Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1856-07-08
GRAFTON,
Delivered at W Worcester, July 4th, 1856,
BY HOMER B. sPRAGUR, ESQ.

everlasting principles, yet poured from the
deepest founts of feeling, confined to no
narrow channels, but at earliest dawn, rising
broad as all ocean tide, and rolling from the
Atlantic TO the Pacific.
There has been no parallel to this. The
days when Judea's millions thronged to Jeru-
salem,-the Grecian jubilees when living
floods filled the stadium, and pillows of ap-
plause extolled to the skies. the victorious
athlete, - the triumphs of imperial Rome,
when captive princes, chained to the conquer
er's car, and the spols of Kingdoms, " ere
dragged in magnificent procession up the
hill of the Capitol-the festival day in mod
ern Europe-are all surpassed by our own in
tuliness and unity Of feeling, impressive sim
plicity and far-reaching influence, aud in the
yastness of the events it commentaries.
The sentiment, then, which creates this
celebration, is far from mere love of pomp
and gaiety. Nor is it reverence for our ances-
tors. Glorious and true were indeed those
old men, the founders of our republic. worthy
to be cherished far more than now in grateful
remembrance, their names and deeds 10 be
commemorated by festive pageantry, and
winged by eloquence and music to distant
lands and ages, vet there is deeper senti-
ment than this.
own New E gland for her history, her char
acter, her influence, the middle states for
their multiplying cities, their material and
moral wealth.-with SORROW and shame tor her
slavery, still loving the generous, impulsve
South, the West for her noble pioneers and
amazing development, welcoming the new
born ''tar west" where, outstripping romance,
a nation leaps into life, all clad in gold and
beyond all, for its endearing recollections and
unparalleled blessings LOVING the Union, the
majestic sun of these thirty one planets,--
there is yet more thrilling sentiment than
this.
However animating the pageantry, however
sacred our fathers memory, however dear our
native land-far more exhilarating, more
sacred and dear, is that which hallows all
American Liberty.
The subject thus suggested, is rendered
peculiarly appropriate by present circumstan-
ces. Never distinctly understood by the
masses, it has become rallying cry OF riot,
piracy, oppression, icentousneBs, ambition.
Political aaitators in Europe proclaim that
agrarianism is liberty. " Liberty equality,
fraternity shouts the Frenchman in his
revolutionary dailiance with that wanton he
christens " Liberty" In the name of " God
and liberty" Mexico has a revolution quar-.
terly. Liberty to Cuba" exclaims the dis
interested, self-sacrifcing filibuster. Lib
erty of self government" or extend the area
Of Freedom reverberates through the Capt.
toll, whenever it is deslgnnd to ensave half
continent. The despot of Russia fights
against Turkey for religious liberty. The
despot Of Turkey fight, against Russia for
international liberty.
Liberty is of various degrees, not kinds.
Natural liberty is freedom from all human re.
straints, as that of Crusoe Civil liberty is
enjoyed in society where no rigid restraint
is needed and no unjust restraint is imposed,
as that of the Plymouth Puritans. Consti-
tutional liberty is civil liberty, secured by
constitution, as that of England. Political
liberty is national independence. Democratic
liberty is civil liberty where the people rule.
Democratic liberty, modified and made prac-
ticable by representative system, and secured
by a constitution is embodied i'll our national
and state governments.
Aside from the doctrine of the divine right
OF kings, which need not be refuted here,
there are two fundamental theories of the
origin of society and consequently OF govern
ment,-one, that it sprang from nature; the
other, that it sprang from compact. In the
former, the theory Of Plato and Aristotle, are
contained the principles that man is born into
society, is instinctively drawn to it, Is a part
of it; that government is the growth of and
for society, should be adapted to it, and
moulded by it; that society aid government
are accessions to the individual that the
actual needs of the people should determine
the form OF government and of law.
The latter theory, first developed by Hobbs,
Shaitesbury, and Locke, teaches that the
natural condition of mankind is one of mu-
81 hat a.
ciety, form compact, ench yielding some of
his natural rights that accordingly society
and government are concessions wrung from
his necessities; that the rights of government
are an aggregate OF the rights so yielded that
this compact is the foundation, source, and
mould of society and SO government is a
necessary evil. The theory of unconscious,
instructive, sympathetic union OF the individual
with society, stimulates him to find out the
duties he owes to society, and laws expressing
those duties. Through law it tends to liberty.
The theory of instructive repulson, un-
willing aggregation, and extorted compact,
stimulates the individual to Jealous reserva-
ton OF his rights. II there be despotism IN
the compact, it tends, of course, to despot
ism otherwise to Reorganization and an
atchy
eAASNA
and in historical fact, is embodied in our gov
ernments. Yet we find in them, declarations
like that in the preamble to the Massachu-
sets Constitutional The body polite is a
social compact, by which the whole people
covenants with each citizen, and EACH ciu-
zen with the whole people," The ready
explanation is, that there is undoubtedly
growing out of the structure Of society,
and the constitution of man, an implied
compact; that this idea furnishes convenient
forms for the expression of moral truths
is conciliaiory of lovers of libarty; and is
partially correct as a basis Of rights; but is
lar from the full theory of the English
philosophers. Government has rights which
no compact can give, and 1t has rights
which flow from compact; but the main 5ody
Of rights, like the old English common law,
the old English constitution, or selixir of
constitutions" were in iull force at the form
alton of our state constitutions. These are
mainly declarative, not creative.
From the idea that the state is the complete
whole, of which the individuals part, arose
the fallacy which is the keynote of Greek
patriotism, that the sa2iridual exists for the
state. Drifting by the dim light Of natural
religion, on a sea that afforded no anchorage,
for it was but a fathomless mass of conjecture,
the ancient patriot tell into this plausible be.
lief and was borne away on its shining cur
rent. Ephemeral and feeble himself he ex-
ulted that the state was majestic, inyinclble
immortal. Thenceforward his mission was
to aggrandize her. Identified with her. he
lived III her past and shared her Immortality
loved her with more than hlial affection; in
peace, nourished with fond tenderness every
element Of her political greatness, and adcrn-
ed her with the richest trophies of genius,
and when the storm Of war was loud aud the
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