Daily American telegraph., 1852-07-14

bless and to cheer There was man chained to
his lot by the destiny of caste and the soulless
tyranny Of imbecile custom; here, in the mnJesty
of immortality, custom was spurned and destiny
created. There, government was atottering castle,
upon whose crumbling walls the hireling sentinel
paced his sullen round; here, the temple OF
Fliberty was crystal palace, illumined by the
smiles and vocal with the merry shouts OF mil
lions. There, the sword and diplomacy prescribed
the bounds of nations; here, when earth emerged
from the deluge, from the Atlantic coast to the
waves of the Pacific, the God of creation dedicated
miniature world to the cause of liberty and
union" From contrast 80 vivid, with prinoi-
Piles so antagonistic, the fitness OF things and
philosophy of history all admonished him that
his country had a mission as peculiarly American
as were the Falls of Niagara or the ocean praries
of the West.
Then was born the neutral policy of our coun-
try. Then was written The great rule Of
conduct for us, in regard to foreign nations, is to
have with them as little political connexon as
possible" .,
Every year of our national existence attests
the wisdom and patriotism of the principles to
which we have referred; and as their venerable
and paternal author recommended them to our
"1requent re0iea0" it may not be inappropriate to
ask, on this the seventy-sixth anniversary of
American independence, Have the farewell teach
ings Of Washington been illustrated in the prog
ress of our government and the action Of its citi
zens? e.n
Fifty-six years ago the Farewell Address was
distributed through 209 post offices, over 5,642
miles of post route, and read by 3,929,328 citi-
zens Of 15 States, which occupied an area Of
805, 461 miles. To-day the message Of our Presi
dent reaches Il ,55l offices, by route of l78, 1852
miles, passing through 81 States, to the homes
of %, 267, ,498 people, whose ample domain covers
surface Of 1914, 1865 square miles. The same
documents were then filed in 10 colleges and 30
public libraries, among $4,000 volumes--now, in
l2l colleges and 694 libraries, among 2,20l ,632
| volumes
The public documents of the present day are
republished by $500 papers and periodicals, with
a circulation of 100000.
Connected with the schools of the country are
10000 libraries, with 10000 volumes Con
sidering the various facilities for the transmission
Of thought, including 5000 miles of telegraph,
in connexion with our admirable systems Of free
| schools, based IN part upon government grants
of lands, the conclusion is legitimate that the
countrymen of Washington are vindicated for the
past, and promise well for the future, relative to
general intelligence.
However q superficial observer might suppose
that the warning had been disregarded as re-
spects the "Uiolence Of party spirit" yet we have
the consolation to know that the masses of our
fellow-citizens are devoted to the interests of
| their country. We may enter q political canvass
with all the determination of marshalled armies
the thunders of defiance and indignation may be
heard high over the din of strife-the mountain
pillows may rock the ship of state; but at such
a moment, when the timid have fed to their for
tress and the pious to their closets let any hos
| tile power dare touch our soil, and, before war
could be declared or proclamations issued, all
i unpp ryuh hu m
pulse, would
"Leaye the ploughshare in the mould,
The focks and herds without fold
| The sickle in the unshorn grau,
The corn half garnered on the plain
| And muster in their simple drsss
For wrongs to seek a redress:
To right these wrongs, come veal, come wo,
| To perish, or oercome the foe"
Or let the contest be continued until the result
of the canvass is announced, and the publication
of the popular decision is the signal for shouting
the name of the successful candidate, decking his
path with flowers, and everywhere receiving him
as the President of the people-the nations
head Or let the summons of death reach him,
and bis political opponents are the first to do
penance for violent opposition by public ac-
acknowledgement of his talents and virtues.
am not here to vindicate the neutral policy of
Washington, because am not here to insult your
judgments. 1t needs no eulogist; for our coun-
try's history for seventy-six years has endorsed
its wisdom. Our treaties with foreign powers
were nine in number in l793-now they are
ninety and with what scrupulous fidelity have
they almost always been fulfilled. Prophecy,
based on the history Of the past, never could
have anticipated such result. So certain as the
bosterous, babbling stream that overleaps its pre-
scribed bounds and spreads upon the plain will
be absorbed, exhaled, and lost just certain as
Christian republic starts upon career of ma
fpfa will hap nunf
confusion preside in her councils.
But let US congratulate ourselves to-day that,
while our mission has been peaceful and quiet
we have commended republican liberty to the ma
tions of the world. That it should be so, was
the ardent wish of Washington, when he hoped
his countrymen would so demean themselves as
to "acquire to them the glory of recommending
it to the applause the affection, and adoption of
every nation which is yet q stranger to it." 1t
has been recommended in the happiness and
prosperity of our people, in the Importance of
our manufactures in the extent Of our commerce,
aud when oppressed, by the impetuous bravery
with which we have vindicated our rights upon
the land and the sea. Our patriotism was rec
commended to the world when the speeches of q
distinguished American were read at the head of
the patriot army Of South America in their strug-
gle for independence, and when the cause of
Greece was advocated in the American Senate.
Recently, when treason sealed the fate of Hun
gary, and her star of independence went down in
blood, the voice that moved an escort in our Con-
gress for the illustrous exile has sounded further
than the thunder of all earths artillery, and the
pen that recorded the act been more potent than
million bayonets.
From the moment the foot Of Kossuth pressed
the deck Of an American vessel, the eye of uni
versal tyranny and despotsm was upon him.
They have seen him before our Congress and
President, the guest of the freest nation on the
globe. They have seen the people rise up and
do him homage; and in all this they have read
euogy on liberty and protest against tyranny.
They know il is the canse that possesses the cap