Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-07-12
GENERAL oAss ON the FouRTH.

The National Inieiiigsncer introduces the sub
joined excellent address Of the Michigan states
man, delivered on the 4th Of July, with the fol
lowing remarks;
We find in the Detroit papers a short address
delivered by 1--WE had from having known him so
long, nearly written ueRerable) General Cass at
the celebration of the recent National Anniyer-
sary at Detroit. Besides being, from the charac
teristic beauty and vigor of expression of the
distinguished orator and its patriotic sentiments
worthy of being spread before our readers we
think it due to elder statesmen, when they
1 come forward on national occasions and speak To
| their countrymen, away from the topics and
trammels Of party, that what they say should
receive the respect Of general dissemination and
/ perusal.
i General Cass's Remarks.
i My FELLOW CITIZENS: III the birthday of Il
warrior or statesman distinguished for eminent
services is celebrated with demonstrations of
public rejoicing, surely the birthday of n Republic
ought not TO be forgotten. This day was our
/ Republic born. This day, seventy,nine years
| ago, feeble confederation of thirteen remote
and almost unknown colonies, shut in between
the mountains and the ocean, containing scarcely
three million of people, decreed their separation
from the mightiest power on the face Of the
globe, and asserted their right both by deeds and
| by words, to enter, as an independent member,
into the family of nations-by deeds of patrio-
tsm and valor whose memory will never die, and
| by words OF wisdom and power whose truth can
| can never be gainsaid, and which are embodied
in that renowned declaration of principles and
| purposes you have just heard read, and which to-
day everywhere binds listening and respon-
sive hearts throughout the vast congregations of
American citizens. 1t is the table Of our political
law, not written upon stone, but inscribed in
characters of living light upon the memory and
the understanding Of great people, who pro-
claimed it in their weakness and maintain il in
their strength
And now those sevcnty-nine years have passed
away-years of strange vicisstude in human
affairs, both III the old world and in the new
and this returning anniversary finds the feeble
confederation a great republican empire, num-
berng nearly thirty millions of people, with
nothing to trouble them but themselves and with
nothing to fear but the just judgment of God
an empire stretching across the continent, from
the coasts that look out upon Europe to the
shores OF the great ocean of the West which
separates us from the time-worn kingdoms Of
China and Japan, and extending almost from the
northern tropic to the arctic circle--and with all
the elements OF power and prosperity in full
operation, such nation ever possessed be-
fore, and whose magnificent results, while they
startle the imagination, far beyond the reach
OF human sagacity to estimate. And through
these immense regions free institutions rule both
| rulers and people, and exert their benign infu-
| ence like the shadow of great rock in a weary
| land. The Government is founded upon the will
OF all, administered by the power Of all, protect
| ing the rights Of all, while all have equal access
to its honors and its rewards Never, in the
the long history OF man, since the dispersion of
the human family upon the plains of Shnar,
never was such system Of self-government be-
fore committed to any people. And i" we would
only realize its value and the incstmable privi-
legcs it secures if we would compare our lot
! with that of any other country, not in spirit of
| ostentatious rivalry, but of truth and thankful
.,.l-, al -
| are We hare wared fat, and prosperity has made
ms presumptuous; and, like the Jews Of DID, our
| predecessors in national ingratitude, we are for
ever murmuring WHEEL we should be blessing and
complaining when we should be enjoying. Let
US survey the other nations of the earth and learn
contentment and humility.
! 1t is good for us TO be here II is rood for us
to meet in this great family party II is good for
| the American people to come together in their
| primary assemblies upon this their festival Of
freedom, and to rejoice 'riH exceeding great joy
but with devout Acknowledgements to Him who
holds in his hand the fate of nations and who led
us from land of oppression, through many
weary way, to this beautiful land. not Of promise,
| but OF performance And while we review the
/ past, and look round upon the present and
thence endeavor to draw lessons Of wisdom for
the future, 1T becomes us TO recall tho noble band
Of patriots who purchased the heritage we pos
sess by sutferngs, and BLOOD and death, and bless
their deeds and their memory. Great events
have their monuments to strengthen and perpetu-
ate their remembrance. When the children of
Israel passed on dry ground through Jordan, they
were commanded to set up twelve stones upon its
bank i'll commemoration of their wonderful deliv-
GRANGE. We, too, have a monument TO com
memorate our deverance-for we also have
| safely passed through troubled waters-and that
| monument is the recurring anniversary ofthe day,
| the american day, when the delegated fathers of
the Confederation announced to the world the de-
| termination OF their countrymen to be free, and
| put their hands to the declaration, with the me-
morable pledge that fortune, and honor, and life
were staked upon the issue. Sterny and So
/ lemnly was that pledge given, and faithfully was>
/ il redeemed
! Tho works Of man will perish On Jordan's
| lonely bank no memorial now remains TO tell the
story of nations passage, and TO withdraw the
thoughts Of the solitary pilgrim from the de-
solate scenes around him TO the contemplation Of
the great events, deeply interesting TO the whole
human race, which followed the miraculous en-
trance of the Jewish people into the land which
had been promised to their patriarchs a birth
place for the Saviour. But while the earth re-
mains-so we arc told by Him who made and
will destroy it-while the earth remains day and
night shall not cease; and thus our monumental
| day, exempt from the frailty of human struc-
lures, will periodically come TO summon MS to-
gether, and TO call us from the busy occupations
of life TO the indulgence Of those higher aspira
tons which exalt human nature, and of that fac
ulty Of association which withdraws us from the |
objects around and carries us back to the glorious
deeds and bright examples Of other days, thus |
adding stability to our principles and hope and |
confidence TO exertions.
This national jubilee has It's duties as well as |
its pleasures Though it is a season for enjoy |
men, it should not the less be a season for reiicc-
ton, The millions of free men n brings TO- |
gether, while they may well interchange cengrat-
ulations, should also interchange firm resolutions
of Cancellation and of moderation. Forever be il |
devoted TO generous sentiment, to proud recol-
ections, TO inspiring hopes, and to patriotic assu
RANGES! Let old and young, the whole body Of |
our countrymen, unite in its celebration! Let
them open their ears and their hearts to the won
drous tale of the Revolution-that romantic cpl
sode in human annals which, from the inequality
OF the contest and its strange alterations, seems
almost TO usurp the place Of fiction; and let the
story be re-echoed from mountain, and plain, and
valley, from forest and prairie, wherever Amer-
cans arc 10 be found who love their country and
glory in her insttutions IL we cannot pay the
debt Of gratitude we owe to the founders Of the
Republic, we can learn 10 appreciate its value
an "a Ri nov ledpn re oIJf0a t;r,e