Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1855-07-14


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wanderngs of nations in the dark ages Of the
pasii-ihe confcderacies Of pcace--ihe raw
ages of war-employed' by the all-fashionine
hand Of time, which noulds everything human
according to the eternal type in the divine mind,
work out in the lapse Of centuries, with
more than Promehean skill, thri wondrous ere
alton which we call PsorLE.
Tho Declaration of IaJepondcnee which wo
celebrate to-day, attempted no definition Of
these mysterious agcncies il assumed their re-
suit II assumed that the late Colonies Of
England were a People and entitled to all the
rights implied in the name ''when in tho
course Of human events it becomes necessary
ior one people TO dissolve the political bands
which have connected them with another. and to
assume among the powers of the earth the sep
aIaie and equal station to which the laws Of
nature and of natures God entiile them. de-
cent respect for the opinions Of mankind re-
quires that they should declare the causes that
nipel them TO the separation.' Such is the
dignihed and solemn commencement Of the
great instrument by which, seventy-nine years
ago, with the hearty concurrence Of the citizens
Of Dorchester, the Continental Congress of
America, renouncing allegiance TO the British
Government, asserted the Independence Of these
United States" They lef--they were com
PEELED to leave il to the bloody arbilraneut Of
war, whether they were rebellious colonies TO
be reduced by force, OF a sovereign people right;
fully struggling to be free.
Happy for humanity would il be il this ques-
lion could find peaceful and practical solution.
Ii will, in the coming centuries, perhaps III
times near at hand, be a frequently recurring
question. Vast colonial dependencies exist in
various parts Of the world, subject TO the pow
ers Of Western Europe. Such is the case
with half the Continent Of North America,
with all the West India Islands with single
exception, Of an immense region Of Southern
Africa Of the vast territory Of India and Of
most Of the islands Of The Indian Archipelago;
and Of the whole Australian world. There is
no reason 10 doubt that in the lapse Of time
these colonial dependencies will grow up in pop
ulation, in wealth, in intelligence, and in all
the elements Of political life to the stature of a
perfect State How deyou,ly is il TO be wish
ed that principles Of public law shonld be cs-
iablished, regulating the transition Of colonies
into condition Of independence, by great CON
siitutonal compacts, and not through the gates
Of bloody revolution
There is another momcn,Jus question which
is left undecided in the great Decaration--and
that is, whether all the inhabitants Of British
America, in their united capacity, and in that
alone, formed the zone People" which asser-
ted their independence, (Which was perhaps the
opinion generally entertained by the statesmen
Of i776 y or whether the inhabitants OF the
several colonies were each pespe, who, if it
had pleased them, could each have declared its
seperate Independence, las some appear after
wards to have held and 10 hold) This was a
Tbs, va, ,a-;J a-J-S - his 'l,s das - veara aeo.-
of impalslye e1or against an Impending dan-
ger The metaphysics Of State are an after
thought of prosperous and speculative tines
But however these questions may be decided,
whatever foundation there may be for the opin-
ion that the inhabitants of each State in the
Union are entitled to the name and the rights
of an independent people, it may be safely
affirmed that they cannot at one and the same
time be the people Of two different States or
terTitoiies- although the contrary doctrine
seems 10 prevail to Some extent, ! trust not
widely, in the West, and it has lately been
maintained by the sharp logic of the revolver
and the bowie knife, that the people Of Mis-
sour are the people OF Kansas.
Ii would have been pleasing, task, fellow
! citizens, had time permitted it, to pursue this
rapid glance at the fortunes Of our native town
through the period which has elapsed from tho
; Declaration of Independence to the present
time. Il would have exhibited, at least since
the commencement Of this century. picture Of
steady growth and almost uninterrupted pros
perity, Of which few brighter examples can be
found in the Commonwealth. II is within this
period that my own family associations with
Dorchester and my personal recocolleciions fall.
| seem even now to hear the voice Of the same
ancient bell, which cheered us this morning
with its fesial peal, as fhy-fve years ago it
J called together the citizens Of Dorchester TO
the meeting-house on yonder hill, to listen to
the eulogy on Washington from The lips Of one
whom was called too soon to deplore, and who
/ is not 10 be named by me, after the lapse Of so
many years, but with tenderness and venerationi
In this period, under the influence Of the prin-
: ciples Of solid national growth which gave
character to the earliest settlements of Massa-
{ chnseits, and Of which, thank Heaven, the force
! is not yet expended--of that love Of liberty
which prompted the Declaration of Indepen-
denee-and of that spirit Of fraternal affection
which producrd the last great fruit OF the Rev
oluion--ihe union Of the States under Con-
} stitnton Of confederated Republican Govern
! ment--our country has increased in population,
in wealth, in strength, in all that benefits or
adorns the societies of men, till it stands the
admiration Of the world. o fortHrlatus mimi
nm, saa 81 bona norinfl Happy, too happy,
did we but know our blessings. Perfection
belongs to nothing human. Times of trial
have come upon the country, at different peri
ods--wars abroad and discussions at home
! alarming junctures Of affairs -and these vicis-
STUDIES must be anticipated in time to come as
in time past. But hitherto an nnfailing good
Providence has attended us and carried US
/ through the trials, without which this world
would be too happy. Let us, my fellow ciii-
zens, on this anniversary Of the natiun's birth,
1 unite in the hope, that we shall still bs susz