The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-05-26

the present time. aud until the love of beryis
nguished in future generations, this place will be
/ held In the most afiociionate remembrance.
Fellow citizens, hope II may not be irreverent
Tor me to say that the jews in the days Of their
captivity in Babylon were wont to offer prayers to
God daily. with their faces turned always towards
Jerusalem, the patriotic and ingenious youth Of
this and succeeding generations who wish 10 learn
| aud TO know the true origin Of the independence
OF tho country, and its early achievements in the
cause Of liberty who wish to imbibe into their own
hearts the funess OF the spirit Of that liberty, will
tsep their attention turned constantly to this spot
whence Issued the light which in IT'S illuminated
| the continent. ICheers.
| But, gentlemen and fellow citizens, not to pursue
even these general political remarks too far. turn
10 other topics, more suitable to the occasion The
path OF politics lie thorpy path. [Laughter.l II
| 10 agreeable sometimes to turn aside from it, and
| u walk along over the velvet verdure of gentle
| vale, flushed with all the flowers, and enriched
with all the ruits OF persona friendship and social
regard. IL 10 for one Of these walks That we are
/ assembled here to-day, leaving the rough road oil
dsputatious politics, and walking over no frozen
| and burning mari. but among glades OF lofty
recoiections Of the past and grateful enjoyment OF
| the present.
| Gentlemen, we cannot shut our eyes, and the
| intelligent part Of mankind does not shut its eyes,
60 the extraordinary degree Of prosperity to which
| this country has risen under the present popular
form OF Government, and that il the secret OF II
| all There may be some things which we might
| wish better, many which might be worse.
| Hut, on tho whole, where does the sun, from its
rising TO its setting, throw Its beams upon Peo-
| plo more prosperous. more happy, more growing
! in reputation and renown. than these States of
| United America
| Now, gentlemen, whence do these blessings flow!
Whence Gomez oil the prosperity we enjoy! How
| 10 il thai, this whole continent, from the frozen
sone 10 Cape Horn. there is no people like that OF
| the United States; no people which can show
1 growth like theirs; no government or people that
can stand up before the world like the Government
and people Of the United States and present them
selves boldly and iearessy to the respect, ave. and
To the admiration, OF all nationsf How 10 this
/ In my opinion, gentlemen, all, or great part Of
prosperity, is 10 be referred to our early nc
quaintaDce with the principles OF regulated, consti.
tutionai popular liberty, and our early adoption OF
these principles in the establishment OF the repub'
| iican form Of Government. The Tory writers OF
| England, whose aim, as you well know, gentle
men, IL has generally been to show that the people
best governed when they have little or no share
In the Government, maintain that those above can
| govern those below better than those below can
| govern themselves. That is not our theory We
hold that there 10 nothing above, and nothing be-
low; that all stand equality; each enjoys his
| part Of the public prosperity and suffers his por
1 ton Of the public adversity; each at the same time
bearing his part and exercising bis appropriate por-
| tion in the political concerns OF his country. DR..
Johnson. one OF the writer's OF this school, says:
/ show small, of all that human hearts endure,
The part that kings or laws Cat cause or cure -
| Now the truth IL, that kings and laws can cause
or cure most evils belonging to social or individual
| life; they establish despotisIn; they can re-
strain political opinioni they can prevent men
| from expressing their free thoughts; kings and
| lava can impose intoleraby burdensome taxes;
they exclude the masses from all participation
| ia the government; they can bring about state
| Of things under which the public good and the
1 public liberties will be destroyed and trodden
| down by military power; they can obstruct the
| progress OF education and knowledge; they can
render men sersils serfs; and they can darken'
blind, and almost extinguish the intellectual ele-
| ment Of humanity. ls not this much! Are not
these great evilss Who docs not feel that the pc.
