Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1845-11-19
r, n. WAIkINs, Esq.
Secretary 10 the Trustees n. y. College
DIS OU X S !.

| W. 4. RlVES.
| r. n. WATKINS, Esq
| Secretary 10 the Trustees N. y. College.
DISCOURSE.
Nh. PRESIDENT AND GExrLENES-
The Board o. Trustees, charged with the msnsge
ment OF this ancient Institution, pleased do the
honor TO Invite TO take with them the proceed
nss OF this day. and young friends the Students OF the
College, IN hsuenng added the expression
OF their wishes those oi the Corporation So honorable
CALI coming to me from SO high and respected source
and persuasyely enforced have been able
however unequal feel myself the performance of the
duty, which has been assigned me, Il Justify
| your selection, worthy OF the occasion.
An occasion oi more interest and dgnty rarely occurs
in the OF human affairs We met receive,
publicly and soemny, the SILENT eloquent memorials
achieved by grateful art oi the person and virtues OF OF
the usous patriots OF the land OF foreahers, whose
this Institution proud bear-Ihe immortal cham.
piOn OF Civil aud Religious Freedom, JcHS HANrpES
These memorials before you the one is medal
lion portrait OF that executed in the noble
pciy and purify of his cbarScer-lhe other, copy
marble OF the erected his memory, by the
gratitude OF his counuymen the field in which he go
ousy fell in defence Of the liberties OF his country U
mankind The monument stands IN Chaieroye Field OK
iordhlrc and erected there the 18th day of June
oI3 being the wohundedh anniversary the the
glorious marIyrdOm, which it commentaries. 1t tells
story noble and eloquent inscription, FAR more
| impressive than any words | and beg leave.
therefore, TO read much OF essential the
| oil Its object -
"Here in this field OF Chagrove. JOHN HAMPDEN,
after able and but unsuccessful resistance
Parliament and before the Judges of the land, the
arbitrary Court first took arms assembling the
eyes OF the associated counties of Buckingham and Oxford
IN l642; and here, within few PAGES this spot
cevsd the wound OF which he ded while fighting in de-
fence OF the liberties OF England, June the lsth
1913 In the two hundredth from that day this
was raised ia reverence To his memory"
could fail to be gratifying every lover of liberty
TO read over the list OF proud and lofty Names the
elevated in rank, and the digned by station which
eoneurred in this aud approving verdict Of distant
Posieriiy upon the principles and actions OF OF the
stanches advocates which the Cause % Popular Freedom
had Kat
stating, that the family Of Iampden, England learning
with pride that an Institution existed country bear
the OF their honored ancestor, aud dedicated TO
the OF sound learning, and to the promotion OF those
principles OF civil and religious liberty Tor which that
cestOr had freely offered his life, eagerly sought
TO TO IL the interesting memorials which
now before So graceful Of international cour-
resy, drawing together distant people by the kindly offices
OF mutual sympathy and recognition, deserves TO be ac-
knOwIedged, 10 be apprec aed, 10 be imisted IL Is an
offering which does honor the high character Of those
from whom it prOceeds and which this Institution, by
many tides, Is worthy TO receive.
An Institution which started into existence under the
fresh imPlfs of our great contest for Ieedom,-
whose first session was opened she first day year
which ushered ia the Declaration OF American Independ
ence,-whose patriotic founders sign hcanty proclaimed to
the world the lofty principles with which, soustr.
ring period their bosoms animated by assuming
for their symbols the names OF Hampden and of Sydney
an Institution ~ Short which boasts the head OF first
Board OF Trustees, the name Of Patrick Henry, u name
TO liberty and TO eoquence dear, be unfit
depository Of those memorials Of the model Statesman and
Patriot Uf England, which committed its keep
ing These are gonous reeOlectiOns for you gentlemen
upon whom the government o this Institution has descend
ed-nsiructye and inspiring for the generous youth who
forming themselves for virtue and usefulness un
der your charge heartily uIn with you in the feelings
they well fitted TO awaken and my prayer
H. that the kindred spirits Of lISmpden and Of Henry uni
ted IN immortal fellowship here may continue shed
the holy influence OF patriotism aud Of virtue Of liberty
and religion, within and around these halls.
