Bedford inquirer and chronicle. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1854-1857, 1856-07-04
A n 0 n A t / Q n
Detirered before The
H;astingioa association Of Lancaster,
on the 4fh Of July, 1915.
BY JAMES BUCHANAN, ESQ.

At that time the Constitutional Congress
burst assunder the chains which bound them
te Great Britain, and resolved to be free,
or perish in the atteu,pt. Upon that day
they presented to the world a spectacle Of
wisdom and frmness which has never been
excelled.
To make a proper estimate Of their COD
duct, we must take into view the then situ-
alton of this country, compared with that
of our enemy. On the one side, the armies
of Great Britain were numerous and yeter-
an; they were led by commanders who had
acquired military reputation in every cline;
they were supported and furnished with
| every implement Of war, by nation whose
wealth has, upon different occasions, pur-
chased the services of all the crowned
heads in Europe. On the other side, our
armies were small, and unacquainted with
military discipline; our officers we're desti-
tute of experience, and we were so miser-
ably poor that our brave soldiers were not
more than half clothed, and their winter
marches over the frosty ground which they
we're defending, could be tracked by the
blood that flowed from their naked feet.
| But even these were not the only disad-
yantagts under which we labored. Whilst
our enemy invaded us from without, the
torch of discord and Of treason was lighted
up within. When Independence was de-
clared, the mother country had powerful
party throughout all the middle States,
and many adherents in every other part of
the Union
He becomes very patrioticoilg inctined.
Dreadful, therefore, was the responsibility
Of that Congress. Had not victory crown
ed their banners, their names would have
been cursed by the people ofthis country as
the promoters of destructive civil war,
while their blood would have flowed on the
scafold as sacrifice to appease the spirit Of
British vengeance. In this awful situation
| whilst the dark cloud of destruction appear
ed ready to burst upon them, they declared
to the world our Independence. They
thought that
..One day, one hour Of virtuous liberty,
Was worth whole eternity of bon da ge.''
Everlasting honor to their names. The
gratitude of free people will forever hal
low their memory.
1t is not my intention, at this time, TO
give you narrative of those glorious
events of the Revolutionary War, which
led to the recognition of our Independence
by Great Britain, and by the world. They
have been the subject of so many oratioEs,
and of such general interest, that they are
familiar to every mind. The present ora
ton shall contain a short historical sketch
of one of the most prominent actions Of
the party now in power in this country, aud
their consequences; and also enquire con-
corning the course which sound policy die
I talSS lUdt tuC oOfCiHbCht Va luC OblbSd
States should persne in future. The i'm
portance of these 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 was powerful faction in the Uni
ted States opposed to the adoption of the
Federal Constitution. The individuals of
whiehit was composed were called anti-Fed-
eralists, and we're the founders Of tho Demo-
cratic Party. They gloried in setting them
selves in array against our present admira-
bic form of government. The authors OF
this opposition we're chiefly Gemagogaes,
who might have risen to the head of State
faction, but who felt conscious that their
talent, would be eclipsed, when the lulnia-
aries of the United States would he collect
ed around the General Government. TO
crafty their ambition they wished that
this country should continue divided into a
number of petty State severe igntics with
out any efficient government for their con.
troll.
This they desired although they had the
example of ancient Greece before their eyes
and well knew the clashing interests of the
| States and their mutual jealousies kept alive
by alliances with different foreign nations
would have made this country o perpetual
theatre of contention and civil war, until il
had fed for refuge into the arms Of despot-
ism. They predicted ruin TO the State
Government and TO the liberties of the poo
| pie, from the powers Of the federal govern
ment. BY these means they sucsoeded in
alarming the fears of many good men, and
inducing them to believe, that government