The southern press., 1851-07-09

and heppinsss of both. They may fortunately be
led by habit and choice to despise that luxury
which II considered with us the true enjoyment
Of wealth. They may have little relish for that
ceaseless hurry Of amusemenis which Is pursued
in this country without pleasure, exercise, or
employment. And perhaps, after trying some
Of our foies and caprices and rejecting the rest,
they may be led by reason and experiment to
that old simplicity which was first pointed out
b, nature, and has produced those models which
we still admire in arts, eloquence, and manners
The diversity Of neo scenes and situations which
so many groiong STATS must necessarily pass
through, may introduce changes in The fuctuating
opinions and manners of men which can farm
no conception Of; and not only the gracious dis
position of Providence, but the visible preparation
of causes, seems to indicate strong tendencies
towards general Improvement"
Fellow-citizens this "gracious disposition of
Providence" and this ''visible preparation of
causes" at length brought on the hour for deci-
sive action. On the All Of July, l776, the
Representatives ofthc United States Of America
in Congress assembled declared that these
United Colonies are and Of right ought to be,
FREE AND INDEPENDENT STATES.
This declaration, made by most patriotic and
resolute men, trusting in the justice OF their
cause and the protection OF Heaven, and yet
made not without deep solcitude and anxiety,
has now stood for seventy-five years, and still
stands. 1t was sealed in blood. II has met
dangers and overcome tlem it has had enemies
and it has conquered them; it has had detractors
and il has abashed them all; it has had doubling
friends, but it has cleared all doubts away; and
now, to-day, raising its august form higher than
the clouds, twenty millions of people contem-
plate it with hallowed love, and the world be-
holds it, and the consequence which have fol-
lowed from It, with profound admiration.
This anniversary animates, and gladden, and
unites all American hearts. On other days of
the year we may be party men, indulging in
controversies, more or less important to the
public good; we may have likes and dislkes,
and we may maintain our political differences,
often with warm, and sometimes with angry
feelings But to-day, we are Americans all !;
and all nothing but Americans AS the great
umnary over our heads, dsspatng mist and
fog, now cheers the whole hemisphere, 80 do
the associations connected with this day dis
perse all cloudy and sullen weather, and all
noxious exhalations in the mind and feelings Of
true Americans. Every mans heart swells
within him; every mans port and bearing be-
come somewhat more proud and lofty, as he
remembers that seventy five years have rolled
away, and that the great inheritance 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 gene
rations.
Fellow.citizens: I his Inheritance which we
enjoy to day is not only inheritance of liberty,
but of our own peculiar American liberty.
Liberty has existed in other times, in other
countries, and in other forms. There has been
a Grecian liberty, bold and powerful, full of
spirit, eloquence, and fire; liberty which pro-
| &c "A b,o
mtted one immortal name, the name of Demos
themes, to posterity. But still it was liberty
, of disconnected States, sometimes united, in
f deed, by temporary leagues and confederacies,
, 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 lei
, it be remembered especially let the truth sink
, deep into all American minds, that it was the
WANT OF UNION among her several States which
finally gave the mastery of all Greece to Philip
. of Macodon
And there has also been Roman liberty, a
proud, ambitious, domineering spirit, protesting
free ard popular principles in Rome itself, but
e even in the best days of the republic, ready 10
4 carry slavery and chains into her provinces and
through every country over which her eagles
, conld be borne. Who ever heard of liberty in
t Spain, or Gaul, or Germany, or Britain, in the
days of Rome! There was none SUCH As the
Roman empire declined, her provinces, not in
structed in the principles of free popular govern
ment, one after another declined Also and when
! Rome herself fell in the end, all fell together.
have said, gentlemen, that our inheritance is
an inheritance of American liberty. That liberty
is characteristic, peculiar, and altogether our
own. Nothing like it existed in former times,
nor was known in the most enlightened States
of antiquity; while with us its principles have
! become interviewer into the minds of individual
, men, connected with our daily opinions and
our daily habits until it is, if may so say, an
element of social as well as of political life; and
| the Consequence is, that to whatever region an
American citizen carries himself, he takes with
f him. fully developed in his own understanding
: and experience our American principles and
opinions, and becomes ready at once in CO.
operation with others, to supply them to the for
nation of new governments. Of this, most
wonderful instance may be seen in the history
e of the State Of California.
8 On former occasion have ventured to re-
mark that, 1t is very difficult to establish free
conservative government for the equal advance
G ment of all the interests of society What has
!, Germany done; learned Germany, fuller of au-
/ cient lore than all the world beside! What has
: Italy donel What have they done who dwell or
the spot where Cicero lived They have no,
the power of selfgovernment which common
>, town-meeting, with u.s. possessesl" eyes,
Y say, that those persons who have gone from oul
/, town-meetings to dig gold in California, are
8 more fit to make republican government thar
any body of men in Germany or Italy; because
they have learned this greatesson, that there
a is no security without law and that, under Tho
q circumstances in which they are placed where
there is military authority to cut their throats
It there is no sovereign will but the will Of the
d majority; that therefore, If they remain, they
r must submit to that will" And this I beiev,
IS to be strictly true.
y Now, fellow. citizens, if your patience viii
# hold out, will venture, before proceeding to th'
" more appropriate and particular duties of tn,
It day. to state, in a few words, what take thes,
o American political principles in substance to be
ir They consist as think in the first place, in th
establishment of popular governments, on Tho