Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1842-07-16
Re, MISSOURI, SATURDAY, JULY 10, 1912.

lcroached upon the prerogatve OF one, than
united, they babe defiance to her power.
Such was their love Of county, that,
though feeble compared with the mistress
Of the seas, they dared encounter her rage;
such their elevation OF soul, that, rather
than live, in obedience to the behests of a
tyrant, they preferred to die, and teal their
names from the polluted page of slavery.
| Trifing indeed was the exaction which
drove them 10 rebellion, and wrapt their op-
pressors IN a revolutionary flame. The
ethereal fire which kindled their minds is
beautifully described by Burke: They
urged Of the grievance by the badness Of
the principle; they augured disagreement
at distance, and snufied the approach of
tyranny or every tainted gale" They
waited not, until the chains Of the oppres.
sor should bind their towering spirits in
the dust, but making no discrimination be-
tween the mountain weight eff deSpotiSm,
and the gentle finger of royal protection,
they scorned the favor, and disclaimed ale
glance 10 the proud dictator. The faithful
counselors of the crown in vain attempted
10 convince their sovereign of the woful
consequences, awaiting the interference OF
Parliament in the legislation Of men, who
|
| bic principles of Justice. Misguided, by a
corrupt parliament, land infatuated ministry,
he attempted to lay his power.cad arm on
clmes separated by intervening Oceans.
! Then it was, that the voice Of an insulted
people rose to Heaven, IN Its appeals from
the tribunals of earth. There it was the
revolutionary sages, published to the world
that document, which, to day has been read
in your presence--the author Of which is
more worthy Of eternal commemoration
than the mightest conqueror that ever dip.
ped his sword in blood. The resolution Of
the revo'utionists, never to swerve from
that duty which prompted them to action
when they signed this sacred instrument
was the result Of profound abstraction
abstraction not of doubt or dependency,
but Of high consideration and deep resolve.
Foremost among the master spirits Of the
age whose destinies called them to rule in
the storms of war, was one whom tempta-
tons could not seduce-and to whom the
garter, crest and star-the coronet and the
glittering diadem appeared as worthless
playthings-the gewgaws Of an hour.
A stranger to the splendors OF court, he
was uncontaminated by its vices and its
crime. He longed not for battle, that his
name might be enrolled with the demigods
of earth; he sought not to decorate his
brow with garands, by writing his name
on settles desolate." His countrymen be.
held the dark cloud of legitimacy, like the
pale star fraught with ruin, which from its
hair "shot pestilence and DEATH" The ex-
ecrations of the plundered heather, had tod
the story of British misrule, and rendered
their oppression proverbial among the ma.
lions. Their country called, and in obedi.
ence to its mandate, the apostles Of free
dom rose in defence of human rights. 1t
was when the daring began for moment
to despond, that every son Of Columbia,
from the mountain to the plain laying his
hand upon the altar Of his country, made a
VOW more involable than the Stygian oath,
that, if the fair fabric they had erected
must be levelled with the dust, they would
be buried in its ruins. The generous youth
departing from his paternal home consecra-
ted by the "reminiscences Of other days, de-
voted his life to the cause of his country, re.
solved TO achieve her liberties, or like the
Spartan to return ,ciM his shield, or upon
Sand leaving in battle no blot on his name,
The heralds Of freedom scanned, with pro
phetic vision, the dawning Of that day
when degraded man should nc longer weep
at his country's name: when oppression
should be hurled from her throne, and hel
name and nature no longer stain the histor
ic page. They knew, that, should young
Liberty perish in the storms in which it:
infancy was Graded, its cause would be los
through all time. The name OF Republic
had wthered from the earth; monarchy
! held undivided sway over the fragments o
ruined world, and this seemed the las
ASYLUM from those commissions which hat
Frustrated the monuments OF ancient gran
! deur, where the scions Of the tree Of libert,
y should again germ and overshadow tn
earth.
y Assembled, as we are to-day, briefly II
9 rehearse the brilliant achievements OF tn
:, sages offs, let their zeal, their devotion
). and their exalted patiotism-a series
. splendid performances partaking more Q
. romance than the character of history, thel
:. sufferngs and their triuuphs impress US
q their descendants, with a holy regard 70
: the principles which they cherished. Ha
. they submitted to the msrule of monarch
=, the chill Of death would have frozen the &c
= NAL current of liberty. Had they admitte
n the right of taxation on the part OF tn
y. British Parliament, without regard to tn
= accumulated oppression entaed upon POI
" terty, they might have lived in peace, an
q. thus century after century might have role
n away-yes for eighteen centuries MOI
h might yon brilliant orb have radiated !
- beams over the plains Of America, ere Il