Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-04-28
ELOQUENT EXTRACT.


The usual resort Of those who fail to produce
connection, IS TO Cypress and punish. Freedom
duly balanced and properly regulated, has no
oulwark, except in he intelligence of the peo-
pie; and all history Informs US, that political
aud religious moderation, must result from the
same source.
knowledge is powerful gave liberty to
Greece and glory to Rome: and their return 10
bar barism, was owing in great measure 10
the manner in which their love OF ,DeaHh and
pleasure, superseded thar Of Letters. Enslanf,
Germany, and France, owe their com paradve-
" late Improvements, and pal;;S:: generation,
20 the same and kindred causes. The princi-
pie, however, is most happily illustrated, in the
history Of the United States. But WITHOUT en-
tering into detail, in relation to this, or other
countries we would remark, that 1t is OF The
very nature, aud essentially beloags 10 the ge-
MUS Of the civil institutions of this country,
based upon the grand principles Of Religion, 10
impart knowledge 10 every class oil society,"
and especially, TO difuse 1t thro' the great mass
Of the people. All our established naarinS ot
legislation and jusispi udence, concede the RICH,
of private judgement and liberty OF conscience,
and hence The Importance Of informing the
mind of the multitude, aud promoting tntslsc-
tual in view Of moral culture.
Visit the classic, put profaned ruin Of Athens
and Rome--and ask the genius Of the pa e, or
The page of history, where is the freedom inn
norlalized by the philippines Of Demo stheues,
aod the ora,ions Of Cicero9 and the one and
6figr will answer-knowledge departed, and Ii
berty was -si!ed Polished Greece, therefore,
and imperial Rome, owed their distinction 10
Letters And what is il knowledge Cannot
achieve?-It has transformed the ocean into the
highway Of na,ions-S,eam, fire, wind and wave
all minister 10 the comforts and elegancies OF
ufe.-The cold and inseusb!e marh,e speaks
and hreatkes.-The pencil Of Raphael gives
body and soul to colour, light and Shade, "a"
magnet the mystt rinas P0u'1Iy OF tue ioaa>
stone, conducts man over the bosom 81 the
deem. 10 the islands Of The sea-while he glass
in,rodsces him 10 the Heavens, and kindles-his
aavo,,on amid the grandeur Of thousand
WORLDS.
Snendid indeed are the effs let's, that The names
aud productions Of few individuals, have re-
allied TO their contemporaries and posteilty.-
Instance Moses, Homer, Euclid, Columbus,
Luther, Bacon, aud Newton. The FIRST oil these
alone, has furnished incaCulabls millions win
The ohly authentic history oi ihe world Tor
,wenty-three hundred years. he second, as
,onishingly exemplHcs the effect OF learning;
The power of letters--Posseased oil unoonhaea
;nv.n,ion. the Epic spiendour Of his works has
never been equalled; 10 S"rpass. 'heir ota"'! anu
.nblimity would be impossible. Although he
details the fall Of thousands in the battle, no
,,.o or his heroes are wounded in the same
,ranuer His arrow is ever impatient 10 oe on
,be winr--and his weapon always thlrsts io'
blood. Every sentence is composed OF hV'nS
word, and teens with life and action! Poets,
,hilosophers, legislators, historians, actors,
aud heroes, have literally bren Created by TIE
sovereignty Of genius, and the power Of inven'
lion, aud the history Of a solitary Individual
From him Sparta aud Macedon derived Inc
love Of glory, and fwar; and from him, Athens
and Egvpt selected the models Of leain'ng ahu
GOOD Doetry IN him, the historian sought hi:
@uide-lhe philosopher his deience-the poe
BIS 6re-,he critic his rules-and the hero hi:
,ac,;cs. Had Homer never sung, therefore, th'
r.n,bIic ef letters would have been deptlvet
NJ much that's valuable in Iiterature-6t sin'
the siege Of Troy, and The wanderinss ot oiy
,es. The third produced work, on the essen
,ial clements Of Geometry, two thousand year
ogo. which has never bent to the inno'a anon
or improvements OF any succeeding age, ou
IN .he present day, stands unr'valied, as wor
Of A superlor merit and unprecedented pertec
ton.
The discoveries resulting from the nauti.'
sk;ll and daring adventure Of Columbus, haV
issued in the happiness Of past, present, an
unborn millions 1 he lasors OF Luther an
his coadiuiors under God, led 10 the emancip;
ton of religion and science, from the accurse
foils of ignorance and superstition througho.
the world. The Ferulamian, or Baconlan IN
losophy dissipated the impervious mist OF II
telleclual darkness which lowered over the M
lions for ages. While the Nrwtonian System
LAYING bare the phenomena of the Universe,
the discovery Of the principles OF univers
prayitation, and the composition Of light, r
c,simed our insulated planet from its unnat'
"a, repatriation, and gave i, its proper rar
and station in the great family of surroundir
worlds.
/, viii be perceived that what we mainly ii
.ist upon in this address, is the Ua.us OF lear
ing. Of variOus learning, in the formation
eh chs, and its importance in order to Il
individual happiness OF man, as well as the
nr6cial be airing it has upon the character a.
prosperity Of communities and ha"0"' '>