New-York daily tribune., 1861-07-06
THE FOURTH AT COOPER INSTITUTE.


SPEECH OF THE REV. T.. II. CHAPLIN.
The Hon. w +. Hayemeyer presided over the as
sembage. Various national airs were discoursed By
the band among which Yankee Doodle was most ap-
plauded. The Rev. Alfred Goodman said prayer, in
which he alluded to the present state of the country
a national chastsement. NJ. w. Wilson, assisted by
the Choir and Glee Club, sung Our Army and Navy
Forever" to a tune Of his own composition. MIR.
Ethan Allen then readthe Declaration of Independence.
Messrs. Anderson, Bushnell and Mitchell drew forth
from the audience vociferous burst of applause and
an encore, in singing Columbia, we love thee"
DR.. Chaplin then began his discourse. The question
had been asked whether in the existing state of the
resources Of the ages Of mankind there are any mate
rals for a new epoch distinct from those which have
gone befOre and in reply 10 this question it had been
afr med there such. Now, II this question be
rightly conceived and the answer rightly founded,
then the transactions which in modern time were
only repetOns of what has been, presenting perhaps,
some Kaleidoscope change of form bat in substance
being nothing new 1t was ateast, very startling TO
notice how events repeat themselves IN history; how
facts which have only read Of as experienced In
other times and other lands, become most interesting
10 ourselves and question which seemed 70 have been
set at forever, suddenly started up and assumed
the most momentous Importance so no great question,
it sometimes appeared, was ever settled.
For instance we had come to regard the Fourth OF
July as little more than joyial patitude, identified
with boubast aud perspeon, little more than noise,
OF no greater effect than the simultaneous pop OF the
champagne corks. To-day, il was not mere memo
rial but resurrection, when the trumpet OF ma
tonahy called ss 1t were, together the quick and the
dead, making the past TO live with the present. Well
perhaps events did repeat Themselves. SJtain 1t was
that there never was Fourth OF July lff fhs before.
May God grant, if il pleases Him. that there never
may be such another. lCbeers. Ii was our nation
Glty that was endangered at this hour aud 1t WAS
proper 10 say something to-day concerning the el-
of
ceeded to consider its elements, as consisting in s
IDEAS it's institutions, and its mon. Everything had
its purpose. We could recognize 1t in planti but
when we turned our attention to superior system, 1t
was difficult 10 discover every precise object We had
right to suppose that these great organic communi-
ties Of men were moving toward purpose AS surely us
indyiduas Tue speaker would not inquire what ls
nation; but national life was mysterious, like per-
sona life endowed, indeed, with an organism like In
diyidua life. This globe is great theater in which
nations were being born, living, ana others already
dead Nations might work out The purpose for which
they were created, blindy and ulconsciously, but
their destiny differed in manner when II was done by
principle
What was the idea which constitutes our national
life We have one. We were peculiar people. We
were not born in the twilight Of history We may feel
the pulses Of the great founders OF our nation Never
was nation formed by such clear predetermined prn-
cipe. Ii was written in documents beforehand, and
then carried out Our national idea the rights OF
the individual 10 his independence and the prn-
cple Of and sSlfRovernment. LII was
patent that the principle at the bottom of The Revon-
tionarv war, and that which again pun IN
question were the All that We as IA nation ever
had BEEN and could hope to be among the nations,
Law In it, The speaker quoted Daniel Websters
speech u 1852 TO the purport. Ii was tho rule of
the people by the people, and without assumption or
national egolism, lie affirmed thatanot only was the
preservation of nationality involved In this idea
but the progress of the world. Unless we came out OF
our present struggle unb-oken that des could not
stand as il had stood Symbohzed sy our nag, IT was
not abstraction, bot embodied the nation ise
u reminding tsef TO the soldier aud he sailor What
.eclaele more unpleasant, awful disgusting, than
,ion going " pieces like weak, sordid Mexico; aud
,chat contrary feeling did il inspire In hearts 10
see one coming into new life, like Italy. lCheers
The great work Of the founders Of orr nationality
was that they organized liberty in that greatest OF a
structures the Constitution Of the United States 20
harmonoasly blending the ights Of individuals vita
the dignity VI Satee, and vet 30 majestic IN the vgor
Of s national spirit that, the speaker declared, th5
building of il was greater ACHE ement and through
il Washington was more exalted in l7S than when he
led the army of l716. What is this doctrine of So
cessionl II is the assertion Of the right t. XII the
common body that each member might cut loose ana
net for itself Even entertaining TIE question OF the
resumption Of State sovereignty which was claimed,
could the States resume what they never had The
peoDle ordained it, with deliberate orderly action.
Where had been cool dcliberation instead Of passion
ir the present attempt 20 annul And what OF such
States where the people had nothing to do with it, tha
we're bought and paid for rolling of when they get
tired Cheers anc laughter. But We were told tnis
was the right Of revolution Well, that right none
could dispute. IL was the last right Of a crushed
people.
The greatest rebuke to the present secession was the
history of oui fathers OF the Revolution VINO first
ncustrlred patiently, with lingering fondness for
union-no assumption or defiant position until forced
10 and when revelation at last came war founded
on the most patient reasoning. The States did not
create the Union. IL was the people, who had will
strong enough and heart loyal enough TO keep Il
alive appause and ut the very verge OF anarchy did
away with the hopeless experiment Of central power
governing over thirteen iNdspcndeRt powers which il
was found could guard against external and utter
nal foes could not contract debts make treaty OF
peace and gloom had risen the rising Of
the Republic which until thus dispelled made the
hearts Of patriots fear lest the prize which had been
bought with much blood should yet be destined TO
perish. The words of the Constitution cited as
strikingy illustrating this point and the folly Of dis
uniting into fragments was shown. Common tradition
indissolubly fusing into one all its history common
struggles in consangunity, common dangers, and COM
mon achievements were against II.
Tne character of Government was 10 be Judged By
its influence upon men, and upon nationality M large,
not by the snowy conseq uence such as w0s exhibited
in the court of Louis XIV. Of France. Who there
here to-day that could say this great Government had
not been benefit TO him? Who could say that the
United States OF America hGd ever done him any
harm [Cheers. IL was found in homely ballad,
but was great truth that
Here the People 90 the voting,
And the children 90 10 school"
ur that In the face of every aristocratic sticker
ICheers The speaker dwelt eloquently upon the
commencement OF the war for the Union when the
fret cannon ball was fired upon Fort Sumter; alluded
10 the subsequent events, and predicted that future
races should rise up and call Etheridge, johnson,
and thairb bsaxs