Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1839-07-25

our birth. before u is Guceesded BY tho
lamentations Of sorrow a our funeral.
Adopt thsn, tho maxim Of great aud
good man. aud put not OF Tor tomorrow
what yon eau do to-day" And whsr
you have availed yourself in ruth and
sincerity OF the advantages .hus proasred.
you sill not only be prepared TO Withstand
tho trials incident 10 Mortality. but 10 sp-
pear without fear or apprshsasisn before
the bar of that God, to whom all truth is
but one idea, duration al unit. Eternity
point.
Dot although The advantages snd Bless
ings which such an Insiiiuiioa is calcuia-
ted to bestow are innunerable. yet % this
Day Is ono which interests US not only as
men and christians. but as patriots, IL
Will mol be out Of place for me. upon such
al occasion, 20 select at least one from iha AZ
many TO show by its direct come xion
with ;h. stability Of our political fabric,
that il extends ITS benign influence mol
only 10 the Individual as a part, but to
the country as whole. True liberty,
Like true eloluenee. 10 founded on the
most elevated moral sentiments aud is
incompatible with any other,-henee as
"a elevation Of The moral sentiment is
ono ei the most promineat effects Of such
an lnsiiiuuoa when brought TO bear upon
the human character, IL Indirectly furni.h.
es the very eisments OF our existence rs
\ naticn.
But, my friends. while urging Il upon
others. have We ourselves nb,bed the
principles inculeated by IL? have we sub.
rui.ied 10 moral legislation from any
source Have We adopted the spirit an
assumed the virtuous sharscter Of those
Industrious men, our forefslhers. whose
suGriings purchased our freedom and
whose wisdom laid the broad foundations
Of our political super,Iuetare Have
We Unlisted tho immortal WAsHiscroN
IN his si,irt morally. his enrolling pa
'rio,ism, his derout love Of country p
Have We proved ourselves worthy the
caro- ct him who was FIRST in war, frs,
in peace and frs; in tho hearts OF hi,
counirymen:" OF him who was as Qrea,
IN goodness az no was good ia g,e.,ness ;
OF hun who was To livins personihca-
ton OF tho Purest, the sternesi, the mosi
dispassiona,e. thu most sublime republi-
eanism9 My friends, a. sfFirm alive 10
such queries, | wish | could conseien
tiousiy cry. Ais Well" But the
truth is, and it cannot ba disguised, there
was tternnefs, an inhexibii,y. and an
elevation in the political virtue OF the
days OF Washington. which DO not belong
TO thu present period. The parties OF
our day resemble these Of his day, but in
their professions. They have now in.
scrised the magic words Democracy. !"
Equal Rights, Reform" SC, upon
their respective banners, while many OF
each may DO recognized as those exclu.
sivs "hiends Of the people" Who desfsn
Us with their self.proclsimed virtues and
obstTeferoui humility, when there is q
serainbls for a place in the Common
wealth. Whose only conception Of Do
pulsr Government seems 10 DO, as Of a
great State Lottery, for the distribution Of
Offices 10 INDECENT partizsns. con.
sldering every means IS juslifiAble 10 the
pursuit Of such an object, mako il then
business to inflamo every Temporary ex.
element, TO comply 9Th every vulgar
prejudice, to suppress truth, 10 propagate
isiishood: who adhere to no party tha
IS net triumphant, cringe to every msiori
iy thai is fully ascSTtsined. and sacrifice
without scruPle. 10 promote the ends o
some worthless popular lie ldeT, the etcrn
principles OF justice, ioc. and Hbcrfy =
But however our honest Indignation m nv
DO excited at such degeneraey. Yet let "
offer NJ the Iiacerssi tributes Of our com
mendaiion 10 the purity OF that eallie
race whose unworthy defendants We
afe. For when the sublimest virtueI
cease 10 be ideal. when they become in
eorporA'ed IN human character, aud illus
tra1ed IN human conduct, wo should b,
falIe TO our own nature did we moi ia
dGlgo in tho spontaneous slTusisns Of on
gratitude aud our admiration. Nay, NOR,
there IL moral sub!imity in the char
AetcT OF that day, to the Just contsmpla
| ton Of which We should slerale ourselves
and upon which We should tx our alien
ton until it transforms Va into it's owl
image. and inspires Us with all that va
pure and virIuous AID holy in tho peTlec
ton Of its beng.
Bot it may be asked, Why, although
this Day IS our eounty's Birth pa,
a1d calculated 10 draw iosIh my eenti
meats va patriotic channel, Why ] hav,
GeViatej so much from the easily defnct
duty OF an advocate FOR Religious In
slItutioB, as 10 examine upon the occa
sion Of rs celebration. the former ans
present sspec: Of tho pcliticsl world,
! subject apparently so remote from tho lie
OF that duiyl Bat my friends, this il ,
mistake, have no, been iranssTessinr.
have been bot fulfilling my duty 70
IS the form Of Government is bit an im
age Of the character OF tho citizen, an,
a. the inmora! man eq1Hoi be o rood Ct
lizen, and % from such premises The de
duclion Is fair that the degenersev Of N,
whole. may be attributed to deGsiere,
Of the moral Education Of iis constituents
surely, surely, cannot be more lai,hfull,
aeiiny my part 80 sn advocate, than b,
proelAimIng as powerful corrective o
such = defect, the object Of my advocacy
Aud such my friends IL Is; lei the prinei
pies Of Knowledge and Of holy and re
Vealed Truth, rs Taught by the Amssies,