Piney Woods planter. (Liberty, Mi. [i.e. Miss.]) 1838-1840, 1839-07-13
EoIIRTH OF lilly

AD~S"c gwen " AO0'O - OAAFEA"'
FELLow-CITIzENs:
We have assembled to celebrate
the event(ul period when our illustrious
ancestors declared their determination tc
be free and independent. Yes, Americans
that declaration, made at time, that
"tried the souls of men," and when their
integrity should be put to the test, pro
claimed to the world, that America would
be free. For many years our fathers re-
monstrated and petitioned the mother
country for redress ofgrievances too in
toIerable to be borne, and which they en-
dured with astonishing forbearance; when
finding all their remonstrances Intellectual,
they had recourse to the last alternative,
an appeal to arms; which, though COM
menced under the most inauspcious cir
cumstances, and prosecuted with various
success, under Washington, Warren, Mont
gomery, Marion, Hancock, Hamilton, and
their compatriots in arms, after many a
hard fought battle, resulted in the total
discontinue of the armies, sent to enslave
them, and proclaimed toan admiring world,
these United States are free and indepen-
dent. The charter of our liberties was
given to us by our fathers, at the point OF
the bayonet, and sealed with their blood
Let us hold il inestimable, and guard it
with circumspection. They formed con-
sttution which is the palladium of our lib
erty, and the noblest effort of political
wisdom; it preserves an inviolable securi-
| ty to the rights of every individual, and it
has less to deplore and more TO admire
than the constitution of any country un
der heaven; then how inviolable should
we hold this security of our freedom with
what jealousy should we watch any attempt
TO change it! for any innovation upon this
instrument of our safety and our rights,
would endanger the liberties of our coun-
try; may the brain be paralized that
would attempt it. For many years after
the revolution our country enjoyed almost
uninterrupted prosperity, and our increase
in wealth and population was hitherto UNI
paralielled; our commerce nourished in all
countries; new States and territories were
added to our republic; our credit became
established with foreign nations for pune
tuality and enterprise; and our country
increased rapidly in all the arts that EN-
bellish life. But, Great Britain, ever iea-
lous Of our rising greatness, which she
foresaw, would, in process of time, eclipse
her own, used every effort in her power to
retard our progress; she impressed our
seamen, treated our maratime force with
contempt, and even asserted that ''the
Americans were too contemplate to be
kicked into a war" We demonstrated
with the British Parliament against these
acts of oppression, but they treated US with
Indifference, and only added insult TO in
jury. A war insued, which was declared
in June, 1912. IT'S true, we were not
then prepared for war, we had tories and
aliens amongst us, as in the times of the
revolution; Il powerful minority in Con-
gress we're strongly opposed to it, and
even a Governor of one of the States as
serted in his message ''that it was sacri-
ligious to go war with Great Britain, the
bulwark ofour holy religion" Our coun-
try was beset with secret spies and ennis
aries; and Britain confidently anticipated
that war would occasion the annihila-
ton Of our navy, and the ruin of our re-
public. Our infant navy was small when
compared with that of the enemy, consist
ing only Of few frigates and sIoops Of
war; but with this small armament our
seamen performed astonishing feats of va
lor, often humbled the proud foe on his
iayorite element, and raised the star-span-
gled banner of our country over the bloc
dy cross of Britain. Our armies had to be
levied and organized whilst our internal
foes endeavored to arrest or retard our de.
signs. During the first campaign We were
unsuccessful, but the victories we after
wards gained at Niagara, PIattsburg, New
Orleans, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario and the
Ocean, taught the proud foe that they
we're contending with freemen, and in de-
spite of Hartford Conventions, Essex Jun.
tos and Blue Lights; we had our Brown,
jackson, Scott, Ripley, Gaines, Decatur,
Hull, Rogers, cambridge, and host of
heroes who often forced the British Lion
to crouch beneath the talons of our Amer
lean Eagle. The benefits resulting from
this war were Of the greatest consequence
TO the United States, it convinced our