The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1839-06-13

me emo 81 the fsnguinafy c0ntesi Tor I'm
cry. and amid the most appalling Diff
eulIles, they ever esineed The sane intFe-
pid courage. and immosable eonslsney.
The influence Of their fearless exam
pie. perysded ell ranks of society; and
our part Of The State became pfoserbi-
al foT lie ardent devotion Tn the con-
mon eause-a reputation Which IL nobly
sustained until ihe great object Of The re-
solulion was achieved. But that innu-
ence was not confined 20 our section Of
the stale. II diffused itself Ear and vide;
IL decided the fate Of the Wing cause in
North Carolina. The lukewsrm were
confirmed: The bold encouraged. Coun-
~ committees and associations were
formed throughout our borders. in which
every effort Vas made, and pledge given.
10 maintain and hand down, unimpsir-
ed. the just rights and privileges Of The
people. mo state was more fixed or
iorw ard" The Pfosinri.l Congress Of
North. Carolina. on the 18th April. l776,
was the FIRST organized. deliberaiise az
sembly under the authority Of the state
governments. that recommended the de.
elarasion Of American Independence
The Mecklenburg declaration was the
fret link in that great chain which lermi-
mated in The establishment Of our nation
al freedom. Our state, however, much
as she may have been neglected in ihe
history Of the times. was The first 70
put the Ball Of that Independence in
motion; and amidst all The embatrass.
: ments and dislresses by which she was
encompsssed, no state msinlained the
. Wing cause Of that day with more s,ea-
diness and integrity OF purpose. with
more ability in council and slacriiy in
: the field.
: Suffer me here 10 say. my friends.
s that although our state nav not. with .
= false ambition and overbearing vanity,
e have blszoned forth her praise 10 the dis
s psrsgement Of her sisters. none have sd-
n hered with more rigid consistency 10 the
9 free principles she was the first 10 pro-
a claim. No state 10 blessed with better
u constitution. There is no state where
q The laws, tempered with mercy, are adj
Il minis.ered with more ability. justice and
u imparlislty; where licenliousness is more
J. deiesied and avoided |; and where the
o people better understand and practice
Il upon The principle. that true liberty
% consists in . willing obedience 10 Just
;, and equal laws and restrictions imposed
l. by themselves. In short, no state, that
'e has jusier and higher preiensions 10 all
Is the attributes that dignity and ennoble a
e. moral. religious and law-abiding peo.
Ut pie.
0. Fellow-Ciiizens: We have derived q
I'd grateful joy in the contemplation Of the
c. event we have this day brought 10 our re-
&c membrane: shall we not also learn wis
D. dom from the same source! We should
10 never suffer occasions like The present
b. TO pass unimproved. "His,ory is phi
s. losophy, teaching BY examples" Il is
Of good policy often 10 recur 10 purer and
Of better times. Let Us. then, initiate the
he example. and emulate the virtues Of our
IN ancestors. We may never be compelled
I'd TO make another declaration OF indepen-
n dencs under similar circumstances. That
a. is an epoch that can happen but once in
es the life Of republic. Yet still We have
'ir duties to perform. We have need 10
n guard The gift, and improve the legacy
y, bequea,hed TO Us by the blood and virtu-
m GUS in1epidiiy Of our forefaihers. Liber-
sc ~ is 10 be preserved, only by the prac-
IT. lice OF the virtues by which IL was OBJ
d. tanned. Our forefaihers were watchful
10. OF The first invasion Of their rights, were
es prompt, bold, disinterested. and perse-
he vering in the execution Of the great trust
er committed to their keeping. and in re-
D sis.ing the tyranny Of unconstitutional
IN oppression. Lei us, also. initiate their
Of vigilance, their prompti,nde. their disin-
in terested patriotism, their boldness and
1t consistency in preserving. improving. and
e. transmitting, unsdultera,ed, 10 af,er times,
OF the blessings, civil and religious, they
I'd have bestowed upon Us.
IL They also understood The nature OF
o. their rights. as well as exhibited the cour-
III age to defend them: They fell that vir-
Of tue and intelligence are proverbially tho
re pillars Of a republic : and that vice and
te degenerscy are the offspring Of Ignorance.
ir Lei Us, too. cherish virtuous love OF
Il. country, and let knowledge reach every
Id home. These are the foundations q
10 our greatness; these the grounds Of our
be hopes.
e. But there was one peculiar character.
OF issic OF the times Of the revolution,
d! which il would be criminal 10 omi. %
re- notice, on this interesting occasion.
o. sllude 10 The spirit Of reliance on Divine
~ Providence for protection and success,
o. which pervaded the public acts Of thai
oil even.ful period. That spiri. is seen il.
. Eliminating the pages of The declaration
he we have this day celebrated. and may
a be Witnessed. shedding i,s benign in
ed fiaence, in mos. Of The public records
e, and documents OF our revolutionary time.