Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1837-09-07
WHOLE NO. 37S.


last 4lh of July. 1t is an admirable pro-
duction, breathing throughout spirit OF
lofty and fervent patriotism, and furnishes
ample evidence, that ihe intellectual
powers of the distinguished author are
vigorous and unimpaired. The high
moral tone running through the whole,
is worth the character Of the chrisiiao
81 atesman.
"Threescore and one years have pas@
sed away, since This Declaration was fs~
sued, and we may now Judge OF the tres
by it's fruit. 1t was bold and hazardous
step, when considered merely as the acs
Of separation Of the colonies from Great
Britain. Had the cause in which it was
issued failed, il would have subjected
every individual who signed Il 10 psint
and penalties Of treason to a cruel and
ignominious death. But, infexible 40
were the spirits, and Intrepid as were
the hearts Of the patriots, who by this acf
set at defiance the colossal power Of the
British empire, bolder aud more inlrepid
still were the souls, which, ut that crisis
in human affairs, dared to proclaim the
new and fundamental principles upon
which their incipient republic was to be-
founded. 1t was an experiment upo,
the heart Of man. All the Legislators OF
the human race, until that day, had LAID
the foundations Of all governme nj among
men in pomer; and hence it was, that, ~
the maXims Of theory, as well ms in the
practice Of nations, sovereignty was held
to be unlimited and ilimitable. The
Declaration of Independence pfocfaime6
another law. A law Of resistance n
gainst sovereign power, when wielded
for oppression. A law ascending the
tribunal Of the universal lawgiver and
Judge. A law Of right, binding upon
nations as well rs individuals, upon SOW
ercigns as well as upon subjects. BY
that law the colonist had resisted their
sovereign. by that law, when that re-
sistance had failed to reclaim him to the
rule of right, they renovnced him, ab~
lured his allegiance, and assumed the
exercise Of rightful sovereignty them
selves. But, in assuming the attributes
Of sovereign power, they appealed to
The Supreme Judge of the world for tHe
recttude of their intentions, and neither
claimed nor conferred authority to do
anything but Of right"
"On the seventeenth Of next Ssptenh~
ber, fifty years will have passed away
since the constitution Of the Cnited
States was presented TO the people for
their acceptance. On that day the
twenty fifth biennial Congress, rganized
by this constitution, will be in session.
And what happy, what glorious
career have the people passed tMough
in the half century Of their and your ex~
istence associated under it. When that
constitution was adopted, the states of
which it was composed were tn rteen
in number-their whole population not
exceeding three millions and kaR Of
souls; the extent Of territory within their
boundary so large that il was believed
too unwieIdy to be manageable, ever
under one federative government, but
less than one million of square miles ;
without revenue 4; encountered with a
hurdensome revolutionary debt, without
means Of discharging even the annual
interest accrning upon it; with no manu-
factures; with commerce scarcely less
restricted than before the revolutionary
war; denied by Spain the privilege Of
descending the Mississippi denied by
Great Britain the stipulated possession
Of line Of forts on the Canadian frontier;
with disastrous Indian war at the west |;
with deep laid Spanish intrigue with
MANY of our own citizens, to diane mbeF
the Union, and subject TO the DOMINION
Of Spain the whole valley Of the Missis~
! sippi; with a congress, imploring grant
| of new powers to enable them to redeem
the public faith, answered by a Hat re-
fusal evasive conditions, or silent con-
tempt; with popular insurrection scarcely
extnguished in this our own native COM
monwealth, and smoking into flame in
several other Of the states; with an Inn
potent and despised government a dis
tire ssed, discont ended, diseordant people,
and the fathers Of the revolution burning
with shame, and almost sinking into des~
pair of its issue. Fellow citizens Of .
later generation! You, whose tot It has
been to be born in happier times; .you,
who even now are smarting usder
transient cloud interceptmg the dazzling
sunshine OF your prosperity;-tbinh you
that the ne neil Of fs~cy has been bor-
rowcd to deepen the shades Of this dafk
and desolatc picture? Ask Of your sur~
yiving fathers, contemporaries of kis
who now addresses ycu--ask Of them,
whose hospi,sble mansions often vel
coined him to their 6resides, when hS