Arkansas intelligencer., 1849-07-21
o r A T 10 n
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN

LADIES AND UENiLEMEN.
feel hattered by the conspicuous pari assigned
me in this day transactions but more especially
in these patriotic tributes of honor and gratitude
10 forefathers-to cur counIry-to freedom
and 10 Freedoms God, thai | have The honor of
standing before yoU, the humble representative OF
The Institute TO which belong. | speak as ci-
tizen, for this is an Ahhiversary-a celebration
of principle rather than event, and should be com.
memorated wherever man breathes the atmosphere
of Freedom; yet must confess while surveying
such an assemblage of intellect intelligence, and
beauty, that feel myself incompetent for the task
assigned me. Pardon a puerile difiidence while
around me | behold numbers far more able than
myself of performing the pleasure of entertaining
you, and Of kindling glow of patriotism in your
bosoms You cannot expect from me ar elaborate
fiery and patriotic Grafton, is usual upon such
occasions as the present; for the duties incumbent
upon a member of The Institute, would have
rendered anything Of the kind mpractcabIe, even
had the ability. And if |, by contrast, seem 10
dwindle into insignifcance, please bear il mind
the vast dtierence-what may be reasonably e2-
pected from /" learned lawyers y and celebrated
divines,' and what can be expected from an mex
perienced school boy. For you must remember
that school-boy's brain, unlike that of those
whose daily employment is oratory, is not the soil
from which spring, almost i:npromptu, poetic
flowers and garands Of rhetoric, which the
mature and mellow fruit Of contemplation W 1uld
melt Into fragrant odors Of truth. |, has ever
been the custom of all nations to celebrate what
ever might occur strange, wonderful. or glorious,
with banquetings and revelling5, or with magnili-
cent ostenl OF pompous wealth and gilded pa
geantry. Then should not we celebrate the An
niversary of the birth of Freedom. -t
The dawn of that glorious morn, the Goddess Of
Liberty, emerging from the gloom Of tyranny,
which had for ages enveoped the earth. first soar
ing, famed her snowy plumage in the breezes of
Columbia, and radntng blissful coruscutions of
Freedom: Hopo and happiness placed the unfurled
banner Of stars and stripes, with the emblem of
her own fair seIf--ouf g star-eyed eagle en-
stamped upon its rustlihg folds into the hands of
a WAsHINGroN-while upon the exulting brow of
each warrior-veteran was deneated in an ex-
preston of triumphant ermnation-" 4n,eSica
shall be free ~ --.-E ea.'.r Hgr.. 7-. -
Yes, while American institutions stand-whie
those institutions breathe the atmosphere of heahh
and prosperity upon our moral and political heri-
zon-whe gratitude is due to the founders Of those
Institutions one drop of the heroic blood Of
the noble forefathers of seventysix still fires the
American patrot---while the image of Washing
ton is still ensamped upon the hearts Of freemen,
and while beneath its glorious influence our states
men are the wisest, matrons the most vIrtuous,
our warriors the nobest, and ladies the faireSt--
our lads the bfavest and our laSses lie prettieS ;
this glorious Anniversary Will ever Be CONNIE
morated no, indeed by elaborated, os,entatious
and gorgeous array, but by unaffected assembiages
of beauty and intelligence, as we now behold !:
and more than all by the heart obations upon the
altar Of freedom, and the incense of patriotic gra-
tithde to The Omnscen, God Of Battles .leI
| America occupies position peculiarly grand
md interesting. Situated as she is upon this PIN
nace of time and highest summit Of learning and
improvement, the bustng transactions for centu-
| res past seem to have been enacted but for her
observation and instruction. The universal ex-
perience Of all past ages, all systems, all creeds,
all codes-all maxims, sacred and profane, ancient
or modern, with the accumulated wisdom Of all
time. in copious Tide, fow into the legislative halls