The republic., 1851-07-08

STATES.
This declaration, made by most patriotic and react
lutte men, trusting in the justice of their and
the protection OF Heaven, and yet made not with
,, ,,,. ,,,,c-itude and anxiety has now stood for
seventy five years, and still stands. II was sealco
in blood. II has met dangers, and overcome them;
il has bad enemies, and it has conquered them; it
has had detractors and il has abashed them all; it
has had doubling friends, but il has cleared all
doubts away; and now to- lay, raising its august
form higher than the Clouds twenty millions Of
people contemplate it with hallowed love, and the
world beholdA il, and the consciousness which have
followed from it, with profound admiration. M
This anniversary animates, and gladdens, and
unltes all American hearts On other days of the
year we may be party men, indulging in contro-
versies more or less important to the public rood;
we may have likes and dislikes and we NAV main
tain political differences, often with warm and
sometimes with angry feelings. But to-day we
are Americans all and all nothing but Americana.
AS the great luminary over our heads, disspatin4
msts aud iogs, now cheers the whole hemisphere so
do the associations connected with this day dperse
all cloudy and sullen weather, and all noxious ex-
helalions in the minds and feelings of true Ameri-
cans Every mans heart swells within him, every
mans port and bearing become somewhat more
proud and lofty, as he remembers that seventy five
years have rolled away, and that the great nheri-
tance of liberty is still his: his undiminished and
unimpaired; his in all its original glory; his to
enjoy, his TO protect, and his TO transmit TO future
generations.
Fellow citizens, this inheritance which we enjoy
to-day is not only inheritance of liberty, but Of
our own peculiar American liberty Liberty has ex-
listed In other tmes In other couhtrles and in other
FORMS There has been a Grecian liberty, bold and
powerful full of spirit, eloquence, and ire liberty
which produced nultitudcs of great men, and has
transmitted one immortal name, the name OF De-
mosthcnes, to posterity. But still it was liberty
of disconnected States, sometimes united, indeed,
by temporary leagues and coniedcracies, but often
involved In wars between themselves. The sword
OF Sparta turned its sharpest edge against Athens,
enslaved her, and devastated Greece, and, in
her turn, Sparta was compelled to bend before
the power OF Thebes And let il be ever re-
membered, especially let the truth sink deep
into all American minds, that it was THE WANT or
UNION among her several States which finally gave
the mastery of all Greece to Philip Of Macedon.
And there has also been Roman liberty, proud,
ambitious, domineerlng spirit, protesting free and
popular principles in Rome itself, but, even in the
best days of the republic, ready to carry slavery
and chains into her provinces, and through every
country which her eagles could be borne.
Who ever heard of liberty in Spain, or Gau, or
Germany, or Britain, in the days Of Rome? There
was none such. As the Roman empire declined,
her provinces, not instructed in the principles of
free popular government, after another de-
clned also, and when Rome herself fell in the end,
all fell together.
have said, gentlemen, that our Inheritance ia an
Inheritance OF American liberty. That liberty is
characteristic, peculiar, and altogether our own.
Nothing like il existed in former times,
known in the most enlightened States of antiquity;
while with us its principles have become inter-
woven into the minds of individual men, con-
nected with daily opinions. and daily
habits, until it is, if may so say, element of
social, as well Of political life; and the conse-
qucnce is, that to whatever region an American
citizen carries himself, he takes with him, fully de-
veoped In his understanding and expert
ence, our American principles and opinions; and
becomes ready at once, in cooperation with others,
to apply them 10 the formation ofnew governments
OF this, most wonderful instance may be seen in
the history of the State OF California
On former occasion have ventured to remark,
that ''lt is very difficult to establish free con-
servative government for the equal advancement
of all the interests of society. What has Germany
done; learned Germany, fuller of ancient lore
than all the world beside? What has Italy done?
What have they done who dwell ON the spot where
Cicero lived? They have not the power of self
government which common town meeting,
with us, possesses" "Yes, say, that those per-
sons who have gone from our town meetings, to
dig gold IN California, are more INT to make ro-
publican government than any body of men in
Germany Italy; because they have learned
this one great lesson, that there is no security
without law, and that, under the circumstances
in which they are placed, where there is no mill
tary authority TO cut their throats, there is no
sovereign will but the will of the majority; that.
therefore, if they remain, they must submit to
Now, fellow citizens, if your patience will hold
out, will venture, before proceeding to the more
appropriate and particular duties of the day, to
state, in q few words what take these American
political principles in substance TO be. They con-
sst as think in the first place, in the establishment
Of popular governments on the basis OF representa-
ton; for it Is plain that pure democracy, like that
which existed in some OF the States of Greece in
which every individual had q direct vote in the en-
actn1ent of all laws, cannot possibly exist in
try of wide extent. This representation is to be
made as equal as circumstances will allow. Now,
this principle of popular representation, prevailing
eitherin all the branches OF governments or in some
of them, has existed in these States almost from the
days OF the settlements at JameBtoS and Plymouth;
borrowed doubt, from the example of the popular
branch of the British Legislature. The representa-
ton of the people in the British House of Commons
was, indeed, originally very unequal, and is yet
not equal. Indeed, it may be doubted, whether the
appearance of Knights and Burgesses assembling
on the summons of the Crown, was not intended at
first as an assistance and support 10 the Royal pre-
rogative, In matters of revenue and taxation,
rather than mode of asccrtaining popular
opinion. Nevertheless, representation had popu-
lar origin, and savored more and more of the cha
ractcr of that origin, as it acquired, by slow de-
grees, greater and greater strength, in the actual
government of the country. In fact, the Constl-
tuition OF the House OF Commons was a form OF re-
presentation however unequal numbers
counted, and majorities prevailed; and when our
ancestors, acting upon this example, introduced
more equality OF Representations the idea assumed
a more rational and distinct shape. At any rate,
this manner of exercising popular power was fami-
liar to our fathers when they settled this conti-
nent. They adopted it, and generation has risen
up after generation, all acknowledging it, and
becoming acquainted with its practice and ts
forms.
And the next fundamental principle in our sys-
tenn is that the will of the majority, fairly cx-
pressed through the means of representation, shall
have the force Of law and it is quite evident that,
in country without Thrones or Arstocracies, or
privileged castles classes, there be other
foundation for law to stand upon.
And as the necessary result of this, tho third Gle
is that the law the supreme rule for the gov
ernment OF all. The great sentiment of Alc@us,
beautifully presented to us by Sir William Jones,
is absolutely indispensable to the construction and
maintenance Of our political systems
"What constitutes State?
Not high rais'd battlements labored mound,
Thick wall or moated gate;
Not cities proud with spires and turrets crown'd;
Not bays and broad armd ports,
Where, laughing at the storm, rich navies ride;
Not starr'd and spangled courts,
Where low w-brow'd baseness watts perfume to
pride.
No--MEN, high minded MEN,
With powers as far above dull bruHes endued
In