Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-08-27
VOLUME XXxyI.---Eo. 3e.

paid the debt of Nature. The present year has wit.
hFsSru he innera procession and The solemn inter-
men OF he last general officer Of the Revolutionary
army. Soon loo soon, the same remark NAV be made
OF The last private the last survivor of tina, gallant band
OF united uncoted and unpaid conouerors in the
OF liberty Is our duty 10 their memories or the pre-
ssrvaton OF the glorious fabric they have raised by
their toll, and cemened with their blood 10 be forpot.
ten or neglected. Is The fourth Of July 10 cease 10 he
national festival OF the Republc' No! lustrious dead
No! Venerable and venerated living Such are no, yet
the descendants you have left and are 10 lea behind
you Your memories shall live fresh and green in The
hearts OF your countymen, while the proud agile YOU
have perched upon their standard shall soar above tho
earh and breathe the air Of freedom; and upon every
return OF this anniversary your names and your deeds
shall be recounted TO your Children and your cbildren's
children, To the latest generation Of Free sovereign
and independent people. The system of government
you lave established shall be guarded with the vigilance
OF devoied patriotism, and defended By the treasure ard
blood Q" those upon whom you have devo!Yed the duty
OF its preservation
Is there in this assembly who will no, cheerfuy
subscribe, with me- these solemn 10 our de.
parted, and departing, revolutionary fnthers'
How, then, shall We best improve this day. 10 secure
The tnihment promises solemn sacred deeply
interesting TO ourselves essential our poslerity
aud SO important TO the of civil liberty throughout
the world,
The richest tribute which the human heart can pay 10
the memory of The worthy dead, we cannot withhold =
The simplest mention Of this day, or Of that Revnu.
lion, causes our gratitude and admiration low out in
ration towards the yet living and scattered remnant Of
That band OF worthless. he feelings as inseparable
from the American heart The love Of liberty and the
pride of county 1t would be easy then for US to con-
sumo This day IN review of The heroic deeds the noble
daring, the patient endurance, the ardent patriotism
and unyieldng devotion 10 country and liberty of
that by gone race and aye. Transported 10 Lexington
we might listen TO the first voI!ey of which dcs-
poIism renlured 10 discharge upon assembled hcemen
we might there witness the first flow Of that warm
blood which washed the seal from the bond of our co.
lonla Dependence and left us free, sovereign and in
dependent people From that tragic beginning We might
follow our Washington, aud his companions in arms
through the years o trial and peril and suffering which
succeeded 10 the siege and capuation md surrender
al Yorktown, when The principal Southern army Of Tie
enemy, met The tate which had previously oycrlaken
his Northern army, upon the plains Of Saratoga. AZ
every step. in this long and bloody journey we could
not fail 10 find evidences Of enthusiastic devotion to
country and TO liberty before, and meyer since
surpassed-a devotion which became paramount to self;
sneSs, TO private interest 10 personal safety, To the
strongest domestic affections, TO every other feeling save
that of worshpul generation for Him, npnn whoGe JUS
tice the mos. confident reliance placed for proec
ion, delIverance and We should see every
aheTc the plough Standing still in the urrow, the water
Sastng from The mill the hammer resting upon The
vil The ep!ess families humby, but earnestly commit
ted 10 the keeping of their heavenly Father, and lhsr
earthly protectors rushing 10 the field of bloody strife
We should see The anrctIonae and faithful :te urging
her husband 10 hasten from her and their i,aa,s 10 the
deadly breach: We should The kind ard tender mo-
Their with her hands clothing her darling n in the
plnopy OF war, and charging him, the while the price
oi her future affection and favor strike CALAMITY and
endure patiently in that IN which The husband and
father had already fallen
These re!rospectiOns Of the virtues and self GeIa!s
and suerirgs OF former age, aud exercises like esa
could ia not upon tbs or any occasion, 10 touch
hearS, 10 elevate our PATRIOTISM to enghen love
OF country, and 10 make better c;liYens aud
watchu sentines upon the ramparts of liberty. But all
these scenes and events have been frequently and
much more "iv!dIy, painted to the whole American PEG.
Pl. than is IN The power of the present speaker 10 pre-
sent them nay, there under his eve, and compos
ing part OF his audience, historians, the venerable &C.
tors in The themselves who arc daily recountirr
them 10 lheiT assembled fellow citizens with power o.!
truth and force Of eloquence far beyond what he
can command, that The fresh and awakened memory of
every one of his hearers would keep far in advance of
any delinea,ion he might attenp,.
The military transactions THE RevoluuUn .Larefore
will be passed, with the respectful bot earnest, enreuy
that The memory Of hem derived from The sages who
have passed from the stage OF human action and from
those who yet remain, may be cherished and cultivated,
that the rein may be freely given TO the reflections exc
ed by their heartsrrng relations, and that when We
thus made TO and feel the price which paid
for independence, and our free institutions, we may
not forget that the preservation Of both is trust rapidly
devolvng exclusively upon US, by The departure 70
Their world, Of the last Of those who achieved The first by
the sword, and through their wisdom and forbearancc
and patriotism established the second and put them
into practical and successful operation.
Here then, is our trust, charge responsibility;
md can more appropriately improve occasion
like the present. than by such examination OF the CT.
vii history Of the American Revolution, shall be cal.
culaed 10 impress upon us the duties we have to per-
form and To point out, distinctly possible the dan
gers we should shun:
Our independence which had practically existed from
lis declaration in l77G, was made perfect by the treaty
Of peace Of 1888 with Great Britain It's continuance,
upon the liberal principles of government known 10
be entertained by the Americans, matter of
rous appre henscn many of the patriots who had Pc
ried their lives in the controversy, while painful doubts
and stubborn incredibly upon the subject divided
the remaining portions Of the civilized world Time aud
history howeve have put rest The slightest doubt
upon this point and have settled the fact, beyond the
possibility Of question: that the independence OF the
United States will endure just long the citizens OF
the Republic shall unediy will its continuance. No
well informed man, IN or out OF our country, can Tor
moment persuade himself that lie independence Of the
United States, nation, be brough. into danger
by any exeron OF force from any foreign powers,o or
combination Of powers now existing in lhe world
II there be danger, il mrst be internal. Are there
then internal dangers existence indepeEd
ent nation? Direct, and by force and violence, II IS be-
leved there none but indirect and consequential,
there may be many. "The price Of liberty is eternal
vigilance, and free government is 10 be maintained
only by the means which will preserve liberty itself
No earthly government be free from the internal
dangers to spring from The mperfctions The errors the
negIIgences and the vices OF governors and governed
free peope, then " no themselves The sovereign
mower the supreme authority Of The State, cannot make
themselves loo well acquainted with their cwn systems
Of government, or too frequently and 100 raay feyie"
the gr ound they have passed. mark The Indications OF The
present, and check such evil tendencies as may seem to
threaten the future.
It's believed 10 be common and prevalent error Of
our peope Of the present day 10 pay too little regard 10
the civil events of the American Revolution, as contra.
DISTINGUISHED from the military 10 consider hat Revou
tion as perfected at the termination OF bosiss and the
treaty Of peace rejoice with just joy, al the
Of our arms the great and fearful contest and TO
slider our present constitutional forms Of government
State and National, having followed, OF course and
as necessary consequences from miltai, success
II this belief be well founded, the error is OF evil ten
dency and its correction is essential 10 proper under
Standing Of national constitution, and Of the rights
and duties Of the citizens under il.
That casual observer from without, or casual and