The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-07-14
DEMOCRATIC CELEBRATION IN INDEPENDENCE
SQUARE, PHILADELPHIA, JULY 4, 1854.


Remarks Of Hon James L. Orr of South Carolina.
Hon james L. Orr member Of Congress from South Car
DINA, (who received with great applause, said:
MIR. pRasiDEsT AND SELLow-cirzENs or PMLADELPHIA
The day celebrate consecated in the affections Of the
American people, and this mornings dawn ushered in
by the booming of thousand cannons Who tell but
the melting rays of to-das typical of the ervent
patriotism which CLOVIS in the American heart To the
emotest borders of this great confderacy unbroken
of grateful graduation pours out from the
American heart the Supreme Ruler of the Universe who
heard the prayers Of fathers and who has preserved to
their posicrity the rich legacy left by the revolution lf
the day brings much of gladness to countrymen
everywhere need it excite surprise that its return enthu-
sascaly hailed by the vast concourse of Phadelphans
who rong this square If there be any portion above
another of counrymen who should haow, and
celebrate the natal day Of liberties it is the people Of
shadow Of Independence Hall The same walls without
that echo my voice. seventy eight years ago echoed
within the patriotic words Of Jefferson and franklin and
Hancock, and their noble associates four fathers then
stood where you are standing when they mutually
pledged each other their lives their fortunes and their
sacred hono to support the Declaration which has been
read in your hearing. Welcome then, and all TO this
political Mecca. [Cheers.
Time forbids that should recount the causes, dwell
upon the history of the revolution IT would be the repe
ttion OF "an otold tae suffice it here to say that the
soul swells with admiration when contemplating the
daring the lofty courage Of brave and gallant men,
who hazarded all that is dear in this life honor, in
subscribing i'll yonder hall that Declaration which rrevoc
bly, made them traitors to George the Third free indie
pendent American citizens 1t was here they passed the M
field Of battle powerful in her wealth. powerful in her credit
powerful in her numbers and available resources and
above all powerful in two hundred years prestige of in
vncby agnnst every foe in every land and upon every
They bound to old England by ties numerous
and strong, Of affection and interest 1t the birth
place and home of their fathers; of the gtering
their ancestors doing battle under old
Englands flag Here every consideration to influence
their fear and their affections but, with firm reliance
in Dinns Proudeneep confident in the justice Of their
cause and the expressions of the exactons Of the mother
country pressing heavily upon their proud spirits they
solved to make the land the cemetery Of reeaen rather
than continue it the home of slaves" Loud applause
They redeemed their every pledge the of freedom
and the recipients OF the priceless boon. Let
Pcnnsylvanians be vgant and wathu in preserving
ger much Of blood and treasure You the cuso-
dams of that great citadel Of liberty pouting to In
dependence Hail. All its triumphs its memories it. por-
traits Its history gratitude for the past thanks for the
present. and hopes for the future exhort you to
and rerpetuate that vesal fame which was kinded in
l77e Let il not go out here you would escape the ex,
ccraons of postey for nHdey in guarding your sacred
trust.
The great end Of the revolution to civil and
religious liberty Nor did ancestors misudge its value
in developing the resources PHYSICAL moral and ineec-
tual, of man.
Look its civil results Under republican government
have grown and prospered and expanded far beyond
the most sangune Imagination Of the hopeful devoee
Of liberty Our shores washed by the two great
east and west Nearly onealf of the North Amer
lean continent bears upon its generous bosom teeming
millions Of American citizens who make their own laws
and worship at their chosen shrnes From 100000
have 6welled TO 25OOOO0O. poverty ignorance
and weakness have grown rch intelligent and strong
Our sails when every and enterprise and energy
penetrate into every land No longer does the British lion
strike into the hearts of and children
We are now here equal all the elements of national great
and here superior in evcry characteristic of personal
liberty aud political independence Great Britain undertook
10 manage local affairs by assuming the right to legs
late for while were colonies. The Parliament
sumed that they better judges Of wants and
cessites than own colonial legislatures They
dertook to regulate the domestic policy Of their distant
dependencies They imposed duties upon tea, without
consulting u.s. and in every asserted their right
govern Our fathers who had encountered the perils
of the ocean, and the greater pers of savage wilderness
who had fed from Europe to escape political and religious
intolerance could not long brook such unjust assump
ton They petitoned mporuned demonstrated the Brit
sh government without avail; they took their rights in
their keeping, and after long and doubtful struggle
established fundamental article in the science of gov
ernmenhe great American doctrine of the right of the
people govern themselves Great cheerng.l No tenet
in political science has thoroughly vindicated its
wisdom than this and when brought into issue its ortho
doxy has been questioned for seyentegt years until
few months past 1t is said by some who have forgotten
renowned the teachings and principles Of their fathers
now that the people Of Kansas and Nebraska incapable
of governing themselves and that the Congress must
the guardianship these distant Territories
the Parliament claimed over the colonies Where is the
American feeling in the bosom any man. who from ia
natica zeal for the African slave whose condition he
cannot improve is willing TO rcnounce this great doctrine
of our fathers? [Cheers.J Aboitonsm and fanatcism
mistake the heart OF this country in supposing that when
they cry out against slavery it will cause the people
repudae the principles upon which the government is
based Cheers The country owes owes my distinguished ing
Vest Senator Douglas, Immense applause debt Of
gratitude for his powerful and successful advocacy of this
principle have been discussing and for its triumphant vim
dcation in the Kansas Nebraska bill
With Ill the misrepresentation which has been poured
upon that measure the people are now beginning to
understand truly its provisions and its greatest prnc
pethe crcey assailed by wings and abolitiOniss
is the very principle for which fathers fought the
luton Will Won now take the side your fathers did, or
Will YOU take the side of the British Parliament
The people of Kansas and Nebraska have had conferred
upon them by Congress the right to regulate their
domestic according their wishes and in
clinations Is il rght2 Who viii say is wrong Who
knows best what the wants Of eow-citizens in
the valley o the Kansas the Upper Mssourithe repre-
sentatyes they elect to their territorial legislature
the Congress Of the United States when single
ber perhaps has made footprint in Kansas Nebraska
and which would most likely cgslae wisely for henthe
territorial legislature Congress The statement Of the
question carries the with it. If Pennsylvania
has the right to make his laws here, what is there
the atmosphere of Kansas when he there render
ing him less competent to do the thing there This
right conferred BY Congress the Territories is subject
but Imitation which all concede Is just and that is
that their legislation shall not conravene the constitution
of the United Staesa limitation that exists TO the
States, and should in the Territories
AS this is democratic celebration it will not be inn
proper that should say that felt the highest pride in
seeing nearly all of your democratic Con-
gress sustaining the bill and maintaining that great prn-
cpe first asserted this haowed spot 10 years ago by
Benjamin Franklin the philosopher and patriot Of Penn
syvania and his compeers II becoming In the repre-
senaves of the democracy of Pennsylvania to vndicate
the principles which you have long proessed by coming
boldly forward and sustaining the bill with enlightened
wisdom and manly independence. [Checrs
But the revolution only secured civil liberty by de-
posing the authority of the King and making the people