American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-07-10

3
ernment--who will assert that IL will not be
perpetual What this Government has done,
great a. u may be, cannot be regarded as the
iuil measure Of what II can do. Like giant it
can crush and walk over all that dare oppose
her onward march 20 wealth aud glory. Her
enemies VIII only strengthen her by their de-
\ feat and their ruins iii be the monuments Of
her strength. Power Is not her only element, !.
OF durability; her justice and mildness have
made her strong ia the affections OF her people.
she has been administered by thirteen presi- !.
dents, elected by opposing parties and in times
OF great excitement for the greater portion OF
century, without one civil war, without the
shedding ~ one drop Of blood for State crimes,
and without one single conviction for treason.
Now LET the world show parallel
| One beautiful proof Of the wise distribution
Of powers between State and Federal govern
ments is 10 be found In the fact, that though
the Revolution produced radical change in the
forms and principles Of government on this con-
tinent, yet the people Of Rhode Island, mem
Der Of this confederacy, voting for the Presi-
dents and sending delegates to Congress, have
retained 20 within recent day, for their local
State government, charter which was the free
gift OF one OF the crowned heads Of Europe to
bs then loyal subjects, two centuries ago
Another proof Of the expansive and self-adapt-
ing genius Of this government is the fact that
an immense region on the Pacific once an ap-
pendage OF the Spanish crown, and, To within
Few years back, governed by the alcaldes Of
Mexico, Is now sovereign member Of this
Union, with an Angio-A American population Of
two hundred and fifty thousand with harbors
whitened by the commerce of the world with
the richest gold mines in the universe, opened
by the enterprise of our own citizens, and con-
tanning great city, 50 enterprising and indom-
liable that to-day il is laid in ashes and in ruins
by the destroying element, and to- o-morrow rising,
like the fabed bird Of old, from its ruins, and
teeming with industry and thrift. The object
Of these reflections is 20 do justice to the men
whose yalcr in the field and whose wisdom in
| the cabinet We are now celebrating.
4 But how, let me ask, could the stupendous
results we behold have been accomplished with
| out the Christening influence Of woman, SO quail
fed by nature and so beautifully reared by edu-
cation to become the companion, the joy and
the pride of the men of '76.
Without the home that plighted love endear.
without the smile from partial beauty won,
! Oh! what were mani world without sum-
The fruits Of their labors would have with
ered-the laurels would have faded from their
brows-the deeds Of their prowess would have
failed-their trophies would have persisted, and
the great work Of freedom would have gone un-
a done. The part that woman took in the Revo-
luton has been but little studied--in fact the
entire subject has been greatly neglected Till
rescue from oblivion some of the deeds of heroism
performed by the sex Mrs. Ellet has beautifully
and ably done this in her very interesting work
| on The Women of the Revolution" May the
subject be pursued with zeal and industry Ii
| the histories of the homesteads of that day had
been preserved, how many thrilling scenes and
noble lessons that are now lost would have been
handed down 10 thrill and improve posterity!
How many hero has been formed at the fire.
SIDE There is sentiment that glows around
the hearthstone, Of which the blazing fire itself
is but emblem. There the inquiring boy
has drunk in from his mothers lips, as she was
singing him 20 his slumbers, n thousand inn
pulses of bravery and enthusiasm, which form
his character for life, and never depart from his
heart The fresde is the source of all the yir-
tues. Love and duty are nourished there
Love- indicating and sustaining good objects,
begetting loyalty, charity, and the humanities
Of life; Duty, the great sustaining element in
character, begetting submission, labor and re-
hgion. There, at the freside, are dispensed
around her by the mother the sister the wife.
" the small sweet courteses Of life, !" which add
charm to existence, which make home sacred,
and engender the sentiment Of its protection;
hence loyalty to the soil, more potent than
allegiance to kings. Such influences make us
brayer men and better Christians l have
already called your attention 20 the intimate
connexion between the political system and
social life. Are we not convinced that nc
the breaking out of the Revolution, when the
colonists were essentially home people, do
mestc in their habits, and loving the homestead,
the characters Of most IL not all Of the SOL
diers and statesmen Of that epoch were thus
formed think so. But added TO all this,
see what the heroines Of that day did in the face
! Of the world. They prepared the clothes and
bandages of the soldiers, they melted the bull
let's, served as spies carried intelligence under
circumstances Of great personal peril, and acted
as nurses for the sick and wounded In hospital
and prison-ship. They laid aside the silks and
rich fabrics from foreign parts, FOR the homespun
cloths of their own looms. Mrs. Ellet, in her
admirable work to which have already alluded,
gives the names and sketches the services Of one
hundred and seventy illustrious women who had
q direct agency in the Revolution Of "a
1t is usual and very proper ON these occasions
to express our gratitude TO the foreign sympa-
thizng nations that gave us aid and comfort in
our revolutionary struggle The fear Of detain-
ing you too long viii prevent me from enlarging
on this head. Let us, however, place In the
casket Of our proud historic "reminiscences the
names of Lafayette, kosciusco, and the other
distinguished generals and noblemen Who left
their own beautiful and sunny homes, 20 shed
their blood and spend their treasure in tho
cause of American freedom would love % do
full justice this occasion to the French nation,
but must slight the subject by barely remark
ing upon the full success Of DR. Frankhns
mission to France, as showing the temper oi the
French people towards our country, and paruc-
ularly that Of the French ladies. Madame
Campan, in her work on the Court OF Mare
/ Aptoinette relates that permission was OBJ
toinod from the king to send out TO the Ameri-
cans supplies Of arms and clothing" quote
her own words " Franklin appeared at Court
in the dress of an American cultivator. His
straight, unpowdered hair, his round hat. his
brown cloth coat, formed a contrast with the
laced and embroidered coats and the powdered
and perfumed heads of the courtiers Of Yer