Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-08-01

pnon Tho fate of nations and which history has rebue
ed familiar to from youth, without being
from the influence Of the present, and carried BACK -
the period Of conflict Of doubt, and Of success, winch
attended some mighty struggle All this is the TRIUMPH
of mind, the exertion of intellect, which eevn'eS y" ~
the scale Of being, and furnishes US with anoinef ~"
pure source of enjoyment Even recent creh's, hs
which time has gathered its shadows, sanci'y u
places Of their origin What American can survey w
field Of battle at Bunker Hill, or at New Orleans wiz"
recalling the deeds, which will render these mum
mperishab!e Who pass The Islands OF Inn
Erie without thinking upon those who sleep IN lhe
ters below and upon the victory which broke the
power Of the enemy, and led TO the security OF an
extensive frontier There no monument ca" -
erected for the waves roll, and will roll over them
But he who met the enemy, and mace Them ours e
his devoted compunons will live IN the recollee',oh u
he American peopIe while there is virtue 10 admire
patriotism or gratitude to reward It, have stood uP1
the plain Of Marathon, the 6aoie-heid oil Liberty. -
is silent and desolate. Senher Cfeek nor refs'
,bere n give lf3 and animation TO the scene. IL 10
bounded by sterile hills one side, and dashed oy VI,
eternal waves Of the Egean sea on the other Du'
Greek and Persians were once tnefe, ana mat oie
spot was alive with hostile armies, VINO iough, ~.
great fight, which rescued Hfeeee from the YUM -
Persia. -,
And have stood also upon the hill CT Son. the city
Of Jerusalem. the scene of Redeemers suerlhgs,
and cruchxion and ascension. but the sceptte na
departed from JUDAH and its glory from the capital OF
Solomon The Assyrian, the Egyptian the Greek, the
Roman the Arab. the Turk, and the Crusader, have
nossed over the chief place of Israeli and have reit
of its power and beauty. Well has the denuncIanon
of the prophet of misfortune been fulfilled, when ne
declared that he Lord had Sc, n.s lace agans, .n,
city for evil and not for good when he pronounced
the words Of The Most High, 81 will cause to cease
from the CITY of Judah and from the streets of Jerusa
lem, the voice of mirth and the voice OF gadness e
voice of the bridegroom and the voice OF the bde lot
the land shall be desolate.
In those regions of the East, where society passed
its infancy il seems to have reached decrepliude 1t
the associations, which the memory OF past glory eS
cites, arc powerful, they are melancholy Ihey are
without qualification for the present. ana without nope
for the future But here are IN the freshness oil
voub and can look forward, with rational confidence,
TO ages of progress in all that gives power and pride to
man, and dignity 10 human nature. No deeds OF glory
hallow this region. But nature has been bounul To
it in lis gifts and and industry are at work to
tend and improve them. You cannot pierce the bar
rier which shuts in the past and separates you from
by gone ures-but you have done better than that
You have pierced the barriers that have isolated you,
and separated you from the great highway of nations
You have opened vista to the Atlantic and The Gull
of Mexico From this elevated point, two seas are be-
fore US, which your energy and perseverance have
brought within reach. 1t IS better TO look forward In
prosperity than back to glory 10 the mental eye,
prospect be magnificent than here meets the
vision. need not stop To describe It, II 10 before US
in the long regions of fertile land, which stretch off
TO the East and West to the South and North, all
the advantages that Providence has literally bestowed
upon them, and the changes and Improvements thai
man is making. The forest is fading and falling and
towns and villages rising and fourlshing And bet
ter still, moral intelligent, and industrious people
spreading themselves the face Of the whole
try, and making il their own and their home. And
what changes and chances await us Shall 20 or
increasing and improving, and united, or shall add
another 10 the list Of Republics, which have preceded
u.s. and which have fallen the victims of their own fol
lies and dssentions My faith in the stability Of
institutions is enduring, my hope is strong, for they
rest upon public rtue and intelligence. There is
portion of country ntere sted in their preser
walton than this, and more able and willing TO
maintain them We may here ella IN to occupy the CT
tadel of Freedom No foreign foe can approach US
and whsle the West is true TO itself and lis country,
example will exert powerful influence upon the whole
Confederation, and its strength if need be, will de-
fend it,