
anu statesmen Both directed their attention 10 the
science of Law-aud both became, at an early perod
the brightest ornaments of their professions Before
'hey had attained tic agc, at which the Judgment is sup
posed to be ripe, tey valuable and couspcuo,ls
members of their respective Colonial Legislatures and
by tier spirited opposition to the oppressive measures
o. tne mother country, provoked the resentment of the
Royal Governors, and the persecution of the slaysh
thrpo tory
nor battery, could wean them from the cause they had
espon5od They persevered with undauDtcd spirit and
gradually prepared the people for the awful conflict
"hcf lew penetrating minds bad long fo eseen must
be the result OF the weak and wicked policy pursued by
the mother country. To use ;Ic words of Mr. Adams
"britaO had been filled with folIv and America with
WISDOM The most si! and orators had been
pcnsoned by their government, TO bewdcr the reason
vi hgii'hi'en; and to induce the belief that taxation
without representation was no tyranny-that the mo-
theF Country possessed unlimited control over the
lYes and fortunes of her colonial subecs-and that all
America flied with degenerate race of BEINGS
But Winnie doctrines like these gathering strength
on the ocr side OF the Atlantic the people of America
were na''y becoming more and more enlightened The
wisdom "' Jefferson and Adams and their able asso
ciacs, was penetrating the minds of their conrvnen
--arorsing them from the legarlIIy of abuaI snbmis
Scn--teachng them the unaenabe rights Of man and
Urging the mPcous obligation OF claiming those rights
al Inc expense OF their blood. Jefferson was an Epa-
hino"das IN The Southland Adams Pelopidas in the
I'oIu II they gathered laureIs on the crimsoned
held OF baIie still the siniIituIe is good. They were
the asler spirits Of the moral rcgeneration-tle i'm
Pulse tba moved tic colonies TO resistance-tie bands
that bound the feeble rods together-the bone and 81
new of the nations strength.
When | speak thus of Adams and Jefferson think
not, my fellow citizens that 10 deract from the
glory, or the nca0e services Of your imrota IV,sb
In2iou Mol would place another wreath on his
brow, II ! Thought that LEAF of tie one which he
wears, could yield TO the trosts Of million of ages
The tongue that would dare 10 ,epTess him no onper
tEIst5 Ills fame IS beyond the reach of dctiactou-
hud IN all tI1e 10 come faithful history will award hin
ms Fanii- FIRST IN war; first in peace first in the hearts
OF his countrymen.n
Bnt Jefferson and Adams live next in our affections
ana have claims upon gratitude as strong as those
oi TIER ustrious compatriot.
"meo ne Clouds winch had long been gathering |
over the heads cf our fathers W. ere fy
ana at iast condensed into torrents OF oppression cru
r!iy and dcath-Jeiferson and Adams were called o
NE Congress OF the United Colonics-and, with con-
fjence and Roman frmness, that INSPIRED all arn,nd