The native American., 1840-07-04
INDEPENDENCE DAY.


Sixtv-four years ago, this day, oeed was
ne that made nations wonder, and the world
ohake. On this day, sixty -four summers past
crowned heads hung loose, and poten'a'es
feared. The day for which loud nou'hea
cannon now speak with joy, was then, IN SOL
emn and rightful debate, devoted to the per-.
formance Of a work, that should be no less
the nraise than the lear of kings. The act
that that dav was done at Philadelphia, III 'he
firm belief of its future triumph, III profound
dictation to its Justice, and the knowleoge ol ''s
r;oht and in sight of the death dealing lnstfu-
,nents of orr inyaders--s now celebrated WITH
;ov and those implements used as the proc'ai-
mers of victory over oppression, which speak
a,oud the anniversary of a nations birth, ana
the resting place of Liberty. Now VIC can
awor.hip under our own vine ana hg tfee,
and there shall he none to make us atralo.
Ooon enemies we never did fear, nor never
will nevertheless the double-faced hYpocrlte
and base svcophant IS to he watchtl'lly guar
ded. From open foes without, we now are
free-but watch we'll, lestwe fall from those
within. 1t was not the mere speaking the
Declaration of independence into existence
that placed us where we now are, but vigil
liant guardianship Of its principles and inter-
ests that made us free and happy. And, as
time rolls on let us not forget that there is as
much necessity for vigilance noa0 as there
was then that our country and our lnstltu-
tions are as much the envy of monarchS how,
as they were then that their overthrow now
would give them greater JOY than would our
surrender have done then--for the erPer1-
n,cut is fully proved And with us, as with
our Revolutionary fathers, mankind are more
disnosed to suffer, while evils are sufterable,
than to right themselves by abolishing the
forms to which they are accustomed" And
as ,,e have seen new evils to which they were
not exposed, but which at that time, was nee
essarilv courted-we mean emigratlon-that
which they considered grievance when
it was endeavored to stop its progress-be-
cause of its necessity, and the want of citi-
zens, land especially such citizens as IN those
davs come to our shores men who knew
their rights, and knowing, dared maintain
then'-men who come to enjoy, and, If needs
be, fight for liberty-men who felt their coun-
,ry because ofoppression, and bad government;
such It wa%tAen considered a grievancet to keep
away. But, we say, it is now different. We
see a grievance-s deep grievance-in the d-
versified emigration now overfiowlug our
shores. we see tie danger of admitting the
corrupto of other countries to our yet utcor-
rpnted hearths And what was then con-
sidered a grievance in one way, we now con-
s;d,r a grievance in another. Kings endea-
vored then to subject us by keeping power
from us-thev now endeavor to subject us by
sending power among us-the po'oer Of cor
rupt principles, and the deadly poison Of
~, ooorch ieol rnn,ents--the crime Of their
arm countrg, and the bane Of O'c'ousmess.
All this we have borne until we have become
convinced that it is treason, to ourselves Ion
Ger to endure it,; that our institutions Will
sink under the weight of the influence OF
others, unless that influence is speedily aver
ted and thus have we been more "dlsposed 10
suffer these evils, than to right ourselves byl
,boIisbing the forms to which we have been
subjected" But, when long train OF abu
ses and usmpatiops," aevinces q design to|
r,duce us to, an abs 3te despotismh it is our