, 1855-07-13

Where every man can worship God after
the dictates of his own conscience, must not
morals be improved religion be dissent.
mated! Guaranteed in this right, he who
would adopt belief from choice because a
devout professor, whereas did yon force
him TO believe as he could not heartily, you
make hyPocritc and can hypocrite be
a moral man or good citizen?
Free institutions benefit the mental
standard of the people. Is this not axio-
matte ? Render it necessary for man to
think before exercising the duties Of citi-
zen, and does that not Increase his mental
energies ? But liberty also enlarges the
mind--it creates expansive ideas--it opens
the avenues to the soul, and gives the op-
poriunity for a man to display what he is
"a little lower than the angels, and
crowned with glory and honor
The very force Of circumstances must
prove that free institutions cannot fail to
advance people educationally. Where
every man is one Of the govcrncd.--whcrc
he is periodically called upon to express
who shall lie his rulers, the hnmJlest not
exempted from serving his fellow citizens
should occasion require it, he must be ir-
iorncd, OF hide his ignorance. Rather
than do that, will he not prefer to inform
himself, where the opportunity occurs !
And does not this information acquired, in
turn become useful 10 bis felow-citizens
Such are then the blessings Of liberal insti-
tutions-such the triumph Of the principles
Of that Declaration made on the day, the
anniversary Of which We now so happily
commemorate.
Let us look now at the happy state Of
our beloved country, while Boosting snch
privileges as religious liberation, and so
many civil rights Does not the nineteenth
century approach to the realization of the
high hopes OF political reformers ?
Religious liberty looms up as one Of the
characteristics Of the age We live in. Now,
can each man worship God under his Oien
rine and fig tree" Now, indeed, have we
advanced in our march. The auto da fs
and inquistion have been supplanted, nnd
their place is assumed by the power of ar
gument, by the appeal to the sentiment Of
the people. No longer do the ashes Of the
martyred victims enrich the soil. Fanati-
cism aud persecution for opinions sake no
longer curdD<|the blood with their horrid
recitalsr-fhe humble believer in Saviour's
grace now throws himself under the egis Of
his rights, and worships his maker without
f" fear aud trembling"
No longer does the ghNstly inquistorial
officer walk your streets, dressed in the in
signia of his satanic calling, seeking whom
he may devour. That day has gone by.
Religion is not now forced down mems
throats by the appeal to the sword, nor the
fear of FIRE. From the pulpit, now, charity
is being taught, At the 1residc, from in,
fancy up, each good mother is inculcating
moral lessons, and conscience is the potent
spell, holdingthc sceptre I; ana such the
instrumentalities now relied on to accom-
plish great moral changes. But glorious
as is our triumph in securing the blessings
of religious freedom, equally bright is the
advancement made in civil rights. Now
indeed do we approach subject which ere
atcs the belief that in politics We have al
most attained perfection Look at the as.
scmblage gathered here today, ard read
the commentary on our happy institutions.
We are on the eve of sharply contested
electiou--widc differences of opinion exist.
The people are about to select their prin-
cipal officers, and yet, to-day, all nre here
togdther--like one brotherhood forgetting
oil the their dissentions, meeting on one
common hcath--graieful to God for the
prizes enjoyed, aud renewing fealty to our
common country. The time was when JUS
such an issue would have been settled by an
appeal to battle--when " war to the knife y
would have been the precept, calling the
hosts Of rival candidates into the field,
where might, not right, force, not mqjorities,
settled the question who were to be the
rulers. Then could death stalk about at
noon-day-then was the hand Of the assas.
sin needed to remove wise and gifted
man who was in the way Of the unserupu-
lous and ambitious. When l look at these
facts, my thanks to kind Providence are
sincere that was born in this age, and
still moro proudly do l boast an American
birlh-right. Here in this happy land,
where the tree Of liberty isplanted, striking