The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1844-07-12

anu proved sell-deslructiVe.
| The blind folly of the king and his
counsellors accelerated the time which
was to happen at all events sooner or la
ter, as we were a world within ourselves,
in extent of territory and resources, and
could not for long period, be subject to
a small, distant isle of the ocean.
The stamp act and tea tax, tho founded
on the odious principle of taxation with,
on; representation, were, under the gene
raj system of oppression, rather the par
tcuar occasion than the general cause of
the revolution; for, had not the fire of
freedom already been kindIed in their
hearts, they would still, probably, not
wlIhstanding these, have remained in
passive obedience. But their noble spirits
disdained tribute and servitude, even if not
of the most abject kind, and on the day
we celebrate they put forth to the world
declaration Of their rights and intentions {;
ihat they were and Of right ought to be
free and independent states and, to sus.
tain 1t, they "pledged their lives, their
fortunes, and their sacred honor"
"lhey knew their rights and, knowing,
dared maintain" and, with heroism, a
noble daring tina! will not suffer in COM
Parlson with the noblcst instances of Gre
clan or Roman valor. they wthstood the
naughty and inSOlent foe, and in many a
well fought battle, gained aurels of re-
nown which shall never fade, till the
American eagle, the bird of Liberty, es-
capped from the British lion, scared among
the stars, and became the guardian genius
of our youthful republic. But instances
of individual proves,
"Of moving accidents, by food, and field.
vi haIr-hreadth scapes i the imminent deadly
breach; !"
the suiierings, destitution, and want;
the onset Of the battle, the charge, the
shock the victory, the song of triumph
the GROWING work of ALTO which the
others were but incipient--the framing of
the constitution, the greatest work of its
kind that the world has yet Witnessed,
these must be left TO the historian. They
should, however, be referred to, though
they may pail upon the ear as a tale thrice
told, as proper reflections for the occa.
sion
Such was the noble work our ancestors
performed, and performed so well. The
hand OF Divinity was in it. 1t was His
hand that moulded all these fortunate cir
cumsiances for the establishment of free
institutions here. His benevolence was
opening to the oppressed and benighted
ages new and better era-a theatre
whereon could be exhibited all the viz
tues-where man, whom He had "se,
over the works Of his hands," might ma
lure to greater perfection and enjoy the
bountles of His providence, and where
liberty, hunted around the globe, might
build her temple, might kindle upon her
affairs fires never to be extingushed,
whose glowing light should beam across
the Atlantic, and warm and illumne the
cold, dark regions of dcspotism.
But, while we rejoice in the great in
herltance left us by our fathers, let us
not, as truant children, think only of the
present enjoyment Of it. Let us not i'm
agIne that we have nothing to do but idly
to cit down beneath this tree, planted and
reared by their untiring industry. and par
take OF lis spontaneous fruits. If so, the
inheritance will soon be squandered; the
fruit will, ere long, turn to ashes on our
lips; these blessings will escape from our
grasp; and we shall prove most degener-
ate sons Of most illuslrious sires.
Move who are now on the stage of
action, and those who follow us from gen.
Grafton to generation, so long as our free
dom shall endure, will have occasion to
that time crumbles the proud
est monuments Of human grandeur; lha,
"-Decay's ellacing fingers
Mar the lines where beauty lingers;"
and that we, and they, will have a great
work to do to invigorate and infuse vitali-
ty into our free Institutions. And this
may be the work of genius as well as of
labor. The dangers that besct them are
numerous. Their enemies may be found
everywhere through the world. They
may suffer from foes within, and, even,
from the indiscretion of friends. The
general atmosphere Of the world is unfa.
vorable, and our body polite, if not
wounded by the hand of violence, may
absorb the seeds Of disease through every
pore, They may infect the lfe-bood, poi
son the whole frame, and induce sudden
and premature death. Eternal vigilance
u.s. by the order Of heaven, the price of
liberty. Her vestal fires should ever
burn uDon her altor 10 ,,or,,, 49,. l.,