The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1847-01-15
From the Boston Times.
GOV. CAss' LECTURE, BEFCHE TIRE
Mercantile Library association.

Notwithstanding the extreme in
clemcncy of the weather last eve
ming, large and highly intelligent
audience, including many ladies',
was attracted to the fremont TEN
pie by the announcement of Lee
turc from the Hon. Lewis Cass, oil
Michigan; and notwithstanding the
high expectations which the reputa-
ton Of the lecturer had excited, VIC
have reason to believe that these ex-
pcctations were more than realized
by the matter and manner Of the dis
course, which was warmly applaud
ed throughout.
/ Mr.. CaSs' manner was easy, his
voice sufficiently loud to fill every
part Of the hall, while the style, both
of his lecture and delivery, was clo-
quent and impressive. We could
not do justice to the orator without
giving rerbatim report of his dis
course, for which we have not space,
and Our readers must therefore be
content with a confessedly brief and
imperfect sketch. The subject cho-
sen was highly Interesting one =
"Thc Progress and Prospects of So
ciety.' Every age ofthc world, he
said, presented pcculiaritics of its
own, and it was of the highest i'm
| portance and advantage TO look back
upon the past and scan with care its
features, that we might learn to an
ticipate and shape the future from its
teachings. Society could not remain
stationary-its course was onward,
an progress was the wGtchword Of
the age.
Our own country affords the am
|plcst subject for contemplation, and
the rapidity Of its progress from in
fancy to vigorous maturity, afforded
the history Of an extraordinary and
miraculous career. In the course OF
comparatively small number Of
years, civilization had colonized an
immense empire, and the march OF
great events had left their mighty
impress on the continent from tie
Atlantic TO the Pacific, from Labra-
dor to Cape Horn. From small be-
ginning we had arrived at mighty
result which yet was not the end
Never was bark freighted with more
precious burthcn than the little May
flower which ploughed its way thro'
the untracked waters at the most in
element season Of the year, and Ian
ded the true-hearted founders of a
republic upon the monumental rock
at Plymouth. Amidst all their tolls
and troubles, they enjoyed that grace
of God which passcth all understan-
ding and gave them them inspiration
and success. They went forward
through all suffering and danger with
the fortitude Of Christians and the
energy of men. To their principles,
the morals, their strong religious
faith and the cultivation of that
knowledge for the general diffusion
of which they provided means, we
owe all we have been, all we are,
and all we shall be.
knowledge was the handspring
of the present age. 1t was an age
not of speculation but of action, and
the constancy Of our progress was
attributable to high common stan
dard of virtue and intelligence. Up
on this basis all power is founded.
The golden age Of the poets was
the iron age of government. The
errors of the past in morals and pol
icy had been swept away by the
knowledge of the present age. The
schoolmaster made more conouests
than the soldier, and the alphabet
was more powerful than the bayonet.
SO linked together were the sympa-
thies of mankind by the diffusion of
intelligence and,thc means of inter-
communication, that a hostile gun
could not be fired on the Danube
without awakening an echo on the
banks OF the Mississippi; and when
Baroarlans trampled on the classic
shore OF Greece-when the clang OF
the sabre was heard at the base OF
the Acropolis-the sympathies of all
in the United States were aroused
in behalf of the struggling Atheni-
ans. Since our own revolution, great
political earthquakes have shaken
Europe to its centre. We cannot
be inactive spectators of movements
akin to our own and springing from
the same. In the revolutionary days
of Europe people marched in the
van OF their governments, and if il
the East, Tyranny dared not attempt
the atrocities formerly enacted, il
was because public opinion exercis.
ed censorship that dcspots dared
not entirely disregard.
The most powerful agent in pro,
ducing the cvcntrul changes in The
aspect of society and in government.
which had talIca place in molcr,
times, was the press. But a ccntur,
and half only had elapsed sine,
.