The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-11-22
TIL e r E P u BLIC.
Anniversary Grafton.


Grafton Of ROBERT ]. WALKER, eso, delipered al
the Theatre, an Matches, Mississippi, on the 22d OF
february 1888.
When retiring to the peaceful shades of Mount
vernon, no more TO lead the armies, or direct the
councils Of America, the Father of his Country be-
queathed to us, as his last advice the address to
which you have just listened. Impelled, upon that
solemn and impressive occasion, by the same devo-
ton to his country which animated his bosom at the
commencement Of the struggle for independence
our Washington, can old and Affection ate
triend," directed the attention of his countrymen
to those great and leading principles which seemed
10 him to constitute the only durable and solid basis
OF American liberty. In adverting to those perls
which might threaten the fair fabric of constitu-
uonal freedom, none seemed 80 alarming to Wash
ington as the dangers of disunon. The great leader
OF the patriot army of 76 had and felt that
Union and liberty were inseparable. He had seen
this Union coeval with the existence of American
liberty. IL was beneath the banner of United Amer
lca that he had fought and conquered, and he knew
that under no other standard could have achieved
our independence. The war of the Revolution he
had always truly viewed as one struggle for a com
mon destiny, by and for all the States. American
liberty was the prize for which all contended, and
was purchased only by the tolls and suferings, and
blood OF united Americans, as an undivided and in
divsible inheritance for themselves and their chill
dren forever. When, in the morn of our glorious
Revolution, the spirit stirring drum called forth to
battle the soldiers OF liberty, the freedom Of all Of
none OF the States, linked in the bonds of
union, /" was their inspiring motive-"E pluribus
unun the motto encircling the kindred stars that
beam from the American banner. The patriotism
oi the army of '76embraced the whole country, and
each soldier grasped his comrades hand, ere in a
common cause they onward marched, to meet a
glorious victory, or a glorious grave The object
of their tolls was "the Independence Of America"
and they knew it could neither be obtained or pre-
served by thirteen disunited States form as MANY
separate and wholly independent nations Wash
ington had witnessed these events; they had sunk
leep into his heart and he could never forget that
The triumph of American liberty was the triumph OF
American Union; that together they rose, and they
must forever beam or sink together Hence his
deep solicitude, when retiring forever from public
lie, to impress upon the minds of his countrymen
ere ms lips were sealed in death, the all important
truth that the Union the rock on which our
liberty was founded, and upon which only it could
continue to repose The Father of his Country then
speakng to US IN the language Of his farewell ad-
iress, declared: at is of Infinite moment that you
mould properly estimate the immense value of your
National Union to your collective and individual
happiness; that you should cherish cordial, habit
ual, and lnmovable attachment to it; accustom-
ng yourselves to think and speak of it Of the pal
Iadium of your political safety and prosperity,
watching for its preservation with Jealous anxiety;
jiscountenancing whatever may suggest even
suspicion that II can in any event be abandoned,
and frownng Indignantly upon the first daw ming
Ji every attempt to ALLEVIATE any portion of
Try from the rest, or to cnfeeble the eacred ties
which now link together the various parts" Such
vas the last advice of him whom America pro-
claimed ''hrst IN war, first in peace and first in the
hearts OF his countrymen," and may not truly
dd first and unrivalled in the annals of the world.
At this solemn and momentous crisis, a recur-
renee TO the parting counsels and prophetic warn
.ngs oil Washington, w is peculiarly appropriate. He
tenled the doctrine that State NAV remain in the
Union, select for her government such acts Of Con-
rress only as she thinks proper to adopt and set
all the rest at defiance, partakng in all the bene.
