Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-03-19
THE MONUMENT TO THE sENERs,


sti,ution found my table the report good
as to send me of TIE proceedings of Convention,
posed of Delegates from nine of the original Thirteen
United States held in Independence liaL in July last
for the purpose of considering the proprey of erecting
monuments in Independence Square in COM
memoraton of the Declaration of Independence and in
homer of those who signed it the Convention having
sembled under preamble andasoutons both branches
of the City Councils adopted IN September 1851 on the
original motion Of Mr. WATERnAS of the Select Council
am much indebted you for this publication, and
beg leave to make you my best Acknowledgements for It,
Ii is Of ordinary character have read the whole
With the deepest nterest-I might almost sag with
ten. 1t revives and exats all tie feelings Of patriotism
under the precious memory of days when that scored flame
at its height among forefathers As vat the pro-
ceangs which the publication records are known COM
pratively few Could they be brought home to the mil
lions land believe that the Judgments Of ell would
sanction them and 81 hearts brob nder the neae plan
which, with so much unanimity, they recommend Every
page brus with love Of country enlightened and ardent
brings back the vision of the old Congress of 70 when
procladg that HAIL. the great deed of Independence,
with TIE Examinations, bonfres and sh0uts that followed.
Within tie proper sphere of this ConEention behold
the devotion public ends and disregard of
local ends that stamped the deliberations Of that august
Congress when acting within the boundess sphere of It's
duties Amerca and to the world. Nowhere that can
remember should be able TO find in the compass
many stirring recoectons Of the Revelation pointed
~ and beautifully recalled The Convention has taken
the STEP and impressive step under the eloquent
preamble and resolutions of City Councils towards
highly endearing national object object as broad in
conception the execution could not fail to draw to it
self all admiration and honor. Would that Delegates
from all the other old thirteen States had attended,
though the proceedings show nothing of adverse feeling
on the part of the absent States.
Adverse feeling how could that exist in such cause
how be possibe It presents Of those occasions
when the calmest decisions OF the judgment the
impulses Of the heart monument to the Declaration
Of Independence il due to usrious ancestors WHO
adopted and promulgatedit and to all coming time which
is participate in its influences The obligation
il encompasses the more under the abundance and
richness Of the fruits perpeuay flowing from that stu
pendous deed Not that il first taught mankind the truths
Of civil political, and religious liberty. Locke, Milton
Sidney Aristotle Plato, and a thousand others in time
past had written Of them like angels, and suffered in
agony aud blood for their sakes Their eternal founda
tons are in the nature Of SO, the tendency
them extremes when they to be acted upon in
framing Governments is also be found in his erring
nature Hence the failures in such attempts
from the beginning Of time. But the Declaration Of indie
pendence established these truths triumphany in the
New World Ii gave them in charge TO people made
great in virtue Of thema people destined TO rule this
continent with without the Monroe declaration. Some
consider the latter declaration open different construc
tons and at all events has become dsputabe with
portions Of our public All viii admit that il disappears
before the ntellgbility scope grandeur and certain
duration Of the principles in the Declaration Of Independ
ence. Tier mmutabe truths, enforced upon gigantic
scale by the united efforts Of people trained appre-
cae apply and extend them to last forever in this
hemisphere least For ourselves they have secured
aggregate Of prosperity altogether transcendan; and
remarked by Of the eloquent speakers in this
Convention they have brought into the world large
new, VITAL and quickenng spirit" by their prodgious
success here That is for the whole family Of
man II stands in colossal majesty All may it.
The Eastern has long lighted up from the Atlantic
side of our contnent and its Western rays they rad
ate over the Pacific where the waters recently flowed
in solitude almost total are now eneirclng achieve
ments, our riches, dominion principles. II,
therefore in the annals of the human race any
bage Of men ever earned enduring TO their
memories it is the band Of American patriots who de-
csred Independence Its bodness struck with astous-
ment upon contemporary nations and its consequences
have doomed larger and larger with every generation
since.
rejoice that the opinion found utterance in the Con-
venon, that il the Union is to pass away, which Heaven
forbid, the monument ought be reared This is the
just the ennobng view Of the subject The trophy is
due to the past by titles the very highest which can never
cease to have their force Then let raise it. Let
not stop nor hnger, under the promptngs Of duty
high. Let Us act upon whilst may Over the future
have power The present now is the most precious
part Of time. Let US up monument TO the great
work which the Declaration Of Independence out Of which
the Union sprung its FIRST and greatest offspring has
already sanctihed upon earth The Union il falling to
pieces tomorrow would leave undying fame Even
thus far, it will have accomplished a mission without
parallel The people bound together by It have made
strides such other people made in seventy
years in peace in war, in wise, energetic and benef
pursuits and civlirng employnents and conquests
well over the obstacles and wilds Of arms
The historian would pause in at its brief bu
brilliant He would gather up his choicest refec
tons, exhaust his soberest eulogies in portrayng il
astounding results. Though the Union may end, tn
great Anglosa1on race with Washington at its head
which made the plunge into independence, while othe
races on these shores submissive languid in
capable Of self-govenment will not end II is here 70
oil time IL will 60 on multiplying and to multiply. II
spirit first ascendant these shores subdung ever
thing in its way, would still predominant s keep up it
supremacy keep up its conquering language its who'll
progressive genius and resoute ndomtable enterprs
upon the and erritorially The same spirit wou
keep alive under whatever political forms might succee,
the downfall Of this Union-though cannot write tn
word without fresh invocation against such woe-th
principles Of representative and popular government Il
which the Revolution putt SEAL and would cherish will
them equal rights and equal laws. These are the bull
1rarks of that mn blic liberty and trin,c,Lon l,...