The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1838-07-21
AN GRAFTON.
BY Door. THOMAS W. MINER

Hail, auspicous day! consecrated to
National Independence and the Liberties of
the people!
FELLOW CITIZENS:
The annual celebration OF this day, by
every demonstration of respect and Joy, lar
from being mere pleasing and idle pastlme,
regard as amomentous duty which should
be cherished as matter of sacred obliga-
ton. Itnot only commentaries the deeds
of our fathers in defence of freedom, but it,
should also be considered as an annual re-
newal of the oath on our parton the part
of the whole people on the altar of liber-
", before Heaven and earth, of our un-
changeable hatred to tyranny--our undy-
ing respect for the wcrthies of the Revolu-
ton, who achieved for US the rich blessings
we enioy--and our firm resolve, live or die,
to defend the great cause Of popular rights,
assail them who dare, and come the danger
from what quarter it may.
Freedom is to be preserved only at the
price of eyer-waking vigilance. The free
nation that sleeps over its liberty, whether
from Incidence, fatigue, or luxury, reposes
like the strong man in the lay of betray-
ing harlot, and will assuredly awake shorn
OF its strength, and be made to grind iii the
prison house of tyrants. Arouse we, then,
fellow citizens, now and every succeeding
Fourth of July. Meet together and renew
your vow of fidelity to popular rights.
Teach your children the glorious lesson.
Let the cannon thunder i'll the morning; bid
Your bells at noon ring out peal for liber-
ty; let patriotism cheer the night; let hllarlty
and Joy prevail through the day; let at every
meeting some one be delegated to speak in
the cause, advert to its origin, and discuss
some topic that may advance the object to
which the day is cons ecrated.
stand here this day by your favor as the
advocate of popular rights. Such was the
stand our fathers took at the Revolution.
We were colonies of Great Britain; they
thought to make us slaves, they asserted
the right to tax us without our consent; they
proclaimed the power to make laws binding
us in all cases whatsoever. These estab-
lished, what would there be left? These
points yielded, every thing would be held
in America, life, property, and reputation,
at the will Of master, War or slavery
was the alternatives; and our fathers nobly
preferred war, as many their sons ever do,
rather than submit to be slaves. You all
know the story of the seven years contest.
Britain poured her thousands and her tens
of thousands upon our shores, armed, dis
ciplined, well fed and well clothed. The%
denounced us as rebels, and let loose the fell
demon of war to devastate the land. The
fire was kindled at Lexington and Bunker's
Hill, and spread far and wide. We
suffered deeply, but the enemy found it no
holiday parade. Wherever the tyrants
struck, the sons Of liberty gave blow in
return. Thus may it ever be-. Deeply,
deeply, we suffered. Numbers, organiza-
tions discipline seemed for moment to give
the ascendaucy to the enemy; and the mem
orable winter campaign of rs, in the Jer-
seys, cannot be too often recalled. Literal
ly the soldiers of liberty marched their way
over the frozen earth with blood from their
naked feet. There was patriotism worthy
your emulation. The cry of victory rose
from all along the British lines; they said
we were beaten it was all over. The
immortal Father of his Country, in that
hour of gloom, conceived and executed the
glorious enterprise against the enemy al
Trenton, and afterwards at Princeton. He
re-kindled the beacon fire of hope in every
bosom in the land. Six hundred Hessian
mercenaries laid down their arms, and the
proud Lord Cornwallis, with his red coats,
was driven back to New York The
rising spirit of insolvent Toryism was re.
buked, and confidence was restored through.
out all the country. 1t is not my purpose
10 90 thro' the whole of the war to its glori-
Gus termination at Yorktown, though full
of interesting matters for reflection; but
advert to this winter campaign of l770, as il
teaches this instructive lesson-that those
engaged in the best cause may be sorely
pressed, but that fortitude and spirit will
eventually trumph-and to draw the con-
clusion, pertinent to the topic selected foI
This days discussion, that the patriot, while
engaged in the Just and generous cause ol
popular rights, should never despair
The war over, divisions arose among
ourselves. 1t was natural. 1t was inevita.
bic. Many thought the form of the British
government, with its king, and hereditary
peers, and its church establishment, were
well enough, only that in the case of Ameri-
ca it had been badly administered. Wealth
asked to perpetuaie itself in family establish
Inenis. With the very considerable degree