Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-08-24


leuburg and Granv,iiD, al III ar annual meeting
on The In of July, lS47, al The Buffalo Springs,
bu JAMES c. BRUCE Of Haiafaz.
Gentlemen: am here, al your request, far
mer in the midst of farmers, and ! am expected
10 address Them on subjects connected with their
calling. But at the same time l cannot iorset
that am an American in the midst OF Amefi-
cans, and am sure that no apology need be OIL
feIed 10 them tor dwelling for few moments on
some reflections which this day almost forces
upon US.
This is the birthday Of American Independ-
ence. but not of American Freedom. A love oil
freedom is an instinct OF our nature. IL was
born with us. and, TO find its origin, we must go
10 The garden Of Eden, and unlock The heart OF It's
frs, tenant Ii was implanted there by God, and
has descended from heart to heart, until ii has
come down TO u.s. This love Of freedom is no new
passion, which has sprung up in the woods oil
America, but belongs 10 men everywhere-nay,
il is shared with US by the brute and the whole
animal creation. The lion shakes with vain
rage the bars of his cage-the bear strides with
struggling impotence around The post which con-
fines him-and the imprisoned songster strikes
with feeble wing the windows oil its tiny prison
house, or pours forth its complaints in plainiive
notes of melancholy sweetness. This instinct
is but the longing of an animal for the pure air
and .or locomotion. This love OF freedom, thus
far, is an innocent and healthy impulse, and need
NOT be restrained; but lei il extend itself little lar
ther- let ibecome desire 10 injure Others 10 pro-
mote its own enjoyments by an encroachment on
the eDjoyments OF Others and is then dangerous
passion, which must be restrained. Uarestrain-
ed liberty, then, is not the liberty which was bap-
Used in The blood and the tears of our fathers il
is not the liberty which should this day be hailed
throughout the length and breadth OF our wide.
spread country with the roar OF artillery, The &C
CARNATIONS OF the people. The loud anthems, and
the whispered prayer. Unlicensed freedom has
been tried in every age of the world. History is
full of such experiments, and they have ever re-
suited in the destruction OF its ILL Judging volaries.
Such liberty is as different from The liberty OF the
wise and good, as The worship of Baal is from he
worship OF the living God. In the utmost lali-
lude OF the term, man never was and never can be
free. Let him throw off the chains which bind
him-let him walk abroad unshackled, placed I'M
der the guidance Of his own unresrained will
and his first step is an encroachment on the rights
OF his neighbor and his second on self.destIuc-
ton. No man, or nation can safely throw off
the shackles which bind, or the yoke which gals,
until il is prepared TO submit 10 olher shackles,
--l >~Aiher woke. The moment that we break
the allegiance which binds US to man, that mo-
ment we must take an oath OF allegiance to the
God who made US, and swear an unfaltering and
everlasting obedience TO an honest and an enlight-
ened conscience, the vicegerent OF that Holy be-
ing, who holds His court in The temple Of our own
hearts, Are all the citizens OF cur republic, then,
free7 Are all who celebrate this day as the An
niversary OF American Independence ireemen
lear not He who binds hinselto man by any
sort of chain, who basks in his smiles, and wri,hcs
under his frowD, is not free. Think you that he
man who shapes his opinions BY the pattern OF a
partys views, or Presidents wishes-who de-
mics 10 himself The privilege of speaking his own
words, or thinking his own lhoughts-lhink you
such man is iree2 The man whose limbs are
fe,tered With iron, whose only horizon is prisons
walls, is free, absolutely free, compared with him
whose limbs, though unreslrained, aud whose vi
sion, though unconfned, yet whose SOUL is "cabin-
ed, cribbed and coufned"-whose days are en-
ployed 10 watching the varying phases OF mas
ler's countenance, and whose nights are disturb
ed by dreams of masters tfown Are there no
such men as these in our boosted land OF libertyl
Parry from year 10 year, is becoming more and
more despotic: its members have every year less
and less liberty OF lhoushI-no variation from its
Arbitrary standard is permitted. The candidate
for The suffrages OF parry must subscribe TO every
article OF thai partys creed: shadow OF dissent
is visited by the heaviest penalties and The luck
less recreant is rejected and sent abroad with
brand in his forehead. Itisan abuse OF language
to call The subject of a tyranny like this free
man. What shall be said OF The off :e holder, the
poor man who hangs On the Presidents favor
whose bread. and whose chidren's bread are moi
like ours, gentlemen. the frui, OF Gods bounty IL
him who cullivales The earth, but The wages Of
service the most CALLING, the droppinss OF The ca
PRECIOUS charity OF power.