To comprehend properly the great lessons Of wisdom and
virtue involved in the and example u Hampden
must go back to the times in WHICH lie lived and
period the history Of deserves be pro
ioundly studied BY the tree citizens Of America IL
mes into the midst OF the august and eyenuuI
scenes, and into the presence OF the actors
that have appeared upon the theatre human affairs
On the continent Of Europe IN England II the Pc
Rod sgDaiZed the struggles OF liberty against
OF the heroic resistance of the people against their opprts
il the period which witnessed the long potract
ed and bitter sgOBy OF segeGty ycsTs saagunary conf
tho' which the United Provinces Of the Netherlands the
infant Republic Of Holland, by prodigies of yaor Of pa
uosm and Of enerpTse, molly their independence
from the cruel and unreenung despogn e spain. no
bier struggle for freedom richer great deeds Of civic viz
tue military proves, recorded the annals Of
human kind, snd challenges With peculiar force the
patty and elimination VI American bosom. from the
striking parallel, Il not model, q furnished many par.
eulss 10 or own glorious contest for independence and
| self government
| Al the same epoch, oil Europe was eon,nssd By the
hTiy years D9r IN Germany wsRcd m defence Of
evil and religious liberty sganst the tyranny and bgoy
Of Ferdinand O Ausus and forever cOnsecrsied tho
ByInDshiss Oi mankind by the romantic ehivary, the
chssn beroisf0 ana mifacuoJs schevmsuts n Gnssvus
AdDlphus Who lying prD-rate enid ipe besLs OF
slain which surrounded and simOs covered him. The
field u Lutzen. being o'ked ~bo ho wss replied II the
King Of Sweden and al with my blood Tie re
sion aud liberties Of Germany" And such. indeed
the precious purchase of ms bOd for bis brave sud de
voted counuymea animated by bis example aud his dying
WOJs cad led by the hm snd ssgscyu- councils Of his
sHfyiyns minister sBd iuegd Oysnssrn resIsd
the sacred which ~ss equoshed 10 thea, u, aide
BY the then rapdy eliminating power m france, under the
bold ard steady impulse Of the genius u kicbeu the
cfbnft sbd Of Tufenne and the great Condo the field
they secured its hnsl umph the Peass Of Wesiphss
fanee her'eh had Ip-i pssssd hfy the bloody ifouio
del conflict 81 her civil aud religious wars, Of which her
. MDntnOfencys, her Cygnys aud her Guises,
, cessivsy and alternately the heroes and he victims. ei
wounds had been temporarily hcad by The hfs great
~ religious liberation the Edci ~ Hsntl, snd she stood
upon her feet sgsn U~.f ysterna sWsy Of Henry the
~ sud tie wise snd Dcniccnt administration Of suly
Bat tie sti struggling aspirations 81 higher end Ioue
hbsriy which from time ~ lime unlimited her Tor the
ghieusd snd inde ysndsbt body n C0BmsHf
ing and scuDg hfO Ofg1Iisod Represenatye assembly
doomed. exhaust tsmssiyes the u and
tunut1ous efforts 81 me Bgrtieadss and tho F,0sds.
England Nss happier She had, 81 length. people ~
2 the q that W0fd With oil tie bltcs 70 nora
existence, snd that people had he representative
: gan IN on iHdsD,Hdsnt IDnsn ~ Commons Itis ~ t
period the beginning u the Geseniesnth century coinc
dent with tie coss u the Tudor line u Pnnces and d,
secession u the SusTs, list Ordsr u trg, hsd
IS evidently smJfg English The 10
yva u letters, the II PnGunR tie u com
= nefes resulting from tie discovery q Aeres and u
passage lndia by the Cape Of GOod Hope, aud 6naly
u The u the human mind BY the Reformation
he'd been. u them, in operation, sod silently On,
RfsdusIy producing their benign Effects for more than
century Their maursd fruits visible IN England
10 nothing Than ~ the marked improvement and Gle
vsiiOn u tho condition u the Of the nation. Tn
simultaneous Increase and diHosion among oil classes
society u Desfy and LHoUi>dfs the two great element
b. u power every civilized community, raised the pe9i
the level u beif desinies. Nothing suki
~ illustrates the newborn thirst iyf knOuledee, - well o
spirit u nauOBsl improvement which hsd tsken pOsessiOD
al this time. of The BODY u tie people 10 Bngsnd
ihan tho stated BY DR.. Johnson hs introduction
Il Ia Hafet on Hurba