Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-07-15
GRAFTON,
&ly 6, 1859.

Delivered in Dunfiiss, on The 4h Of Juiy, 1899,
me .DeerSri'qoG IfHaAtaHtiteeaHu vrrc navIup
been read, by Mr. RarcLrFFs, Mr.. WASHING
TON then rose, and delivered the following
Speech:
II is with sentiments Of very uufeignetl diff
dence, aud With deep conviction Of my ina
bility 10 discharge, properly, the important
task assigned me by my friends Of ,he Henryan
Debating Socie'y,-more especially, after the
interesting, aud eloquent display you have Just
Witnessed that here rise, fellow cilizens 10
address you, in celebration aud comm Inora,ion
Of the Anniversary oil our Independence: tha,
glorious event, which has this day summoned
US from our private avocations, and with one
heart and one accord, brougb, together on
this occ aston, to offer up a sacrifice Of patriotic
devotion at the Altar of Liberty: that has fill.
ed US with dcvout desire, 10 inhale the refresh,
lug and wholesome air which btealhes It's vital
influence through and around the sacred shrine.
To invoke blessing from the s. AIDES &C the
illustrious Martyrs TO freedom, of whatever
eli ne or naron-Of the brave, who Sleep in
The sacred fields Of Marathon and OF Thermo
py T.; The Ham2deus, the Warrens, ,ht Mont
gCmerys, and the thousands and tens Of thous
ands who, like them, have righ,eously pershes
in freedoms cause; To awake from their /, an
spiriIess faculties in awakening, and keeping
alive, within our bosoms, that love, which our
present great theme so naturally inspires. And
while in so doing, it must needs greatly warm
our Gecvour, and heighten our emotions, to re-
fect, thar the bright al'ars Of Liberty, through
out our smiling land are, a. this moment, blaz-
ing with the sacred offerings Of rejoicing free =
men, and that our own spirits are comingling
with theirs in the general sacrifice.
Hook around me;-withn the spacious walls
Of this judicial temple, dedicated to the cause
Of free and enlightened jusrice,-and behold
90 audience, in which intelligence, BEAUTY, re-
finement and moral worth, are offering a listen.
ing ear 10 the well meant efforts of the feeble
and i'll qualified speaker, who now Claims its
attention. And IL must, Of necessity, be with
intense and ineffible feelings of interest and
pride, tina, we exhibit, 10 glaring contrast, the
condition Of the spot on which we are now as
semblcd compared 10 that in which il was
]iiile more than century ago. Al thar time
aud, perhaps, for hundreds Of ages before there
was nothing here 10 greet the eve but an uucal
tivated and shadowy waste-inhab,ied only by
reptile, beast and bird, and the scarcely less
unreclaimed and vagrant savage Of the forest
A dreary and ar broken shade was spread abroad
upon our hills and our valleys; and mind mo-
raj and nleiles lua no less than external nature,
profoundly slept in the dreadful gloom Of SUI
perstition, 6epravity and ignorance.
IL has ever been The custom Of social man 10
assemble, and either az stated or irregular in.
tcryals, 10 celebrate, with sacrifice, with mill
t,ry pomp, with historical reci,als, with juoi-
lee or with song, the remembrance of great,
and, more especially, of national events; all
the faculties Of his nature have been brought
into requisision for this purpose. The Poet,
the Orator. The Sculptor, the Painter, the His
toSian and The ehilaaonher has each, sipaly