The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1851-07-29

J
suffering, and victorious by endur-
ance--history furnishes no such cx-
ample of moral sublimity, as that Of
the gallant patriots by whom it was
achieved. The arm of Brutus was
ncrvcd by the secret treason of an
applauding Senate. The followers
of Hampden and Sydney were sus-
tanned by an invading army and an
invincible leader. Napoleon con.
quered for glory and fought for am.
bition; but our ancestors, for national
peace and personal obscurity. The
revolution Of France was but popu.
lar tumult, the outpourings Of an en-.
ragged and frantic people, confident Of
their strength, cngorged with blood,
and her councillors at once the tools,
the victims, and the instruments of a
national phrcnzy. There was neither
terror nor suffering to deter them;
nauyht to overcome or restrain but
their own madness. But to the
great minds who conceived the indie
pendcncc of our country how stri.
king-how overwhelming the con-
trast. 1t was not, in its incipicncy.
the great mass Of the popular mind
moving onward, and resolutcly i'm.
PEELED to achieve it. 1t was not the
heaving commotions Of mob the
sudden and electric excitement of
whole nation--the loud applauding
echoes Of popular sentiment; but
the patriotic inspiration of few great
minds contcndins with the time
rooted loyalty Of the age c-thc long
and fcndl y-chcrishcd allegiance of
the colonies the tcrrors of mighty
thronc-the liberal favors of n patri.
archal govcrnmcnt-th the ignominy of
traitors dcath-divisions within,
and nations and a monarch's ven.
gcancc without.
In the estimate Of the difficulties
and Of the merit oithe sacrifice, these
things perhaps are too often forgot
ten. 1t would be well !or us, in view
Of the duties and obligations ). ,vh
oppression has devoIyci upon those
too Of our day and generation, to re-
cali them, beth for example and in.
struction.
When tho insubordinate spirit Of
Boston had provoked the ire Of the
British Government, its first measure
OF retaliation was to abolish its privi-
Icgcs rs port Of entry" Public
clamor cried alond against the men
and the counsels that had brought
this exclusion upon them; and Han
cock and Adams had to endure the
cxccration Of an cnragcd commercial
community, stimulated by an avidity
for gain, and for time ovcrshadow-
ing them with the Indignation of a
dismaycd and terrified constituency.
Had they taken counsel Of fear or in.
tcrcst, where now would have been
that dearly.chcrishcd commerce, that
metropolitan prosperity, those high
attainmcuts in letters and the arts,
which have long since made Boston
the Athens Of the Western hcmis.
rhcrc. When, for the purpose of
conciliation, . general pardon and
amnesty was proclaimed to all who
had been engaged in the late popu-
lar tumults Of the day, Hancock and
Adams were especially excepted, and
declared to be reserved as examples
Of royal vengeance and rctrbution.
Popular confidence for q time forsook
them, like timid birds fraycd away
by the storm; and when elected to the
Congress which passed the Dcclara.
tion Of Independence, they could
find but two hundred Of their fellow
citizens bold enough to vote for them
as their representatives. Their after
lives arc tic strongest commentary
| could offer You on the fact. The
one became Tie distinguished Prcsi.
dent Of the first Congress, the other
the friend and successor of Washing
ton. So hopeless seemed the enter
prise, so powerful the opposition, SO
pcrilous and dctcrring the prospect,
that when Charles Carroll, one of
the wealthicst men Of America. ap.
preached to sign the Declaration Of
Independence, all exclaimed, in utter
amazcmcnt, ",hcrc goes a Million"
cast upon losing die, and forfeited
to the crown.
Nay, all that has deferred us from
the assertion of our rights under sim.
liar circumstances of oppression, was
urged then with ten times the force,
and infinitely more truth and appli.
cation. 1t was said that the pro.
vinces were weak, that they were
divided, that the time had not yet ar
rived for action. that British power
would oyerwhclm opposition, tha. the
colonies were not united, that no CO.
operation had been pledged or prof.
torcd, and that our independence,