Southern telegraph., 1837-07-11

lao aH. This, then, j. oar inheritance, add
Tor this wc have reason 20 rCllicc.
IN casting our eyes back % he carly
histur, uruuv cuuutryaud viewing u thrngb
no its irving struggles and diversified dis-
nsieIs, from is origin 20 the establishment
of our Naliunal Independence, i. seems
more ike beautiful and thrilling laie o.,
rnn1ucc, han the sober reahiics Of history.
Ne huhalla few 6un and independent men,
leav,ng the homes OF their Youth m,3 tho
huryug place Of their Fathers, 20 seek lu a
few word an in far distant wilderness,
auuihor home for themselves ami their pos
lcrilv. Srmc of them were pranpicd "a
engage IN this perious enterprise tiomrious
motives and frpm n hnpe 10 enjoy that llb-
criv Of conscience which they wcie d nicd
In The cmutry Of their ancCStrs; while
others wore allurcd hy the novo'y If thc
undertaking or hchape gain. Privadins
which milh, have deferred eyca the stout
Observation-Disclosures at which tie spirit ct
enterprise might have laliorei--a and dan
uers al Which the buidcSt might have felt
alarm, had no tcrrors for these unlauTed
mcn, In despite Of every sacrifice and dis
enlargement, they arcurdnAy underlo ii
their VOYAGE across the A lmic, aud arrived
in mthe depth of winter upon s-oAnysharo.
Thre thousand miles now, from the land Of
their ancestors, with ~ all to rely upon
hui lhe God in whom they had trusted, a
iracklcss wilderness covered with snow,
stretching oul in gloomy aud iliimiii,l,o dis
tanre before lhnm, the horrors of flmiUe inl-
pending over them, and to complete the
catalogue of the difficulties, nm Iudien foe
to contend with, how appalling was the
prlspcct--hnw formidable and tcrtif; was
the drngers Of their situation. Bnihcy
met them with Eortitudc, anl cnAurea thcm
with patience and perseverance,; and at
last they succeeded, after years Of lah, of
privalion, aud Of bloody conflict, in eslal-
fishing themselves in comparative eonfor:
and Independence.
How often have somo If yoa. nv foIlaa-
citizens, gathered arouud tie evening s.
sides of yoir fathers, and slahod al
eager car anil with an Intense aud chi
interest 10 the chiyalne deeds and
daring exploits Of tie lissl @'I.eras ! If lk s.
mckv? The names Of Boone. Beld IIarrsal,
and Logan, call up 70 yoNr vivid GsncieFs
the sonl-siirFing incidents, toe intrepid
achievements, the fierce and desperate ca.
counters which belong to s'lhe dark aid bl0o-
dy grOund"-and yet. in c0mpaFis6n with
the first settlement IF Virginia and Aassa-
chusetts, il has more tho character II ro-
mantle and dangerous enterprise, than Tint
ofthe heart chilling expairiaiion of lhe faa-
fathers Of our country, their hopeless sepa-
ration from The world Of white nscsl, and lhe
gloomy sacriIice Of all that is dear 10 The
human heart.
Notwithstanding, however, the almost
insurmountoble difficulties, which the two
provinces Of Virginia and New England
had to en""mter, their numbers som he
gan to increase; Other colonies were estab-
Iishcd by new emigrations, and the cult
votion "f the soil not only yielded sufficient
for their own consumption, bat afforded
some for export. The various colonies
which in progress Of time were scattered
along the scacost, soon began to wear
an aspect of prosperity; and while the
planters wcro realizing tho comforts of
life, and the gradual ACCUMULATION Of prop
erty, they were able, by their contributions,
to add something to the rcucnuo of the
mother country.
As the condition of the colonies improv-
cd, the spirit and feelings Of the inhabitants
hocame more independent; and on the
o:hcr hand, we find from the very com
mcncomcnt Of the growth and prosperity Of
the colonies, a disposition was manifested
on the part of the mother country to tvran-
lzo over and oppross them. Commercial
restrictions, oppressive taxation, aud arb-
trAry laws, seem 10 have character zed the
policy Of Eng at an early period, of the
existence OF the colonies. b ut they never
were tamcly or quietly Submitted 10. When
the colonies scarcely numbered Il hlndfuI
of men, we sec them staining firth boldly,
and asserting their righ's, resisting oppres-
sion, and read to maintain at every hazard
the pnvil 'gcs which belonged to them. Ii
would atfrd a subject ~ less interesting
than instructive, 10 contemplate these coI,-
nies from the first moment Of their political
observe their spirit of free
dom in its infant statc--to sec their prnci-
pies unfolding as they adv0nce-and final
ly, to behold how these characteristic ulaIi-
ties which distinguish them in mature age,
were successfully acquired. BIT mus.
pass over many of the interesting events
connected with the early history Of onr
to those of period more mmodi-
ately connected with the glorious occasion
which has this dry called us together.
For some years previous to the broakiny
oat ofopen hosiiIitics between the colonies
and England, it is well known to yoA fell
lowcitzcns, That the former had been sub
jectcd to the exercise of arbitrary power,
and of almos. every species Of oppression,
until il became a burden too heavy to be
bopc. The particular aggression upon our
rights have been clearly set firth in the sa-
cred Declaration Of independence which