Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1841-07-08
IN y w p O Ia gHs


brated this year on the 5th-thc 4tii
happening Oh Sunday. In this place,
the day was noticed, as usual, by firing
salutcs, ringing bells, tho display OF
flags, &c. AT the hour appointed, 10
A. NJ. the Artillery Company, under
CoL Swan, were promptly at their
posts, ready to comply with the request
Of the Towns Committee to do the cs-
cort duty OH the ccasion.-But, rs has
been the case oil similar occasions,
heretofore, very little regard was paid
to the published request Of the Commit
tee to prevail upon the citizens and
others to join in the procession, and the
consequence was an almost total aban-
donmcnt Of that old, bat nevertheless
TO be revered, custom. Such as it was,
however, the procession composed
mostly of scholars from the Public
Schoo!s( proceeded TO Zion Church,
where tho exercises in honor Of the
Day, were performed as fully as had
been previously announced. The sing
ing was conducted by Messrs. Weedcn
and Silsby-Church Service by the
Rector, Rev. MIR. West-Reading of
the Declaration Of Independence by
Mr.. VIM. ID. Lake and an Grafton by
Mr.. WIN. Henry Cranston.
The Grafton occupied about fifty
five minutes in the delivery, and was
listened to with attention and satisiac-
tion by large and respectable auditory.
The Orators course was somewhat new
IA departure from tho old beaten track.
He commenced with some very happy
remarks on the Day, the old associa-
tions it recalled; the Influence it should
exert on our characters; tho tendency
u proper notice Of tho day will have by
increasing the fame Of patriotism, and
making us devotcd,t 10 the institutions OF
our country. The Day, he said, should
| be celebrated in a different manner now
than heretofore; tho custom Of abusing
the English, sc. should be abandoned,
as the participators in the Revolution
have nearly all gone--wc should celo-
bratc it as great national religious an
nivcrsary, for the Day that emancipntes
a Nation from slavery is worthy being
celebrated as such. Hc then answered
tho argument of many that America viii
not remain a Republic much longer,
and compared America with Greece
and Rome, and shcw the difference in
the character and institutions of these
nations. lie spoke Of the time that had
elapsed, two thirds of century, since
our organization as Il Nation, and of
the predictions Of many in relation to
our dissolution in less than a century
1t was our duty, he said, to be admon-
ishcd Of our individual responsibility,
and to exert all our influence for our
country S good. The orator then made
some enquiries as TO the best possible
means of preserving the government,
and touchingly illustrated the mothers
influence on tho infant mind-its pow
CT over the man in the dark hour of po-
litical Notwithstanding that great men
are frequently indebted to a mothers
influence for all their greatness, and
that mothers should, therefore, exert
all their moral and religious influence
over the infant, and that it should be
cherished by tho youth and man, sc.
He urged tho necessity Of our bcin. a
moral aud religious people in order to
preserve our government and evidenced
Greece, Rome, France, sc. to prove
that infdclty was the curse of a people.
"a nation in its cxultation," he said,
"and the day Of its prosperity, is apt
to forget its origin, dependence, and
common uosiinv-coa WUifomind thtni
Of their Irailty by severe afliction. I"
| 10 continued Ivy saying that "God had
so reminded Us byremoving our Ruler" ."
and made some appropriate remarks on
the death Of the lamcntcd IlARRIsoS.
The orator then set forth tho vast
Importance of Education, as a neccssa-
ry and prominent feature in the chnrac-
ter of Rcpublic--showing that igno-
rance and liberty combined, were not
only dangerous but inconsistent with
each other. The importance of well
regulated Free Schools, with teachers
Of grra, decision OF eLaractcp, st,ici.