The Mississippi Creole. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1841-1851, 1846-08-01
nEMARKs

Il Nm Iastitute,s' delipered in Siaro,l .sfadisor
eo,h,ty, .uississiRpi, on HE an .Julys $780,
Z. LADIES AND GENrLEMEN, My associates have
appointed me to address you on this occason
To their kind partially ar, indebted for the
distinguished honor .of appearing before you
Itis to me a most grateful boon. Il is one OF
my inestimable privileges. lnestmable, be-
cause awarded by my friends, who are to me
more than all the wealth of the Indes-inesti-
mable, because it authorizes me to participate,
publicly, in concluding the exercises Of this
Ijoyons and glorious anniversary - because,
moreover, it affords me delightful opportunity
Of contributing to the amusement Of this res
pectable assembly. Iavow, that to be appoints
ed by my loved associates to speak publicly
to-day-to be.appointed by themto ofiiciate as
osmembcr of their body on the 9TH Of July-a
day Of glorious and immort memory, and, at
the same time,to be listened to BY the beauty,
intelligence and chivalry of Madison county,
are incidents in my humble Lille, most grateful
to my soul. 1t is consummation which |
did not presume to anticipate, and which ex-
cites in my bosom the livelest and most grate-
full emotions. But I will attempt to render the
best return in my power. Enjoying this tram
scendant favor, 10 entertain you, to thebest of
my slender ability, is now the height of my
ambition. And who, under similar circum-
stances, would not cherish this ambition p
Who of.you does not, on this occasion, ardent
y desire to Irvine the laurel wreath, woven by
the Poet and Orator, around thememory Of the
heroes of l776!
Who does not desire to .embalm their peer
less virtues in his heart forever? There is no
one present who feels not this ambition. Your
souls swell with this immortal principle Am
btion, then, is my subject. This is the foun-
daton on which will build few remarks
Ambition is two fold-good and bad-a lauda-
BILE ambition and depraved ambition. How
much is implied in this momentous world
What incalculable benefits ande evils has It not
entailed on man! What an august appellative
How significant of veal or wo! 1t has over
thrown dynasties and trampled upon tyrants!
1t has raised poverty to wealth; and more than
once placed crowns upon the heads of pau
pers. 1t has given man the control of the
lightnings. It has made him conversant with
the most secret laws and operations of nature
1t has overthrown the delusions and fctions of
opinion! 1t has conyulsed the rotten struc-
lures of tyranny and vice! 1t has assimilated
man to his Maker, in wisdom-in virtue
knowledge, and purify! But it would be vain
to enumerate the blessings secured to the world
by laudable ambition. 1t would be mpossi-
BILE to state the amount of good which this de-
sire OF excellence, this longing after we'll de-
served fame, this thirsting after the power of
doing good has entailed on the human species.
The Bible records many instances of thus
The historiesrof Greece and Rome, of Africa
and Asia, Of France and England, and Of all |
Europe, itself, are full Of the proofs and 1mpe-
rishable memorials of the benefits secured to |
man by yirtuous ambition.
For the blessings secured by laudable am
bition, examine the history Of these United
States. Look at our noble institutions, our
equal laws, our twenty millions Of people, our
cities, towns and villages. alive with Successful |
business, our Ravens filed with commercial
hdtiOc9 Jul uhtfCioisiCo3 SohN SOo os1o oSHooioy
ourlyc eums, ouratheneums, our academies Of I
arts and sciencf, our ships battling the storm,
and uiampIantly riding the pillows of every
sea and ocean, from east to west and from
pole to pole, and then, you may form cor
rect idea Of what has been achieved by this
laudabe principle! What have been the glori-
GUS results of this virtuous ambition! But
here must pause, must turn aside for mo-
ment to glance at the converseo of this picture.
The proper consideration of my subject re-
1uires that should invite your attention to
the beneficial consequences Of depraved am
bition. Who can describe the horror it has
entailed on man? What tongue can adequate
Iy tell the sorrow it has thrown around our
abodes? Examine the Bible, and you will find
the records of its blighting influence. tex
PEELED our first parent from the garden of Pa
10 disc, robbed them Of their innocence and
peace, caused Cain to imbrue his hands in his
brothers. blood. 1t caused all the evils so
faithfully detailed in the Sacred Volume
This criminal ambition, this sordd, selfish and
envious principle caused Hannipal's father to
swear his gallant son to perpetual. enmity to
Rome. This depraved ambition impell,d
Phillip to oserturn the liberties Of Greece, and
Alexander to attempt the conquest of the
world. 1t impelled Caesar to cross the Rubi-
ION and enslave his country, 1t urged Napo-
con to trample down the liberties of France,
md rendered himself heterogeneous COM
Bound of contradictory principles royaiist
md drepnblicah, an emperor and mahome-.
Ian, catholic and protestant, christian and
IN infdei. This Inordinate ambition gave
France her Robespierre and his reign OF terror.
L was this that caused Cataline 70 conspre
,gains, Cicero and the liberties of Rome. It
was this that impeled Appius Claudius to rob
Icelius of his betrothed spouse, the lovely and
innocent Virginia. This whitening ambition,
flowing from a heart lined with poison, and
with the essence of the most diabo-
ical sins, that urged Arnold to betray his coun-
wy. 1t urged Judas to assume long, prin,s
hypocritical and sanctimonious