Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1832-03-01
Prom ass YIncisary Rrpassoaa.
Dtlivcred IN the Episcopal Church.. Wiaehc,iu.
Febrssty e,f, fs3s, by youn- n & ,s~xx =.

.f'abAsfcei 81 Ie21eS. Of tse comsicr Of ug,sf.p,
n~r'ts.
Frieads and FtlIsgr. CsG-rns-Tb- d,v nm
which we arc assr as.iei has been eoaseers.
ted, by iS general CONSENT Of the American
rrop'e. 10 historic recollcctions, and 10 the
aiscoss.on ct topirs which relate 10 the pub.
&c veal, our IRE institute AIMS, or the liberty
"sd happiness Of the human race. The os-
din1ry pursuits OF life ere st a stand. the
'aunts OF business arc deserted, iDe balls cf
Legislation arc closed, the noise Of political
s'rac Is hushed. and ayAricc ADD ambition
have ceased. Tor moment. from, their end.
less toll The thuudcr OF artillery has m.
nounced from Maine to Fiorids, frnm the
frontier of the 90 est 10 the shore. OF the At
Isn,ic, iha, an epoch has ssrived iu the histo.
~ Of tho republic.
century Of years hiss rolled by since the
euspicious day which gave the most pcrfec,
man that history ielis u to his country ana 40
mankind On the hundredth snnivcss.ry Of
the Birthday Of Washington. our free insii.
buttons retain their pristine vigor, and ue
have assembled To do honor to the memory
OF h'm, who, more than any other, deserved
To be called their founder.
TX Is a proud thought. my countrymen. thai
fbose institutions do indeed flourish in All
their pristine vgor. II il an elevatiny ref,ec-
ton that arc have faisified the sinister predic.
tions Of Europe, and vindicssed, in the eyes
81 all the world. the capacity Of the people
Tor scif-governmeni.
When our independence had been achiev.
cd. the politicians Of Europe foretold that
our democratic liberty would spee dily degen.
crate INTO icentiousness, that lcentiousness
would lead TO anarchy. and that for the in.
tolefahle evils OF anarchy TO remedy would
be found but the ruthless domination of the
sword The experience OF half century
has shewn that their plausible and fiue.spun
theory was but ",he stuff that dream, are
made Of" II IL now the fiftie,h yesr since
our Independence was achieved, and .seyery
man stitch under his oNn vine aud his own
ms uee' and there v none to make him a.
fraid."
The same politicians ,riumphap,Iv contrast.
ed. With the feeble and to,,esing democrs.
ciesof America, the proud stability OF their
own monsrchical institutions Half of the
thrones OF Europe have been overturned
since the boast was uttered; while our poIit.
zeal edifice, mistaken by the storm which
toppled down the lofty towers Of roy,l,v-
resting on the broad foundation OF the reo.
pies love--stil resrs It's head aloft. The nv
ramids OF Egypt remam--the palaces of her
pharaohs and her Ptolcmies have mopldered
in the dust.
But the union Of the States, which they
pic OF their derision. And yet, that rope of
sand, through the blessing OF heaven, Is still
unbroken. The star-spangled banner. the
emblem OF that union, is still unfurled in eve
~ sea; IL still waves triumphsntly-may We
not proudly say it," DER the land OF the free
and the home Of tue brave" May no enyi.
Gus clouds interpose between the stars Of that
bright consteilation--may they she'd their
kindly radiance forever on each other. So
shall the dearest wish Of the father Of his
country be accomplished.
IL WAS the fond and cherished hope Of his
patriot soul that the union of these State,
might endure forever, il was his political
creed that our liberties would not long sur.
vive IL. From the commencement OF the
war which FIRST united the people Of the va
rious colonies in common purpose, the ex.
pansive patriotism of Washington embraced
them all. With him they were all Amer.
cans, countsymen, aud brethren. Through.
out his long career of greatness, as n soldier
aud statesman, his character was marked by
no other trait 30 distinctive and peculiar az
this. And when he finally retired to the
shades Of Noun, Vernon, 'by all a nations
wishes bles,,' re poured out his soul in ear
nest and sfcctionate exhortations to his
countrymen TO cherish the union Of the
States rs the ark of their safety, as the pslla.
dunn Of their liberties.
Blessed. thrice blessed, be the memory Of
George Washington, the great and the good,
hero, statesman. patriot, benefsctor Of the
human raee!-And his memory ,cas blesed,
and embalmed IN q nations tears. Never.
no never, shall forget the shock produced
by his sudden death on those vbo lived a.
round him, and knew him best, and there.
fore loved him most. Greater grief was not
In Israel when their 6rst.born we're slain by
ruthless tyrant; "when voice was heard in
Hama, Ismentaiion and weeping, and great
MOURNING" Business, and social pleasures,
and private griefs, were ell alike forgotten
Men hurried 70 and fro. and saw grief and
considerations in each others faces, and spoke
not. Tears rolled down the rough end fur.
Towed visages of aged men, and the sports Of
childhood itself were abandoned amid the
universal gloom. Americas best and great.
esd vas dead, snd . nation moUrnrd
Think not. my couniFymeD, thzt have ex.
aggerated the claims Of Washington 10 the
lore and veaeraiion Of mankind. when have
called him the benefsetor of the human race.
Had he done nothing else 10 deserve The title.
he bad earned il by teaching ambition a iof-
tier and iruer flight than il had ever known
before. No example can be found, in the
previous history Of mankind, Of such q vol
untsry Aad cheerful and total surrender q
poNess dtsii0cuon, and emOlument, - thal
which was made by Washingioa, IT the Close
OF the War OF the Revoluiion AZ the head
Ot victorious arry--the dol of ,hst arwy
and the tsvofiie OF the American people. h
not only summed the viigar path Of great
ness which victorious generals had tTod n
other days, bu' turned bis back on fhe leRiii
mate polttiesi distinctions which gtatefu
people you'd have bestowed on him. n,
vulgar hast Of poser W9s blended With b.
high ambition. Sic descended inso the rank
Of pfigaie lte, himself ~ 30 mankiad ~.
least sensible Of the nnofal sublimiiy Of lhr
act.
The acclamsiiOns 81 che civilized wofl,
snnoaaesd tbst = new pslbfo glory bad brsu
discovered. Soaring ambition learned frou
h'a tbss - noi,--ihOugh the most gifled q
poe'ahaa said H---thai q il not the pride
ponpfsnd Circumstances 81 giorioos var. tha