Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1864-08-05

the rain, assembled in the Church at ten O'Clock
The Vice President Of the society, Hon. G. W.
Benedict. presided. After music by the Men
delssobn Quiutette Club, prayer was offered by
the Chaplain, Rev. c. c. Parker Of Waterbury,
which was followed by the Grafton by Rev. DR.
D. HITCHCOCK Of New York
On. HITcHcocK's Discourse
Alter some preliminary remarks the orator
announced as his theme the application to our
National affairs Of the truth that Gods Will IS
the Fate Of Nations, as of men, and that it is
our part to study Destiny and make our destiny
our duty.
The great crisis which is upon Us now calls
US especially so TO consult the oracles Of Provi-
dence. There was a time at the opening Of the
war when it seemed to many that chaos was in
store for US. That time has passed The nation
has now shown that its purpose is not to curse
God and die 1t means to lire, and that not an
inch Of National domain shall slip from beneath
our feet More than this it means that the new
Nation shall be stronger and better and larger
than the old. We believe the will Of Providence
to be that We shall extend to the Isthmus, and
as far North as we choose to 60.
As indicating the designs Of Providence the
orator considered, first, our Territorial Unity.
Our continent, as DeIoceueville observed,
is unit as no other is 1t is
formed Of two slopes, stretching north
and south from the central line. The best
Of these slopes, the southern one is already ours,
and il is SO formed that it cannot be permanently
parted. The Rocky Mountains form no dividing
line, for there is not enough territory west Of
them for national sovereignty in the 18th Cen
fury. The Alleghsnies no more divide it than
the spine divides the body. Gods hand has
lines, and placed them 50 far from the ocean as
to make lap for the people, while it Is 50 yeined
by rivers that we can lombard from our gun
boats almost every square mile Of our surface
Our domain has grown in three quar-
iers Of a century from 100000 square
miles 10 100000, and has grown stronger IN
stead OF weaker by the extension. 1t must all .
go together or it must 60 quite to pieces. 1t
must be Cosmos if there IS God, or Chaos if .
the Devil rules. The peril Of disruption has |
essened as it has grown. The least loyal States .
ire by 10 means the remotest and newest. In
Llama and Illinois have surpassed New York and .
Massachusetts, in devotion to the Union. So it .
must 60, and dissolution can only come when .
shall have upheavei and disar-
-snged the surface Of the continent
To complete this territorial unity, however,
requires further growth. The Lakes are a good .
boundary, North. 2nd the British Provinces may
ling as long as they will TO the British throne
We need them as receptacle for our refugees,
Is in the Revolution. But Rivers are bad boun-
iaries, and the Rio Grande cannot remain our
southern limit. We can allow no Empire on
iur Southern border, and we may soon be in
condition to give Mexico-the victim of the
neane.t conspiracy ever hatched-the aid she
reeds. Then in due time we shall secure our
ull territorial completeness and unity.
The speaker next proceeded to consider the
econd necessary condition Of, National existence,
liz. Uqify gf Race He traced the progress of
ettlement by immigration, two thirds of our
population being of British descent, one third
rom the Southern or Virginia English, one