Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1854-12-15

This work. ss It's title indicates. contains
original sketches Of abou, seveniy.fve disiin.
ruishcd Americans OF The present time, inclu-
ding Poets, Authors. Editors, Philosophers,
Artists. Statesmen, Heroes aud Orators. II
is cmbellishod With Portraits Of Everett.
II. W. Bocchcr, J. r. Hale. VIM. Cullen
Bryant, Horace Greeley, sam Houston, T..
II. Benton, s. 4. Douglas, T.. II. Chaplin,
etc. The sketches are brief, racy and die.
eliminating. ], is book Tor the million. II
will introduce the reader TO tie characters.
tics Of the great living men Of America, in
whose fame every citizen feels boil, pride and
satisfaction.
We cannot dismiss this book. without Civ.
ing the reader specimen Of tho style and
spirit Of at least Two Of tho distinguished
men sksiched. The frs, il that Of II. w.
TIeecher, in a speech delivered the Kossuih
dinner, in New York. Mr. Beecher then
rose, and among other things, remarked as
follows
"Mr Chairman and Gentlemen, 7 am no,
accustomed 10 making speeches OF such an
OCCASION as this, and yet did no, feel at lib
orty 10 decline. am sure that no sentiment
could have teen given 10 me to speak to,
which more reliriously believe. Since !
can remember anything, ! remember my aged
father LEI neither morning nor evening Gll,
that he did M, supplieate God to send abroad
the light Of civil and religious liberty. And
he believed what he prayed and Il had
not. | should not have been what am now.
Yes, % thoroughly believe in IL, that It is
TO me part Of my religion. In addressing
you Tonight. cannc, SPEAK as though il
were an honor merely 10 be a supplicant to
the cause to which am designated, bu, A. II
YOU we're standing before the altar n God,
and were put there a. lnan to teach you
duty lhpplau'e.l Now, gentlemen, civil
and religious liberty is thing that govern
mcn'. may declare and recognize, bu, which
governments never make, any mole than GOV.
crrmcnrs make man Cod made a man.
and lie never made one without the hope Of
liberty in him and lfihcrc be a man On this
earth that ha, not CO: that. then he amt
made tGreai laughter and applause And
becaus, this is part Of Gods talents le,
to Us. and let on interest, and which We arc
bound, as receiving il from Him, to trade
we'll upon, therefore 1t is lha, every govern.
meat and every nation ihs, has citizens who
are worthy TO b. called men. and arc worthy
10 call their mothers Mother, therefore II
IS that every such nation is p"rpetually tend.
ing tow ards lberty-no matter under what
oppre',ions-a, a seed put under rock, Of
urder a board, or in the dark shadow Of
wall, Vet, 30 il has vitality. will attempt Ia
grow, will seek the water. send iis root down
10 It, aud then seek out where light and heat
may he found SO, put man under what
superintendent oppression YOU please, there
always will be reaching out root that will
have Libcuy-lherc always will he reaching
out a stem Tor the light Of Gods precious
civil and religious liberty hpphu'e
But. gentlemen, II !, an easy thin, for vs. to
speak shout civil and religious Liberty. Il
is Easy for q, Who have II, 10 prais- II. or
molhinhs we praise il, a. can imagine an
old cumudgcon, to whom Providence has
given gold, and who will not give it To the
llunrarians-as would give It, II ! lad il.
And the Grst time I ever cn,isd such 1 man
va, lately. but ! can imagine him dressed
Ia velvet, With plush on which 10 rest his
foot, flushed with vino, and surrounded with
luxurious appliances. and at and glowing in
his abundance. this old usurcr take out his
gold, anil talk aud talk over and over about
the benefits Of life, while the bcggarS are on
the sidewalk by his door, and get neither
crumb from his iabls nor a morsel Of charity
! ask, what Is tie usc Of money to such
creature as that, except to damn him
Laughter and applause So il is with ev.
cry man Who is talking, talking continually
about civil and religious liberty. Now, !
want to know what they DO With civil and re-
lirioas liberty"
Kos,u,h clptvl'ed the hearts Of many n
our distinguished coun,ymeu and their
lips, while he was prescn, On public &C.
casions. became touched with feNid clio.
qucnce II was on such an occasion, that
Ralph Waldo Emerson spoke as follows
"h is our republican doctrine, too, that
tho wide variety Of opinions is an advantage
I believe, NAV say Of tho people Of this
country at large, that their sympathy is more
worth, because il stands the test Of party
Iii, not blind wave it is the living soul,
con.ending with living souls. Il is, IN every
expression, aniagonized. No opinion will
pass, but mus, stand the tug Of war. As
you see, the love YOU win is worth some.
thing; Cor il has been argued through It's
foundation searched it has proved sound and
whole it may be ayowed it twill la', and
it will draw all opinion TO itself
ave have seen, with great pleasure, that
there i, nothing accidental in your attitude.
We have seen that YOU are organically in
that cause you plead. The man Of freedom,
you are also the man of fate. You DO not
elect, hut you are elected by God and your
genius 10 your task. We do not, therefore,
affect to thank you. We only SEQ you the
angel Of freedom, crossing sea and land /.
crossing parties, na,ionaliles, private inter.
cs,,. and sclr.es,ccms dividing populations,