The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-07-11
CELEBRATING THE,F0URTH OF JULY
RUFUS cHoATE, AT BOSTON.

RUFUS cHoATE, AT BOSTON.
Extracts from his speechl IN -f f.rr..r
II Is well that in year. busy, secular 90 dis
cordant, there day when the word 49, and
when the emotion TO- our country, our whole country
and nothing but country II is well that iaw--our
only sovereign earthduy, not less the daughter OF
God not less within its sphere supreme custom not old
alone, but honored and useful, memories our heart
have set time in wfich-scyhe loom, and anvil sted
wharves silent the nagour flag unrent-the flag Of our
glory and commemoration waving on masthead, steeple
and highland may COME together and walk hand In
hand thoughtful admiring, through these galleries OF
civil greatness when may own together the spell Of
one hour of history upon us all when faults may
be forgotten kindness revived virtues remembered and
sketched unbalanced when the arrogance Of reform the
excuses of reform, the strifes Of parties the rvaes Of
regions shall give place to wider, warmer and juste
sentiment when, turning from the corners and dark
places Of otensyeness such the candle lighted by ma
Lightly envy consciousness, truth has revealed
anywhere when, turning from these, we may 20 up to-
geher to the and secret monntan-op and there
pause and there unite In the revercnt exclamation and
in the exultant prayer How beautiful at last are Thy
tabernacles What people at last is like unto Thee
Peace DO within Thy palaces and Joy within Thy gates
The high places are Thine and there shalt Thou stand
proudly, and innocently, and securely. "a IS
Happy if such day shall not be desecratcd by our
service Happy If for us that descending sun shall look
olt on loving, elevated, more united Amer
ioa These, no less no narrower, be the aims OF our
celebration These always the true aims of this
celebration In Its origin, recital of defence of the
grounds and the principles Of the revolution now de-
anding and permitting delenceall taken for grant
cd, and all had by heart then sometimes wasted in
parade OF vain glory cheap and vulgar sometimes pro-
famed by the attack and repuse OF partisan and local
hetocans Its great work. its distinctive character and
its chief lessons remain and vindicatc themselves and
win do 10 while the ego Of the fighting the dying
shall yet read on the stainless ample folds the super
scription blazing still In light Iiberty and Union,
and forever, one and inseparabe.
1 had something to say more directly still on the
ethics Of nationality the duty OF nstrucng the
science on the crimes Of treason and SANDER and fraud
that committed around us in its name, on the shall
lowness and stupidity Of the doctrine that the
moral sentiments, trained by moral discipline
may safely guide the complex civil life of the teachers
and studies which they need to fit them for 80 precious
difficult, and delicate dominion of tho high place in
the scale Of duties which, thus fitted they assign to
onality of the Judgment which, thus fitted they would
apply to two Of the common places and practices
of the time.
But pass 1t all to say only that these ethics teach
the true ubordnation and the true reconciliation of APP
parenty imoomprchensible duties These only the
casus OF the safest casuists for Learn from them
how to adjust this conflict between patriotism and phi
lanthropy. Thus, indeed, there to be conflict
for we are phanthropists In proportion union
lists Our philanthropy, we venture to say, is true
philanthropy That is ALL 1t loves all men, respccs
all rights keeps all compacs, recognises all dangers,
ptos all sutlerngs ignores fact master and slave it
. eufolds alike taSs 49,
1t happens thus that contracts the sphere of
duty somewhat, ind changes not the nature put the
times the places the mode of performing them 1t does
not mako our love cold but it makes it safe it natural
lies It. baptises it into felt circumscrbes it with
in capacities and necessities it sets 1t tho great
national public seal Ii you say that thus patriotism
limits philanthropy, is American phi
lanthropy Bo this tile virtue we boast and this the
name by which we know it.
In this name in this quality find the standard and
the uterancc of the virtue itself BY this not by broad
phyacteres and chief Secs the keener hate the gloom
lei ianacsm, tho louder cry judge compare, subori-
nate DO they think that nobody is phanthropist bus
themseycs We, too look up the long vista, and gaze,
wrapt at the dazzling ascent we, too SEQ towers rising
crowned imperial and the tribes coming to bend in the
opening Of latter day But peace order, recon
citation Of rights along that frightening future.
We trace all along that succession of refsrm, the
presiding Observation-Disclosures of national life. We
morality working itself clearer and clearer; hisoi
cal conventional right wrong after another falling
peacefully and still hear the chain breaking but
there is blood on it !; none of his whom it bound
none OF his who put 1t on him we hear the swelling
chorus of the Free but master and slave unite in that
chorus and there is dscorant shrek above the har
with the eternal light OF God but we see TOO shapes OF
ola yisionI 80 = :
Hold fat tb,s hone d;str,st the nbilantbronv dis.
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