Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-08-14

;;n;Gc, nee 10 soineWn nal Oh polt'." 90 ~ 81
~ hscame possessed oil suiiic'en' 49, .,,on
.,saL bon anew The nsaliaie desire ol Suns" ' ~,
The considerate policy oil me lhe.' .s ,nn;es nv
ne sad nor zeal for The safety Of the colonies ny
d;na nor veterans 10 revel in the beaul'es di''
r;ohsc M y prosperous country-'o ieaI iioii '"e
iahnrar The fruits OF his industry ana toii: anu W
nonr ip,o her drained and bankrupt ueasu'f :.
harvest which others had sown ahd 'c,i,'e'.
,le did she dream that Americans w"ua =,
encroachmenis, or dare coniehu WIN ny r.,
Mistress OF The Ocean. Lille GU sue hiin VIC :,
with The sword OF dcspotc veh%ean,e W .
AVER Them they would come forward, IN lne lace
y, a.,,h and heaven. the champions OF independ-
ence ana atx their names TO The charter Oh "A me-
r,ca liher,v. But The last link that bound them
was broken. Their amicable advances fepene,u
with conlempt-lheir Just complains me. WIN
scorn-nntil in the reaction OF passion, hey pursl
the strong bonds bv which they had been bouna,
and resolved in their hearts that they would SUD-
mil 10 the insults and injuries OF The molher coun-
,fy no longer. The immortal congress VI 10,
then in session, heralded forth 10 Inc worio, lna'
all allegiance and subsection 10 Gfea, brha. was
rcnounced. and tina, the united Colonies OF a me-
r;c, were free and independent Republics. Yes,
!, was on this day, seventy years ago, that Free
J,m i.niled her fame more brightly on the al
arc of America. II was on this day mighty
n.ople broke their yoke and nation was born
il was the issuing OF ,ha, immortal manifesto,
,yb;c, ,as ms, been read in Your hearng-tbe
DECLARATION of Indcpendcnce-that corsecrated
The din OF July. The military battles OF our tore
fathers. however heart stirring in acts oi vdio!,
or brilliant in success yield precedence 10 us CT
vic glories. In that consists The pure anu pee !;
less achievement Of American Democracy; IN
hat we find a pure and rational incentive 10 pat
r;o,i,. CIVILIZATION: in that we find the incones'ible
Standard OF our political orthodoxy, The eluaiily
OF men. the unalienability OF rights, ana 'ne ac
coun,abiily OF governments -prihc'Piss WIN
which our fathers began, and without when we
mus, speedily end. -. p,,.ol,.
,;an-,he scenes OF danger and seas OF p!ooa
,brouch which It's compatros passed, IN oeience
II their allars and their homes. TO the pen o. me
historian belongs the elaborate tribute q praise
Of those who, win o,
And angels to behold The swelling scene,'
Conducted TO a glorious conclusion the heroic
drama Of The American Revolution. Feariui,
indeed. were The odds on the part ol our opprss,
sors Experienced generals and well disciplined
armies we're obedient 10 their orders. Inc nag
Of their navy noaled in superior strength on every
SPA And when they had possessed themselves
of our harbors, our bays, our lakes, our rivers
hcmming us in BY sea and by land, and looking
unon Americans as little better Than prisoners al
large in their own country-when DANGER was
every where and death sialked in every palh-
here i, was that Liberty drew her sacred blade
here il was that Righ! batted IN defence OF her
;nalienable rights; and though The SHOWS oil the
Norrb were cTimsoned with the blood Of our an
ceslors and the broad fields and savannahs OF The
Souib were scathed with The sword OF desolalion,
vet through years of appalling discourasemenis
the stout hearts of our people quailed moi with
fear. nor were their cheeks blanched with dlsmay.
They saw BY the dim dawn OF that day, whose lulI
flood of radiance was yet TO be poured upon Tree
land. that il was not for the wise 10 glory in their
wisdom, nor for the mighty to glory in their
might. The Supreme Rnler Of The Universe had
been appealed TO for the rectilude Of the inen-
lions of onr forefalhers, and with deep reverence
might they yield 10 the opinion that in Heavens
High Chancery had been recorded The decree OF
American Independence. Our Revolutionary
Fathers Tough, that we might enjoy peace, and
conquered that We might nheri, freedom.
