Western union. (City of Hannibal, Mo.) 1850-1851, 1850-12-26
THOMAS CREIGHTON.

The Audience having assembled in tie Bap.
tist Church. AMI upon coming 10 order, elected
ihs Rev. j. IL. i-nnAvcE Moderator. MIX.
CkElullI TON Oeing Introduced 10 the Meet
ing, sruse and spoke AS follows:
Mn. President, AND LADIES AND GENlLE-
MEH:
In presenting myself before you q, this time.
! would be dong violence to my own feelings,
were | not 10 acknowledge in the pruluundest
terms oI due consideration, my siuceres' thanks
for the very distinguished honor conf, rred,
in the invitation no politely and kindly rendered.
And also desire 10 say that could cheerinlly
respond to this call made upon no. were ! not
fearful that the remarks now ABOUT TO DO offered,
and coming from All individual 80 obscure, and
little known among you AS myself, will prove
neither Instructive nor Interesting. But 1t would
be altogether super iluous. for me to stand here
AID explain toyou my lncapAbl.ty OF finvessigat-
ing the subjects to which propose inviting your
attention. This is a discovery which you will
make soon enough; aud therefore withou: prem
ising further, we will now proceed 10 iha mat
ter IN hand.
Next in Importance 20 the all absorbing
topic Of mans final destiny beyond the grave,
comes the study oil those laws and prnci pies OF
society, which regulate human conduct in the
present bourne OF our existence. Tho patri-
archs Of antiquity, the sages Of later age, and
the illustrious statesmen Of our own times have
all alike been closely and intensely engaged in
the investigation Of this prolific theme. The
deepest and most profound researches OF the
mos! highly gifted and bes, dlsclp pned intelleets
that ever shone forth upon the W;!ld, have beer
handed down from time imlnenoriai; and yet III:
exciting ubject is still tossed W on the turbulen
waters Of public agitation. All the examples
nj kl,nan -,
choicest portions Of earth with crimes Of blood
are now before us. The history Of mans onward
march, from his silert abode IN the Eas, tn hi
last wandsrings in tho western wilds. is writ
ten with pen OF iron upon the adamantine pill
lars Of our national greatness. The rise, AM
progress, and decline, and fall of the most pow
erful nations that ever swayed the septre o
universal dominion over the erring race Of man
point TO US in warning tones Of thrilling elo
quencs the political errors that iumhled then
from the elevated pinnacle Of their splendo' an'
renown, into the ya"ning gulf OF their own de
struction. TIE shores all along down the might
streams Of time, are lined with The wrecks q
empires, sad nementoes. burning recollec'ons c
their fJrmer fame.
The moving strains Of Homer g. Euripdes hav
immortalized their country in the green field
ofinemory; but the moss has for centuries grow
upon the stone, upon which is recorded tn
rnournful story Of her own mortality. No go
worthy Of his sire .hundersd forth anoths
Philippe" against the demagngues OF part
faction; and the consequences 10 Known to al
She fell and human Freedom with 'dishsvela
hair" and weeping eyes, turned her blesdin
footsteps from the wslks Of Philosophy an
groves of Sciencs, to wander among the lionel
va!ss, and climb the rugged sleeps OF Gsrm"n
And the oity Of "se.en hills, once tho pr"
and wonder Of the admiriog world, where. whe'
i, ,he2 Within hor bosom she cherished aNip'
that sunk ito cruel fang, into her 'Hnl; The
niercsi her nearl and the vital spark tlel fore
or. Among the PROSTATE rnins Of tina V"tic'
and Lateran the midnight owl boots ont
nournful dirge, There, no a'ten.ivs audien