tical institutions OF his country, according as they
| are good or evil. the very elements OF his hap
piness misery IL is true, it is very true, that
| mans condition may depend in many respects on
personal circumstances on his health on the state
VI his family. on hs means Tor living, ON his means
for the education Of his children; but his fortune,
good or evil, 10 influenced deeply. mainly and es-
sentially, by the laws Of his country. And that,
takc Is, s the great solution Of the question, now
no longer matter OF doubt, but heretofore ques-
ton subsistng nll ovor Europe-thc true nature Of
the hap piness and prosperity OF tho people Of the
United States But ] say to you, and to our
whole country, and to all the crowned heads and
aristocrstic powers an( feudal systems that exist.
that IL IL 10 self government; the great principle OF
popular representation and ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
system thai let's in all TO participate in tho coun-
sells that TO assign the good or evil Of all, that
We owe what we and what wo hope TO be.
| [Cheers1
Why. gentlemen, who does not this, Who
supposes that any thing but the independence oil
| The country would have made US what we are.
| suppose that mother England had treated US with
the utmost indulgence; that the counsels most ia.
vorsble 10 the colonies had prevailed that we had
been made a spoiled child say 10 you as have
said before and shall continue ~ cay till the time
| Of my death, that IL 10 not IN the nature Of any
| colonial system Of government to raise country
aud rase nation 10 the highest pitch Of prosperity
IL 10 independence, self government, the liberty Of
| the people 10 make laws Tor themselves, that has
elevated from the subdued feeling Of colonial
subcction aud placed Va where we are. IL is
Independence:
Hail, independence hail thou next beat gift
To that Of life and an immortal soul!''
| Gentlemen, have said that our blessings grow
essentially from our form Of government, from the
satisfaction Of the people with that form, and their
desire 90 help on the general progress OF the coun-
try. There 10 no true American who does not re-
joiee In the general prosperity oi the eountryi who
docs not take delight. day and night, IN rejecting
that our progress % onward, that the people grow
more happy, aud more and more enlightened, sue
oossiul, aud renowned every day. The 10 a source
| OF particular happiness 10 every honest American
| heart Whatever his individual condition may be;
however fortunate or uniortunats IN whatever cir.
cuinstances of elevation or depression he may ind
himseli, he still p,rtakcs u the general prosperity
u the country. lCheers He has, in short. die
,ds~d az may a commercial cYpfcssion,) he
hss d,rsdsnd payable not quarterly but dsily, out
Of the fund OF general happiness and prosperity
which the country enjoys.
And nos lt me sst. on what portions Of the
| gobe-in how many regions that men call civil.
| ized docs The same thing tpst There are IN
doub,ediy some other bat0ns In which the people
feel the individual Interest In the proceedings
| Of government hot there arc fcw. Hut take nations
/ a whole, look the continent Of Europe, and
among the many millions ~h0 constitute the sub.
ject- a lie ARBITRARY gosernIaenis hos many feel
that their individual happiness aud respects-
bliiy objects II the care and Kindness ~ the
authority winch 10 them Dgcs not the mass
content itsslf with the hope that the government
may ceasT 10 be Oppressive their Industry, 90
bufdcnsoEBe With tsfstlon, and. 90 Toll 81 restraint
on their personal liberty How many arbitrary
| so,ereigns care mainly about the individual pros
pefty Of their sutJscts, and Instead ~ considering
the ans ~ winch thsir government may ss
important rival ~ snother, and be able 90
maintain a coniest by stsneing armies snt hcaSy
| TAXATION. concern themselves for the interests ~
those that govsrnsd, ~bo pay fof the gvrEcoos
| Appendagcs ~ military power, sad Tho usans and
] appliances 81 dcspstisay
| be truth 10 that The general theory u Politics
which Ess sprung cot ~ The fsudal syststn, has
Inainly been 10 sueneihtn governments a. sgsinsi
one anosher; % make fhrope mstch ior othsr
thrones; aud 90 the cod a. maintain sfmics aud
nasies by sevefc snd expressive msstien on che
people The theory II me fssdsi systs al 70 that VI
/ Il a. - -.