Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-06-17
An Grafton,
Delivered beisre tho Washin gsen Association Of
Lancaster the ash Of JsIy, 1913.
BY JAMES BUCHANAN. ESQ,

L0DCoetff 81 toe am 81 SWby, 1910.
BYJAMEs BUCHANAN. ESQ,
THIRTY-NINE years ago. upon this day we
were declared an independent people. At that
time the Continental Congress burst nsunder tho
chains which bound them to Great Britain, aud
resolved to be free or perish in the attempt. Up
on that day they presented 10 the world n specta.
ole Of wisdom and Grmness which has never been
excalle9.
To make proper estimate of their conduct
we must take into view the then situation OF this
country, compared with that of our enemy. On
the one side, the armies OF Great Britain were
numerous and veteran they were led by com
manders who had acquired military reputation in
every CLINE they were supported and furnished
with every implement Of war by a nation whose
wealth has upon different occasions, purchased
the services of the crowned heads in Europe On
the other side armies were small and unac
quanted with military discipne;our officers were
destitute of experience, and we were mscra.
bly, poor that our brave soldiers we're not more
than half clothed, and their winter marches over
the frosty ground which they were defending,
could be tracked by the blood that flowed frum
their naked feet.
But even these were not the only dsadvanta.
ges under which abored. Whilst our enemy
invaded US from without the to rch of dscord and
Of treason lighted up within. When indie
pendence was declared the mother country had a
powerful party throughout all the middle States,
and many adherents in every part Of the Union
HE BECOMES VERY PERIODICALLY INCLINED.
Dreadful Heretofore, was the responsibility Of
,fhat Congress. Had not victory crowned their
banners, their names would have been cursed by
the people Of this country as the promoters of a
destructive civil war, while their blood would
have flowed on the scaffold as sacrifice to mp
pease the spirit OF British vengeance. In this aw-
full situation, whilst the darL cloud of destruc.
ton appeared ready to burst upon them. they
declared to the world our independence They
thought that,
Zone day, one hour Of vrtuous liberty
Was worth awhoe eternity Of bondage"
Everlasting honor 10 their names The graft
tude of free people will forever hallow their
memory.
II is not my intention, at this time, to give you
a. narrative Of those glorions events of the Revo
iutionary War; which led to the recognition Of
our Independence by Great Britain and by the
world, They have been the subject Of so many
orations. and of such general interest. they
familiar to every mind. The present Grafton shall
contain short historical sketch of tho most
prominent actions Of the party now in power in
this country, and their consequences; and alec
enquiry concerning the course which sound poll
cy dictates that the government of the United
States should pursue in future. The importance
of those SUBJECTS. although not strictly connected
with the celebration Of this day, will, trust, be
their apology to every mind
HE TOUCHES THE DEMOCRACY LIGHTLY.
There icas a po,cerfa FACTION in the United
Slater opposed to the adoption of the Federal
Constitution. The individuals Of which it was
composed were called anti federalists, and were
the founders of the Democratic party They
gloried in setting themselves in array against our
present admirable form of government. The au-
thers Of this opposition were chiefly DEMA-
.GOGUES. who might have risen TO the head Of a
~Stste faction, but who felt conscious TINT their
: teieot would be collapsed, when the lumnaries of
=, the United States would be collected around the
General Government. To crafty their ambi-
ption they wished that this country should CON
-tinue divided into number of petty state sover-
eighties without any efficient government for
their control.
This they desired although they had the ex
ample Of ancient Greece before their eyes, and
we'll knew the clashing interests of the States
and their mutual jealousies kept alive BY ALLAN
COS With different foreign nations, would have
made this country perpetual theatre of conten.
ton and civil war. until il had fed for refuge in
to the arms of despotsm. They prophecied ruin
to the State Government and to the liberties of
the people, from the powers of the federal gov
eminent. BY these means they succeeded in
alarming the fears Of many good men, and ndu
cling them to believe. tina. government, which is
now the palladium Of their safety. you'd be the
instrument OF their destruction. Notwithstanding
their desperate eforts. the constitution was adopt
ed. and Washington was elected President.
1t might have been supposed that these faction
ares would have been awed into silence by his
wisdom and virtue. This was not the case.-
The opposition which they had given to the fed
.ArA government, was now transferred to its ad.
manistration. Atfrst, indeed. the voice of calum
NY dared only to whisper against Washington