Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1858-05-21

Last evening, pursuant to appointment Rev. Or.
Hawks, of New York. ecturedin the Court House here
the text of his discourse being the Farewell Address OF
President Washington. The room was crowded 10 It's
utmost capacity and presented quite brilliant array OF
ladies with masculine persons black coats stuck around
in cut of the way places.
The Rev Lecturer was introduced to the audience by
r. H. Cowan ESQ., and, after graceful alluslon to the
cause and the occasion of his appearing proceeded at
once with the subject matter Of his address 1t was
we'll he said that youth should learn from age-that the
lessons of the past should become the guides of the future
that the words Of wisdom and of caution spoken by
the great founders of our government should be kept
fresh in the minds Of those who are to control the desti
MES of the future 1t was therefore, that he addressed
himself mainly to young men-o the rising citizens OF
the Republic and that in doing So he selected as his
most appropriate theme the Farewell Address of Gene
raj Washington.
Dr. Hawks address occupied about two hours III the
delivery and it WILL therefore, be apparent that any at
tempt to reproduce even the most meagre outline OF Its
leading points within the brief limits of newspaper ed
itorial must necessarily result in failure. few remarks
must suffice.
The DR. spoke of the hand of Providence in history
He did not believe that the existence OF man like
Washington at period of time, and at Juncture III
the worlds affairs SO eminenty calculated to deveope
and bring into active exercise the great qualities with
which he was gifted could be the result of accident
He spoke of the difference between Washington and the
great and sagacous men, in that Washington was Tree
from the faint of selfish ambition the desire of power
for its own sake To him power was simply trust tc
be exercised in strict accordance with law, and i'll ODE
dience to controlling of duty With Napoleon
and others the exercise Of power was peasqre-powel
itself coveted possession.
The lecturer spoke of the earnest appeals of Wash
ington in favor of Union of his exhortaons to his el
low citizens to pay careful regard to lawto beware
of changeto cultivate seadiness and uniformity in the
administration of their system of Government-o keel
clear of enangln% aances-tO guard against foreign
nfuence-to respect the sanctions of religion and mo
rality He alluded to the efforts made to draw the
try into the vortex of the French Revoution-to iden
tfy civil freedom with the destruction of religious
obligation.
He carried the audience to the last scene of Wash
ngtons official life-hs last levee-to his quiet retire
ment amid the shades of his loved home.
All who heard DR.. Hawks, felt that they enjoy
ING rich treat His enumeration is so distinct-h}
delivery 50 perfect that word Or syllable failed Of its
full force and emphasis and it was pleasure to listen
the rich rythm of his flowing periods The lecture was
eloquent and impressive and fully sustained the Doctors
high reputation.
This much we feel it duty to say, and the same
sense of duty compcs us to add that from much of TIT
tone of the lecture feel compelled to dissent w
do not have The unbounded admiration for the arts
| tocratic social system of England that DR.. Hawk
professed in his lecture. We cannot understand
how gentleman born at the South addressing South
ern audience could fail to find single Statesman
the revolution worth naming after Washington, WIN
did not hail from the extreme North. But no
one did Doctor Hawks name. His civil hcroe
were the John Jays, the Fisher Amcses, tn
Alexander Hamiltons and the John Adamses TIL
South was namelcss aud ummentiOnCd Jefferson @
Madison had no niche in his political pantheon.
| D0iIU Journal l4M INST.