Thus, felow-cilZens have We witnessed
mighty victory, whose glory and immorla! no.
nors have not been purchased with inhuman
slaughter, nor plucked fIom the ruin and desola-
ton Of empres-whose ayensing sword was
forged on the anvil Of necessity, not for fame
nor coronets, nor titles nor princely dladems-
but for the liberty safety and happiness Of Anne
ricas free. born sons. The fruits OF This victory
who can tell? Like the luminaries nf Heaven,
il is spreading our American galaxy along The
Atlantic coast, from The 81. Croix 10 the Rio
Grande-as il spreads backwards to the Lakes,
and from The Lakes 10 the Rocky Mountains, and
from the Mountains to the Western waters. lis
seeds, even in distant Europe, are shooting i,iIh
the glorious buildings OF individual and national
liberty. In ancient Greece, i'll France, IN Bel
uium, in the islands OF Great Britain and Ire
land tie surest indications are visible that des-
MOTTO Governments are fast waning ~ the tomb.
In America, the starting point OF Liberty, The
fruits OF this victory shall be seen until, in The
words O! an illuslIious statesman, "her posts
shall stud the earth and her military drum-beat
ACCOMPANYING the hours and following the sun,
shall circle the globe with one continuous roll o
the martial airs Of freedom"
We have been wandering among The monu-
ments of the past. As we Turn to allude 10 the
present and future prospects o! our country, have
we not had much reason TO apprehend, that The
cloud of War, which has risen on our southern
frontier, was destined 10 inger in The horizon
sullying with lis lurid shadow the calm and sun
shine OF our peace and pCosperity2 Have We
not had much reason 10 tear that The peace O! The
world was about 10 be hroken-lhal The strong
| hand Of war was raised 10 cut asunder the links
! that bound the nations Of the earth in peace and
amity-apd that we were upon the eve OF ex-
changing the arts of peace for the blood and car
| mage of national coDtlct2 A hostile army has
| invaded our erTitory-a foreign banner has float
| ed over the soil of the Republic-s1il obtained
| without conflict and OF the possession Of which
| we could moi be divested, but by our own consent
or by an act OF war. Yes, in the middle OF The 18th
| century-iu this advanced state Of civilization
| and chrisrianity-when the nations everywhere
IN roughoul the earth were beginning 10 celebrate
| the glorious achievements OF peace, and TO kindle
| the fame OF christianity on The altar of patriot
| ism-a Mexican army has passed our boundary
| and sounded the tocsin of war in deeds OF BLOOD
| and massacre. Yea, there is more than The
| bare act of invasion-more than the crime
| of beginning this unprovoked and unnecessary
war, 10 warrant The conclusion, that the fiend 0
discord, moved by part'eeps e7imin,s abroad i
presiding over the councils of the Mexican ma
lion. They declared the voluntary act OF anal
gamaion of the sovereign Republic OF Texa
| and the United States, a cause of war-tbey with
drew their Minister Plenipoteniary, and broke of
all diplomatic relations with the United States
| they rejected the olive branch OF peace, ant
| treated with contume|y our minister, char sed witt
| full powers 10 adjust all matters OF national differ
ence-lhey collected a vast invading army upor
| our frontier, and sPilling the blood OF our Gill
| zens upon our own soil, bid The thunders OF wa
roll on. Can there be doubt, then, that there wa
an attempt 10 break the peace OF The word-tha
the lo-s Of our institutions, ard The enemies 0
Republican Government, in Imperial or ogar
chical Europe, designed 10 he actors in the grea
Drama OF which Mexican hoslililies were in
tended but as the preude2 Can there be any
doubt that monarchical jealousy of The naliona
policy, which has raised our country to ii!
present fame, aims at establishing a balance
of power on the American Continent? Fellow
! citizens we have but one allenative-il is &c
conquer peace at the point Of the bayonet, tc
marshal our host and dictate the conditions o
that peace in the halls OF Mexico's military
representations which shall be felt through
out the civilized world-conditons which, Will,
they ale honorable TO ourselves shall make kinsst Il
tremJle on their thrones This must he done, o.
the harpy fiends of desoaion from the unbarre,
Pandcmonium Of the Holy Alliance, will bt
turned loose upon the safeguards of freedom.
would to God, that Mexico, whose troops ART
vanishing away before the prowess of our arms
like wax before the consuming flame, and owe