Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1847-08-13
From the Boston Courier
The Celebration of the Fifth of July at
Monterey.

A correspondent of the Pcayune furnishe.
an account of the celebration of the 9Th, at Gen
Taylors camp, at Monterey. Under wide
spread awning, were Gen. Taylor, his staff
and the army officers. On the right of the
awning the soldiers of Maj. Braggs Light Ar
tllery were drawn I'M in line, on the left the %
Dragons, and in front the Massachusetts regi
ment. As soon as the latter had formed into
line, Gen. Gushing made his appearance, and
Gen. Taylor and his officers all rose. Genera
Gushing then proceeded to address him as fol-
lows
General--The veteran officers and soldier.
whom you have so many times led on to vcto
ry and to fame-those yet uritried in the field
who ardently long for the day when your voice
shall bid them also tread trumphantly in the
same noble path of honor and of duty-and 9TH
ers your fellow citizens present, who, though
not called to fight the battles of their country
are not the less animated with the same devoted
love towards her which we feel-have desired on
this anniversary of our separate existence as q
sovereign people, to present their respectful sal
utations to you, as the official representative
here of the power and authority of the United
States.
We come to rejoice with you on this day OF
glorious memories. in the prosperity and great
ness of our country, and to rekindle in our
hearts that sacred fire of patriotism, by remem-
boring together the virtues and the sacrifices of
our wise and brave forefathers, who have trans
mit,ed to us the splendid heritage of the land
hallowed by their blood, of the institutions they
founded, of their own immortal names.
1t is indeed day never forgotten by an Amer
can for, whether in the home of our affections
and interests, surrounded by all that is dearest
TO the human heart, or on the broad exranse OF
the tathomless ocean. or wandering over some
far distant land on this anniversary, wherever
we may be, our thoughts are turned spontane-
ously to the same point, as truly as the needle
to the pole, as devoutly as the Moslem to his no.
ly Mecca.
And well it is for us that il is so. since no
warmth of gratitude is intense enough to be
commensurate with the debt of thanktulness we
owe to our patriot sires, no language of elo-
quence is powerful enough to express adequate
ly the emotions of pride which our country's ca
reer awakens-no homage of the soul is pro-
found enough to render due alteration to that
gracious Providence which has continued to
guide and to guard the dcstines of the Union.
Meanwhile let us be Just to the memory OF
our forelathers, and Just to ourselves in the
measure Of regard which we bestow on this
day.
Men who have but specifically studied the
history of the United States are accustomed to
speak of this day as the anniversary of our
emancipation from bondage, and vague ideas
of that vaguest of all things, called liberty, are
attached to the very name Of our national indie
pendence But the people OF the United States
were never in a state of bondage. The war O.
the revolution was not war for liberty. Or
the contrary it was but Il struggle in arms tc
determine whether the two great subdivisions
of the British race, one nhabitng Europe ant
the other inhabiting America, and both equally
free, should continue to constitute a single EN-
pire, or whether they should be reconstructed
separately into two independent empires. Tn,
God of Battles decided that we, the American
Colonies, were as competent for Independent
self government as the mother-country an,
England, with that practical good sense whicl
distinguished her from other nations, manfull,
acquiesced in the decision that split her powe
asunder, and gave to us separate dominion il
America
And the mysterious order of Providence seem
to have predestned the American to surpass tn
European subdivision of the original empire
for, Of that high-mnded, bold-hearted and
strong-handed British race, which, whereso
ever it appears, appears but tofCommand, tn
more numerous part will ere long be found il
America and the British Isles have alread
reached that fatal term in the history of nations
when their native land can no longer feed it
sons; while the people the United States ar
still expanding with rapdity and strength O
possession which deiies calculation, over tn
rich virgin soils ofthe New World.
This reflection acquires new force from tn
circumstances under which we this day meet
. conquering American army, here, in the hear
of the Mexican Republic, in sight of the cap
tured redoubts and heights of Monterey, ami
the venerable trees, and by the side of thes
! Epinr urata Of t.a .,,l Of 80,
, which occupied by you, General, and your vic
! torious troops, has acquired place in histor
as enduring as poetry ever gave to the iountai
I, Of Vaucluse, or eloquence to the grove of AGA
demus.