Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1847-08-09
.MONDlY .HOR,NLNG. .4UGi'ST 9. lsl7.

cirryns a,,ces under whta delivered. We take
however, special pleasure in publishing it, lnasmuch
it advances opinion which have always held
and shuald like to see become universal The General
SAYS:
MEN who have but specifically studied the history
al Gle United States aTaccueomed 10 speak of this
ay as the anniversary of emancipation from boudage
and vague ideas OF that Naguesi oi all things called lib
cr,y are attached TO the very of national indie
pendence But the people Of The uited States Were
never in of bondage. The Of the revolution
was no, Of liberty. On the contrary. II was hut
Struggle determine whether the two great subdivisions
Of The British nIablling Europe and the other
inhahiin1 America, and both equally ree-should
time constitute single empire, whether they
should be reeoustiruted separately into independent
empires.
This idea that American liberty dates from the ith
of July ZIG. popular lalary, which it is high time
to dispe The vindicati,n Of Historical ruth well as
OF the character of ancestors requires that
rect notions should he adopted Anniversary oraors,
whether from ignorance of our ante Revolutionary his
tory with view to dramatic effect, prone daie
upon the slavery under which, they assert, people
proaned until their siaekes broken by the Declar
atm OF independence. Our blood has lhan
boiled within us listening This outrage the truth
OF history and the fame Of ureiatlers According
this theory, the grand leading principles Of civil lib
e1ty And constitutional government Were FIRST pronul
gated in VIC. Now, without deracng from the merit
of that immortal document scntEe say there was
moi asngle doctrine announced by the Declaration Of
1nde pendence, which cannot be found in Sydney and
Locke, and earlier writer's i'll Fng land and which had
been thoroughly understood aud appreciated and car
r.d into effect by the counss from their earliest settle
n,ent. The Declaration was mere rccapinlalion of
fundamental principles of civil lberig. which were quite
as well understood and cherished and the practical bless
inrs flowing from which as fully ENJOYED. at that
DAY as now. There startling novelty about this
rort of the instrument-le truths proclaimed were am
lar as household words. What startled and APPALLED,
many was the bald assertion that the colonies should
hereafter assert their POLITICAL. INDEPENDENCE. We
can imagine the surprze and Indignation with which the
members of the Congress Of rs would have received the
final they were the representatives. # peo
pic groaning under an inolcabe political slavery The
colonlsts believed themselves 10 be in the enjoyment Of
the .ampl,.Si freedom They We're content with their
situation and asked for rights or privileges =
Their object WIS preserve The franchises they then
and ALWAYS enjoyed; nol TO eXtort ones Our
limits will not permit tie mcaere extracts
but let the reader turn to those papers, which ex-
tnted the splendid oulo.ium Of CHATHA,-the address
10 rhc British crown and peope-and he will look in
vain for any demand for new privileges Their proud
and affecting appeal was they might be permitted the
liberties of British subjects. They believed. and had
ample believe that it the intention of the
British ministry infringe these privileges and to de
prive thcrno their liberty Their aim was merely con
seryative. The of all the ties which bound
them 10 he British nation an after lteonalt not in
duged :unt the intentions Of the ministry could no lon
ger be quesiupe and adopted until ii becamt appa
rent that presented the most hopeful chance Of fsesy-
ing their liberties. No doubt the leading spirits Of that
day. the Adamses and llcmys. toresaw The necessty
and lalofed zcal1usy. but coyety to promote separa
ton There is still less doubt thaup to the last moment
connection with Great Britain dearly cherished by
the ID te people, and by Tie majority of those who
afterwards became the leaders in the struggle sever
it. The Declaration of Independence took the colonies
by surprisc-aud had it been made twelve or even six
months 50 ner would have been far in advance of
public sentiment Fhcgreat merit Of the coonss was that
they cordially, with but few exceptions approved the
act of their delegates and unexpected though
In a certain sense, there was no Revolution The
bloody struggle, which was cosedby the peace of SO
was war for Independence. No IDEAS Of civil or
religious freedom announced the Outset and prop
agated at The point of the sword. There was, with
small exception no civil The coloaists all held
1he same general ideas the subject ohuman rights the
origin of political power and the end of all leeiti
mate government Their attention nnl diverted from
the end in view that is the independence d The colon es
by novel discussions. in clus and journals OF the rights
OF man. theories OF government. They had ncsef
knoHn any tlAog clse than the plain, practical sober
doclyines Of Anglo American liberty; and simple, bul
sIoime truths. which, when olsewhcrcaqnounccd con
Ysed society, by them had 50 long been held to seem
par fiber mental and moral constitution. Their liberty
was the product Of a sturdy tree raised from the seed and
tie growth ofcenlurics not fruit cngrafed on decay
a iag stem.
want of attention to the fact. that Freedom and In
dependence convertible terms. has been produc-
tive CT worse evils than historical mistakes in 9TH Of July
orators. The success Of what is called the American
revolution has led other nations 10 initiate the example
and their efforts have not been altogether promotve OF
The ea&se olibery. In France there genuine
onlion Everything Observation-Disclosures exist
Ell was Of necessity supposed TO be bad and therefore
he oblteraled. Destruction, not Reform, the sbecl
In vte%. The Reconstruction of government mol
deemed practicable, until all existing institutions were
leveed 10 the ground and France presented dread
? nse OF desolaon. We need not dwell upon horrors
witch period was put by the only remedy, military
dspotsm. The revolution was not contaminated unit
leo and, IN the Eth YER of The reign of tho Glitter
hhg though enjoying domestic quetudo, much natona