The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1857-12-11
Everett on Hume.

WHATEVER may be thought of the lop-
ical ability of Mr. Everett, his rhetorical
powers are certainly of the most splendid
kind. Where, in its line, is there any thing
to be compared with the following brilliant
passage from his late speech before the
Agricultural Society at Buffalo? 1t fairly
makes ones blood bound in his veins to read
it.
A celebrated skcptical philosopher ofthe
last ccntury-thc historian IIume-tl,oucht
to dcmolish the credibility ofth Christian
Revelation, by the concise argument, at
Is contrary to experience that miracle
should be true, but not contrary to expert
ence that testimony should be false" The
last part OF the proposition, especially in Il
ltee country, on the eve Of popular clcc-
tlon, Is, unharpily, too well founded but in
what book-worm's dusty cell, tapcstricl with
Tie cobwebs ofagc, where the light of real life
and nature never forced its way I'm what
pciants school, where deaf cars listen to
dumb lips, and blind followers are led nv
blind guidcs--did he learn that it is contrary
TO experience that Il miracle should bc true
Most certainly Ic never learned it from SOW
cr or rcapcr-from dumb auili,:.l or ration
al man connected with huSbandrv. Poor
Hcd-Jackct, oil here on Buffalo Creek, if he
could have comprchcndcd tic terms Of the
proposition, would have treated it will, scorn
Contrary to experience that pleno mcna
should exist which he cannot trace to causes
pcrccptlblc to the human scusr. or concciy
able by human thought! 1t would he much
nearer the truth to say that within the hus-
banman's experience there arc no phenomena
which can nationally traced 20 any thing but
instant energy of creative power.
Did this phi losophcr ever contemplate
the landscape the close of the year, when
seeds, and grains, and fruits have ripcncd
and stalks have withcrcd, and leaves have
fallen, and winter has forced her icy curb
even into the roaring jaws Of Niagara, and
sheetcd half continent in her ylittcrinr
shroud, and all the tecmng vegetation and
organized life are locked in cold and marble
obstruction; and after week upon week and
month upon month have swept with slcct
and chilly rain, and bowling storms over
the earth and rivctct. their c!,ryst;l bu),s
upon the door Of natures scIpulchrc: when
the sun at length begin to wheel in higher
circles through the sky, and softer winds to
breathe over melting SHOWS, did he ever be-
hold the long-hiddcn earth at length appear
and soon the timed grass peep forth. and
anon the Autumnal wheat begin to paint
the field, and velvet leaflets to burst from
purple buds, throughout the rcvivine forest: ::
and then the mellow soil to open its fruitful
bosom to every grain and seed dropped from
the planters hand buried but to sp,iur IN
again, clothed with 4 new mysterious being
and then, as more fcrvid suns inilamc The
air and softer showers d,,il from the clouds,
and gentlcr dcws string their pearls on
twig and tendril, did he ever watch the RI
pening grain and fruit, pe'lant from stalk,
and vine, and tree; the meadow, the field
the pasture, the grove. each after lis kind
arraycd i'll myriad-tinted garments, instinct
with circulating life seven millions of con.
tented leaves on single tree, each of which
is system whose exquisite complication
puts to shame the shrcwdcst cunning Of the
human hand every planted seed and grain
which had been loaned to the earth, com
pounding its pious usury thirty. sixty, Il hun
dred folds all harmoniously y adapted 10
the sustenancc of living nature-the bread
ofa hungry world here titled cornfcld,
whose yellow blades are nodding with the
food ofman there an implanted wilderness
tho great fathers farm-where he '.who
hears tho ravens cry" has cultivated with
his own hand his mcrciiul crop of berries
and nuts, and acorns, and seed, for the hum
bier families of animated nature the sol.
emn elephant, the browsing deer, the wild
pigeon, whose tluttering caravan darkens the
sky; the merry squirrel who bounds from
branch to branch, in the joy of his little life;
has he seen all this-does liz see it eve
ry year, and month, and day, does he live,
and move, and breathe, and think, in this
atmosphere of wondcr-himsclfth the greatest
wonder of all, whose smallest fibre and faint
est pulsation is as much a mystery as the
blazing gories of Oron's bet-and does he
still manhattan that miraclesis contrary to
experience! If he has, and he does, then
let him go, in the name Of Heaven, aud
say that it is contrary to experience the
August Power which turns the clods' of the
earth into daily bread of thousand million
souls could feed five thousand in the wilder
ness!
Judge Williamson, or three legged Will
lto - ho c,,,,;E,rI,, r