How comes il that The labor Of the ofice-hold-
er is worse than any other kind Of labor, more
corrup,ing and more chansiug7 Simrly because
he is paid for his labor more money than his la
Dor Is worth. II he loses his place, he can find no
other So profitable; and TO retain IL he is tempted
10 make the sacrifice Of his Liberty. Give man
a dollar day to work on your farm, and al night
he is your equal: he disputes with you, argues
points Of politics and religion with you; and il
YOU should venture TO trammel him in The least,
or TO require from him any extraordinary defer.
ence, he turns his tack upon you, and goes TO
The next farmer for empoyment-ior he knows
that the "laborer is worthy Of his hire" But,
suppose tina, you should give your laborers five
dollars day-ard how then stands the matter
You will then be understood as giving one dollar
for labor and four dollars for snbseryiency: they
who undertook the labor, would submit, TO yonr
exac,ions of Difference and regard Your even
ing dispula,ions would be al an end; there would
be but one side 10 every question, and your creed
would be their creed. He, then, who submits TO
take for his labor one copper more than his labor
is worth is periIliDg bis freedom, and it is vain
for him that the blood of his fathers was shed.
Now, gentlemen, while am far from believ-
ing that there are no independent otiice-hoders,
vet do think that the man who takes office, as
Office al the present day is taken is in great dan.
ger: and, unless his virtue be stronger than The
virtue OF men of common mould, he will lose his
independence. So dangerous do | think The stu
alton of the man who feeds on patronage, that
canno, withhold from my brother-tarmers, con.
CALCULATIONS that we are not oifice-holders, and
that we hang on The smiles Of Providence, and
mot on the favor of man, or party.
Let us, then, on this day, sacred as it should
be TO liberty, sacred TO the great cause OF social
progress and advancement, sacred TO The dignity
and moral elevation OF man,-let us, | say, on
this day swear an eternal hostility to that party
spirit, which, instead of making US freemen,
would degrade US into slaves. Let us lift no man
10 power who is unworthy of the elevation. Let
no base coin have currency with US, because il
happens 10 bear on il the image and superscrip-
tion of Caesar. Let us look 10 the weight and
the ring Of the metal, and not the stamp. Let
our Offices be filled with men who are able, and
true-true 10 honor, true 10 patriotism-true 10
the best interests Of the country. In word,
place men in Office, whose labors are worth the
money which they derive from the office, and we
VIII nave OluCClo WIZ Will OWc us uOI Il SllVGI
more than we owe acknowledgements men, who
will be equal proof against The dictates and the
seductions of power. Until We do this, gentle
men, We are unworthy participants of the sacra-
mems of liber,y,-we are unworthy to celebrate
The virtues of the great men who have gone before
us. Our lips are nnhallowed, and should not ven-
ture on their praises our hands are unclean and
cannot, without guilty ireyerence, touch their
bers. Lei US purify ourselves from all man-wor-
ship, and parly-worship and assemble on this
day, with our hearts stepped in that benehcent
spirit OF liberty, which unsheaihed The sword OF
Washington, and lent voice of eloauence TO the
un,u,ored lips Of Henry.
But, gentlemen, il was not for such specula-
lions as these that was requested 10 appear be-
fore you this day. / am expected 10 address far
mers on the business Of farms, agriculturiss on
agricultural topics Perhaps / may have been
honored with the expectation that might throw
some new light on the theories and practices OF