Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1844-07-18

on covering the land ike the fertilizing
waters of the river OF Egypt with lavish
prosperity, and peace, and fair hopes for
their posterity. Was such spectacle
ever before witnessed in the annals oil
mankind Do not your hearts swell at
the contemplation Do you not see,
with your olcn eyes, the results of the
doings Of your fathers! Behold what
goodly heritage they have given 10
youi Under the blessing Of providence,
behold the fruits oil their labours, aud
tolls, and sacrafces, and wisdom.
! And what hare WE 10 do, now, that we
have looked with proud satisfaction at the
mighty progress we have made, and re-
joIced over our prosperity? Does il not
behove US to enquire whether there be no
duties and responsibilities imposed upon,
and dangers to be guarded against, by the
possessors and managers oil this mighty
and prosperous Empire
What is the duty Of him, whom you
have chosen to address youl Is il to
prophecy nougat but smooth things l---to
hatter your national Pride--to cry peace,
peace, when be knocs that however trite
IL may be, yet true it is, that the price
Of Liberty is eternal vigilance--thal just in
proportion to the value Of what we pos.
sess, is there a necessity for care in its
custody aud preservation. That one i'm.
mulable law Of nature is, that all things
earthly are transitory, and that his law
The law OF Him who is the Lord Of hosts
aud of nations, as we'll as OF Individual
men, is--that "pride cometh before a fall;
woe unto them that are wise in their
own eyes and prudent in their own sight.
Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom;
neither let the mighty man glory in his
might; let not the rich man glory 10 his
riches happy only, is that people, whose
God is the Lord
Let us ask ourselues-are we the same
people that our Fathers were before us!-
Do we exhibit the same self denying pat
riotism-the same simplicity OF manners
the same hardy virtues-the same love
of free institutions, which shews itself
best in submission to the laws of the land,
and the institutions which they have sent
down to us F.!
We are great people We are nigh
ty, prosperous. and rising nation.
But q" wha: constitutes a Statef
/ Not high raised battle rients, or labered mound,
| Thick wall or moated gate;
Not cities proud with spires and turrets crOwnd;
Mo- men, high minded men,
| Men rho their duties kR0r;
But know their rights; and knowing dare maintain:
These consulate a State"
The nation is then the men of The ma.
| ton, and this is more emphaticably true
| Of that nation whose men hold the power
where every man, holds and exercises
his share OF this power. The ,ciSdom OF
the nation is only the aggregate wisdom
of its men. The uirtue Of nation, is the
aggregate virtue Of its people. Can we
expect then perpetuity TO our institutions,
if we can see many among us who esteem
them lightly? Can we depend upon our
glorious Unlon-the sheet anchor OF our
safety-if whole communities of our peo-
Pile speak of it as secondary consdera-
tor 2 Can we reasonably hope TO be
! for time TO come as we have been here
tofore, proverb among the nations Of the
earth-as la'O abiding people, who own
no king but the laws OF our own framing
but them we obey; when we sea some
of our fellow citizens taking the law into
their own hands, wrestling from the
hands of Justice, her sword and her
scales, and becoming judges, jurors, and
executioners, in their own quarrels and
grievances Can We claim to be peo-
pie who respect our written constitutions,
as laws paramount to all other laws, when
we seek to overthrow these constitutions
by Illegal violence !
Are we truly attached TO the noble prin.
ciple OF religious freedoms, when we preach
it in the abstract as true, and spurn it in
our practice?
Are we honest as a nation, when SOW
reign States refuse to pay their deb,s, and
TO make every sacrifice to preserve the
public faith as unsullied as the Vestal's
robel
Are not these questions which we are
bound TO ask ourselves! Shall we hide
our eyes to their importance, and deny
the facts which force us to consider theml
"Wo unto them that call evil good, and
good evil; that put darkness for light, and
light for darkness; that put bitter for
sweet, and sweet for bitter"
My countrymen, challenge my past
life to prove that am one who have al.
ways held and acted upon the belief that
this day-the anniversary of our nation s
births not 20 be desecrated by party
topics, The cons derations ard thoughts
which it inspires, ongbt 10 rise far above
the petty strifes and party questions which
divide us--(ond in free country ever
will honestly divide us,) Our reflections
on this our political sabbath, should be
holier and deeper than the everyday,
temporary views Of party--l thus act out
my principles in choosing this mode Of adj
dressing you. have been actuated,
believe, by feelings irrespective of oil par,
ty feelng--as comrade embarked with
you all in the same ship; and as a brother
of the same political family. / have ia.
ken the farewell address of out father
Washington, as my guide in this duty.
And that may illustrate my views in
language better and more impressive than
my own, and that the waning voice may
come with more authority than from the
humble individual who addresses you, lis