ats and none OF the burdens of the Republic that
single State possesses more power than twenty
,hree States, and may dissolve the Union; that al
though wenty-three States cannot. except by a re-
yoution, dlsunite themselves from any one State,
drive II from the Union, deprive IL of its equal
representation In the Senate, which is forever Sc
cured TO il by the Constitution, yet any State
may drive the twenty three States from Union
with IT, tear asunder the bonds which unite il in
dissoubly 10 Its sister States, an essential mem
Der of the Confederacy, and thus effect general
dissolution OF the Union. These principles
wholly inconsistent with the Constitution, which
bears the sacred name of Washington, and entirely
incompatible with the views unfoldcd in his last
address; and were he new living, we should find
him Indignantly frowning upon the first dawn
ing OF every attempt TO alionate any portion of
country from the rest" Whilst then are yet
permitted TO do let survey the fair fabric Of
Union ere We are crushed beneath its ruins let
look back to the birthday of our Republic, ere we
place our foot upon its grave; let us view
more the glorious dawning Of the bright orb of
American liberty, and contemplate its meridian
spendor, ere we see IL set to rise no more.
These States were welded at the altar of the 4th
Of July, 20. Peace and liberty and countless tri-
umphs have blessed the happy union. Our fathers
declared il should be perpetual, and scaled the
declaration with their blood. Nature interlocks
the various States with mighty rivers, and pro-
nounces the Union indissoluble. Heaven smiles
upon IL, and declares that sacreligious hand
shall tear il asunder. This day the great, the
patriot Washington, tells us in the language of his
iast address, this Union Is indissoubis, and echo
responds from every patriot heart, this Union is
indissoluble. This day the great oo.patriots of
Washington look down with him from those happy
realms 10 which their noble and heroic spirits have
winged their way, and proclaim that the seal of
their blood must never be torn from the charter of
our Union and Independence, subscribed at the
loot of the scaflold. The last OF that immortal
band, the ilustrious Carroll, who fingered here
till disunon unurled her banner, bears not To his
patriots above the mournful tidings that their
toils and sufierings were all in vain and that,
he left his country, It's name was vanishing from
tho roll Of nations, and the pillars of the Union
crumbling in the dust. No; on this day he points
The eye of Washington TO the countless meetings
of Americans, assembled ON this anniversary, to
recall the memory Of the deeds OF the soldiers
OF the Revolution, TO review their common tolls
and triumphs, 10 ponder the last advice
Of Washington, and receive with him who
never carried but 10 victory the standard Of
his country, which il again consigns to his
charge, that "ths Union shall be preserved" !"
The patriot Jefferson, the inspired apostle ofhuman
liberty, who seized her burning pen, and wrote the
hrst great charter OF the rghts Of mankind, looks
uOWn win rOWnlnR aspect upon thOse VINO perNcrt
his doctrines, and says, told you, my country
men, "that the motto of the standard, TO which
country will forever rally, will be Federal Union
and Republican Government" but IL the voice of
be dead could not restrain us from dissolving the
Union, living friend and co-patriot of Washing
ton, saved from the dungeon OF Olmutz for noble
purposes, speaks TO in the language Of paternal
warning and rebuke. He who left the vine covered
hills of his native France 10 fight our battles who
poured his blood, in our defence, upon the plains
Of Brandy wine, and led the victorious column that
planted our banner upon the battements of York.
town, implorcs us not 20 dissolve the Union or
wait least till all the soldiers Of the Revolution
shall moulder in the grave. Nor here only, he
truly tells US, would you crush the temple Of lib
crty, but the hopes Of world in bondage would
expire with the downfall Of the American Union.
Yes, were our Union dissolved, when Lafayette
should rice again in the legislative halls Of France
70 advocate American instutions, the veriest slave
Chat ever crouched at the footstoo of despot. would
laugh him To scorn, and say. the country of w ash
ington ia no more; selfgovernment is a bloody
dream that cheats the hopes Of mankind, it's last
experiment has failed; we will wear our chains and
pureue the delusive phantom of liberty no longer;
msn's destiny is fixed; tits written in blood upon
the fallen pillars of the American Union; anarchy
or dospotism is the unalterable doom Of man kind.
And shall Americans strike the Darricidal hlou ,