Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1843-07-25

Vabash and Erie Cqnai. fom lake Fri %
Ua5ash Riy-r, OF he IN IF Jp,y, 1913.
This day fellow citizens, i, memorable in
the history of Man. 1t i the anniversary OF
the birth of this great Republic. To-day
we were born into the family of nations. In
the calendar of time there Is no event which
will probably produce a more powerful and
permanent effect upon the dcstinics OF the
world. Our revolution sanctiiicd by success
the momentum, principle of resistance 10 OPP
preston. and it opened to inquiry the whole
system of government, with Il freedom OF m
vestigatIOn and a power OF discussion which
had never before been united in any praCt.-
cal examination into that great depart: .cnt
of the concerns of man. The thr' :, score
years AMI ten, the term of hum:n life. have
not vet passed away, and WHERE are we :
From dependent colonies w nave become an
Independent Republic. From small pco-
pie. thinly scattered over the Atlantic coast,
we have become Il mighty Nation. with Il
power every whore acknowledged and re-
spcctci, with NUM- known and honorcd.
and with all the clements OF prcsnt pro>Pcrl-
ty and OF future advancement saCh rs prOyi
dcncc has rarely deigncd to confer upon
man. Within this brief period, brief in the
history of societies, the great tide If ciyillzl-
ton has passed the Allegheny Mountains and
has spread It's spreading wings over the prai-
rics and forest, of our OWN beautiful west
and will not stop till it reaches the boundary
of the Continent upon the shores of the Paci-
tic. The decree has gone forth and VIII be
fulfilled. The prospects of the future may
be seen in the progrcss of the past. lie who
runs may read. Neither political jealousy
nor mercantile cupidity can stop onward
march. Ii they could, fellow citizens, our
march would be stopped. Perhaps while |
address YOU, measures arc in progress to wrest
from us our Territory west of the Rocky
Mountains. Island after Island. country after
country, are falling before the ambition of Eng
land. She is planting her Standard WHEREBY
or there is Il people to be sujIucd or the fruits
of their industry To tc secured. With pro-
LESSONS OF philanthropy, she pursucs the de-
signs of ambition. And she i, cncirclin@ the
globe with her stations wherever she can best
accomplish her scheme of aggrandiscmcnt.
The sun never sets upon her Empire. 1t Is
nv deliberate opinion. that no nation. since
the fall of the Roman power. has display
cd greater disregard for the rights of 9th
nation. Our claim TO the Country west OF
he Rocky Mountains Is IL undcniabIe as
our right to Bunker Hill or to New Orleans.
and who will call in question our title to these
blood stained fields And trust it will he
maintained with yigor and promptitudc
equal to its Justice. War is Il great evil. but
not so great as national dishonor. Little is
gained BY Welding to insolcnt and unjust pre-
tensions. 1t Is better 10 defend the first inch
of Territory than the last. Far better in
dealing with England. to resist aggression.
whether of Territory, of imprc,smcnt or OF
search. when first attempted, than TO yield IN
the hope that iorbcarancc will be met In Il
,u>t spirit, and will lead to an amicablc COM
promise. Let Us have no red lines upon the
map of Oregon. Let us hold on TO the in
tcgrity of our Just claim. And If war comes.
be it so. do not myself believe it will be
long avoided. unless prevented by intestine
difficulties in the British Empire. And woe
be To u, If We ilattcr ourselves it can be ar
rested by any system of concessions, ; OF all
decisions tIi- would be the most fatal. And
we should awake from it dishonorcd. II not
a ruined people.
Ii Is profitable in the career of life occa-
sionaly 10 pause, TO Withdraw ourselves from
the ever busy scenes. with which we mnglc.
and to look back upon the progress we have
made. aud forward. ~ far as it is given Us to
look forward. upon the prospect before Us.
These arc high places in the journey OF life.
whence the region around Us Is best contem-
plated and understood. In all tim great
cvccts have been thus COMMUNICATED. The
principle has its foundation in human nature.
though perverted in its application by power
or superstition. And many a monument
which has survived its own history and the
objects Of its founder. vet looks out upon the
silence around it. the solitary evidence of
some great. but forgotten event IN the fitful
drama of life. And we have come up to day
to one of these high places to commune to-
ycthcr. We have met from many portion
of our common country. and thi, great as
scmblagc tcstitics, not less by its numbers.
than by the imposing circumstances which
surround it, that there is here passing one of
those scenes which mark the progress of So
ciety. and which form its character and Of
tentimes its destiny. And so it is, and it is
good for US to be here. We have not come
to fight n battle, nor to commemorate one
we have not come to worship at the shrine Of
power, to celebrate the birth or death of
some unworthy ruler, the last step in political