The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-06-29
From the Rochester Freeman.
The Ma tionaI Anniversary.

Our citizens are manfesting praiseworlhy en-
gagedness to celebrate, in proper way, the ap
preaching fourth of July And we regard, with
much interest, the question, what is the proper
way of celebrating it?
Civil freedom is the offspring of religious truth
1t is also its most efficient guardian and is there
fore, worthy the anxious and unremitting vigil
lance of its parent. 1t is indispensable to the mos
perfect development of our intellectual faculties
our social affections, and our moral sense. This
development is the proper object of all true rei.
glon, because it is the means appointed by the
Author of our being, to promote His glory, and
exalt our own dignity and happiness.
Our ancestors thought civil freedom essential
which they were debarred in their native land.
And they encountered the most appalling dangers,
and privations, and suferings, for its enjoyment
They fled from ecclesiastical tyranny to be sure
but ecclesiastical tyranny was dreadful to them,
only as it was countenanced and abetted by the
civil power. Backed by that, it was indeed for
midable 1t could prohibit the peaceable and the
conscientious from assembling together, and COM
muning, as they thought right, upon subjects Of
the highest concern to all and could deprive them
Of their property, liberty and lives if they were
disobedient. This was the tyranny which they
regarded as intolerable, and which they resolved
to escape. They did escape it. And their de.
scendants, after many painful and numerous tri-
ais Of blood, have established, in the land to which
they fed, religious and civil freedom.
But how have they established it! By forbid
ding every earthly dctation on religious subjects
and by the constitutional exclusion, on all sub
jects, of every human authority which does not
come from the will of the people, and is not de-
signed for their improvement and happiness
This establishment public, solemn, and efficacious
as it was designed to be, in the government of an
enlightened powerful, and growing community
is the most important result in relation to govern
ment, hitherto achieved by the collective wisdom
of man. Towards its achievement our national in
dependence was essential and its deliberate pub.
lie declaration, the wsest, bodest, and most hero
c measure.
Let that declaration, then, be annually COM
memorated by all who enjoy its benefits. Let it
be commemorated, with united minds and gener-
Gus emotions, socially, civy, politically, and re-
ligiously. Let all the people who approve of the
free principles which it contains and the free in.
stitutions to which it led, be countenanced and en-
couraged, in meeting together with gratitude and
thanksgiving to God, to recount and consider and
impress upon their own hearts, and their chill
dren's hearts, the tolls, the privatons, the dan
gers, the conqnests, the prudence, the dsinterest
edness, the wisdom of their Fathers, who made
the declaration, and sustained it, and directed il
TO- such glorious issues. Let the fourth of July
forever be devoted especially to political recollec
tion, consideration, and hope.
Those who made the declaration of independ
ence, thought religion would approve it and ap
peaed to heaven for the purity Of their Intentions
Did not religion approve it? Were not their in,
tentions pure Did not Jehovah nerve their arms
liz battle, and give them the victory, and thereb,