The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1853-07-22
ADDRESS TO THE SOLDIERS.

bTtdgeport ArtHHry:-
To On American citizen this is proud day
"a day never to be forgotten-a day which
brings mounting up before our minds event:
the most thrilling and interesting. This day
is our national Sabbath, commemorative oI
our nations sanguinsry birth; and it is beft.
ting that we celebrate it with joyous gratitude
| to God, and becoming festivities, that we
may be reminded Of our humble, yet glorious
orlgin-that we may keep alive in our hearts
the same pure simple love OF freedom and hu-
man rights possessed by the first sons Of the
Republic-and that we may extend to others
and perpetuate 10 our posterity the rights and
privileges which were secured for US by our
independent forefathers.
Seventy seven years ago, that "Declaration
Of independence" lust read in your hearing,
after fierce battle Of opinions, was completed
and adopted by the peoples representatives
and as signed by them, it was given to the
germng nation as its bond Of Union, its con-
stitutional life-its standard Of claims and
privleges--its very soul of action and exist
ence, and was spread before the orld, as the
proclamation of freedom to all nations, and
the grand model for their imitation.
The practical execution of that glorious
bill of rights, against our oppressors, secured
to us the distinction and immun.ies of free
men-including the right to make and exc
cute our own laws-:he right to iearlessly fol-
low any honest and honorable caling-the
right to stand on the elective franchise as a
mighty lever to raise and ever keep ourselves
above the degradation of slaves, beyond the
highest reach of political spotism-and a.
bove oil, the heaven-gven right to keep our
own conscience-to read our own Bibles--to
build our own Churches-to educate our own
children-and to worship our own Maker &C
cording to the conscientious conviction Of our
own minds. To purchase these rights--,hese
nestimable privilcgcs--our patriot fathers paid
costly price--the price Of their own property
their noble blood-their splendid lives.
Costing so much--so rich in real value-shall
we not prize those rights as our greatest earth
ly boon-our highest civil distinction.
The actors in the tragic scenes and potent
! events of the revolution bequeathed to US the
birth--the educatiUn--the honurs-the lives
| of freemen; to be preserved from degenera-
.'Nh ohu oSN'1 W tuC PuiO PiOo VI pilii-
! tive republicanism, by the universal diffusion
of general intelligence, and the spreading
abroad of sound morality. Advancing the
sentiment of our own illustrious WASHING.
roN-allow me to say that intelligence diffus.
ed by the untrammeled freedom of the press
and the general education of the masses
combined with Bible morality--spread abroad
by the circulation and unrestricted reading
OF the holy riptures-constitutes the sub.
stratum basis Of our national freedom and our
nations permanent prosperity. 1t was the
sublime sentiments Of that good Book-that
magna-charta of human rights, Of human free
dom, of human enlightenment and salvation
taught to the grand fathers and grand moth
ers OF the revolution, by the Pilgrim settlers
of New England and the pioneer adventures
Of other colonies, that prepared the way for
the birth of our nation, and for the establish
ment of our free and independent government.
While we, therefore, on this glad day, hallow
the memory and perpetuate the deserved fame
of our pilgrim and revolutionary fathers, we
will not forget the honor due to our pilgrim
and revolutionary mothers and their daughters,
who, in their more silent, yet mighty sphere,
acted so noble apart,in the preparation Tor, and
establishment of our countries constitutional
liberties. For, gentlemen, the domestic fire.
side is the home of treedom-iemale purity
and intelligence its safe and sacred guardian
in its germing infancy; while the common
school, the sabbath school, the chris ian
church, and general industry and progressive
enterprise, are the final nurseries where our
liberties are gardened to maturity and healthy
existence. 1t is by these means that the great
principles of freedom are infused into the
hearts and craven upon the minds of our youth
--raahy tn be boldly and practically Demon
strated, as necessity may require, either by
the argument of words, and the triumph OF
truth, or by the thunder of cannon--the un-
sheathed sword, and the terrible use of other
appliances of war.
We are, then, in greater danger from po-
!itcul bribery and pollution, than from foreign
despots and military chieftians; for corrup-
ton here, sacrifices principle to ambitious
demagogueism-and immolates national hon
or and the peoples rights on the murderous
al,ar of individual selishness. We are in
more danger from the insecurity of national
pride and ambitious progress, from the mbe-
ciliiy of corrupt morals and licentious hber-
tinism, and from want of honest industry and
mental culture, than from the swords and
guns of distant foe. We should dread ma
tonal sins and national ignorance, more than
armed national enemies. Permit me, then
to say, that while you hold yourselves in train
ed readiness, if it be absolutely necessary, to
shoulder arms and boldly take your stand at
your country's open doors, to promptly beat
| back the bloody entrance of an invading foer
until such deplorable necessity should occur,
employ your time, exert your influence, and
train your talents, to spread the ligh, of truth
and the power of intelligence; against the
tyrany OF error, and the binding clouds OF
ignorance. Until such event, defend the
purity of the ballot box, by choosing and elec-
ting to Office, pure and competent men, whose
principles. morals and character--like those
Of the signers OF the Declaration Of lndepen'
dence, are worthy our imitation and intelli
gent appreciation. Stand BY the freedom e