Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1852-03-08

from the pen oil Hlr. w custer, anu IN It's
elegance of dic,ion.s richness Of imagery,
and depth of thought, equals the more eel
ebratrd compositions of Burke. The New
York Express well styles it massive ard
monumental But to the extract:
The first Congress, for the ability which
it manifested. the principles which it pro-
claimed, and the characters Of sIlose who
composed it. makes an illus,rious chapter
in our American History. Its members
should lie regarded not only individually,
but as in group ; they should he viewed
as living pictures exhibiting young Amer
lea, as it then was, and when the seeds of
its public destiny were beginning to start
into lie. well described by our early mot
to as being full Of energy and prospcrcd
by Heaven.
''Non sine Dis. aimosus infnrs."
Some ofthe members of this Congress
have lived to my time. and have had the
honor of seeing and knowing them, and
there are those in this assembly, doubt
less, who have bchcld the stately form of
Washington, and looked upon the mild
and intelligent face and heard the voice of
John Jay.
For myself. love TO travel back in i'm
agination, TO place myself in the midst Of
this assembly. this union of greatness and
patriotism; and TO co, template, as il had
witnessed It's profound deliberations and
its mastery exhibitions, both of the rights
AMI Of the wrongs of the couniry.
/ may not dwell longer on This animal
ing and enchanting picture. Another
grand picture snrcneds ii, and that is. the
Convention " hich framed the Consrtn-
ton, tie spirited debates in the States, by
the aIilcst men Of those States, upon its a.
dcp'ion, and. finally, the organization Of
the frs, Congress, filled by the grey hair
ed men of the revolution, and younger and
vigorous patriots, and lovers of hberty,and
Washington himself in the principal chair
Of State, surrounded by the Heads Of De-
partIncnt selected from those no enjoy ed
the greatest portion of lis regard, and
stood highest in the esteem of tier coun-
try.
Neither Acuophon, nor ThuciJiJes,
neither Sallnst nor l.isy pr, SCENTS amy pic
ture oi'an assembly ofrubIc men, or any
scene # History, in its proper gran
deur. or lis large and lasting influence up
on the happiness of mankind, equals this.
Its importance, indeed, did rot, at the
monlrut, strike the minds Of ordinary men.
/ But Burke saw ii with an intuition clear
as the light of Heaven. Charles Fox saw
il, AID sagacious and deep thinking minds
over all Europe beheld it.
England England how would Thy
deslinits have been altered. if the advice
of Chatham, Burke, aud Fox had been
followed !
Shall say altered for the better Ger
taiuly not not for the better for England
herself; probably she is stronger and rich.
err. a, his moment. than if she had listened
to the unhcetlcd words of her great STATES
men. Neither nations nor individuals al
Ways forcsee that which their own interest
and happiness require.
Our greatest blessings often arise Fl ON
the disappoi nlmeni of our most anxious
hopes. and our most fcrvcnt wishes:-
| Our indiscreiion sometimes well,
| When deep plots do fall and thnt should
| teach Us,
| There's divinity tnt shapes our ends,
| Rough hcw them how we will"
Instead of subject colonies, England now
beholds mighty rival, rich, pow crl,Il, in
teligent ike herself. And may these coun-
tries be forever friendly rivals! May
their power ard greatness. Sustaining them
selves. be always directed to the promo.
ton ofthe peace, the prosperity, the en-
lighlment and liberty Of mankind and if
it be their united destiny, in the course of
human events, that they shall be called up
on, in the cause of humanity, and in the
cause of freedom, 10 stand against a world
in arms. they arc of race, and of blood
to meet that crisis ithout shrinking from
danger, and without quailing in the pre-
sence of carih'y power.
Gentlemen, ! must bring these desul-
tory remarks to close. | terminate them.
here perhaps ought 10 have began
namely. " it'll few words on the present
State and condition Of orr country, and the
prospects which are before her.
Unborn ages and visions of glory crowd
upon my soul. The realization of all these
howcver.iS in the hands aud good pleas
ure Of Almighty God But under his di
vine blessing ii will lie dependent on the
character and virtues Of ourselves, and OF
our posleriiv.
If classical history has been found to be,
is now and shall continue to be, the con-
comitant Of free institutions. and of popu
lar cloquence, What field is opening to
rs for another Hcrodctus, another Thucy-
dIdes. (only may his theme not he IA Pclo-
poncsian wary and another Liyy and lei |
me say. gentlemen, that ii we, aud onr pos
tcri;y, shall lie true TO the Christian re-
liylon. ii wcand they Shall live always IN
the fear of God, and shall respect his com
maudncbis, If we and they shall maintain |
just, moral sentiments. and such CON
scicprious con,iciiuns Of duty as shall con
troll the heart and liic, we may have the
his hest hnf cs Of the future fortunes ofour
couurry ard il we maintain those irsii-
tutions Of Government, aud that political
union, exceeding al praise as much il |
exceeds all former examples Of political
associations, We :.;ay be- Of one hing
that " hilc our country furnishes materials
for Thousand masters of the historic art,
1t will afford no topic For a Gitbon. IL
will no Decline and Fall. 1t will go
on prospecting ard to prosper. But if VIC
ard onr postrriiv reject religious insiruc-
tiuis a'd authority. vi"lste the rules f
'crta justice. lrllic with lie iriunciions of
morality. and rocklessly destroy tic POI
Iricai constitution (which holds Us toge,h-
er. no man can tell how suddenly caras-
trepl may oserwhelm u, that shall bury
all cor glory in profound obscuriiy. fl
that catastrophe slalllappcn. let ii have
20 history Let the Horrible narrative
never he written. let is fate be like that Of
The lost books Of Lily. 81 ch no human
eye shall eser read, or the missing PlciaI,
OF V lIlch no MN can ever know more Than