Year: 1859

lHatlOh IL is not customary 10 celebrate the event.
whose anniversary we are met to-day to observe.
In every age, there have been days marked, dis.
hngushed from other days by some great occur
renee, something which has affected materially
the veal or woe Of mankind. But to-day s an
anniversary, as | think, and as one of my resolu-
tions declare, more important more justly dis
tinguished than any other ever considered or no.
tioed in this country. We observe the birthday Of
Daniel Webster, with dinners and suppers, and
all sorts OF noisy demonstrations and we cee-
brate the birthday of Washington, the 4th day OF
JULY and various other days. But do not know
that all these together have much importance
as the event we here commemorate to-day. The
desinies of man we're materially affected by the
life and deeds Of Washington. But do not think
the destnes of man have boen affected one way
or the other by Daniel Webster or Rufus Choate.
Daniel Webster is reported to have said in his last
speech, still live he did not live much longer;
be is pretty much forgotten. He outlived his
usefulness altogether--he does not live In the
minds Of men. The Commonwealth which he
honored or dishonored, with his life and labors
has long been in doubt what to do with his bronze
efhgy, which is now in Boston, until at longth, by
most artful and sagaclous management, reluct-
ant consent has been wruDg from the Common
wealth that be may be placed in the public
grounds near the Capitol. Yet nobody wants his
statute there and, ere long. people will be ask
ing what it stands there for. The beginning of
the life and birthday Of such man as that is of no
serious importance to the destinies of man. The
country is none the better for his having lived in
it.


When he contributed his avoirdupois to the en-
rching of the soil, it was his most important be-
quest. The same is as true of his Disciple, who
has just been committed to the tomb, Rufus
Choate. We buried him at last, and piled pret
ty high monument of windy words over him, but
then they were only words, and that is kind of
tribute not very valuable very lasting. Not
for such an event as this have we met I. is the
birthday of no such man as this, which we cole
brate here to-day. We have come for more i'm
portant purposes We have come to celebrate a
great triumph of Justice and Humanity when
not only one man was born, but eight hundred
thousand men were born out of brutality into
manhood, who were reused by the trumpt blast Of
Freedom, from the grave Of Slavery, as triumph
lanny as Gabriel shell spmmsH the. sNeping dead
from their graves, They were dead they now
Hive. They had been murdered by the strong ;
,1thsH have been restored, Our friends, in their
very eloquent address, read to us the manner in
which they received their restoration.


1t was most glorious triumph worthy Of hu-
manity and God was honored in their first DEM
onstration. Humanity and Justice we're no more
magnfed in their deliversnce, than in the man
ner in which they received their boon of Freedom


Eight hundred thousand born in day! A most
glorious triumph of Justice and Righteousness
over oppression and crime.


Though the road which they travel is narrow,
and the travellers are few, they are great null
titude of living, vital humanity. We talk about
the number of souls in our country and I find,
by looking at the Ccnsus, they make great mis-
take in making out as many souls as they find bod
les. We have as many souls as we find men and
women capable Of appreciating this day. The
rest are dead in that they have not been born.
They are only prophecies of something which may
be born out Of the womb of the future. They are
in their embryo existence, for if we progress
from zoophytes till We come to the men and an
gels, why these mutitudes are somewhere on the
road. They will get there; it may be in the prov
dence Of God, and in the endless ages Of eternity.


To think that in country like ours, that on the
Fourth Of July, the great sabbath day of Free
dom, with orators thick as the croaking frogs
of Egypt, and all the noisy, boisterous demonstra-
tons and and declarations on that day with oil
these, there are but very few in this land who
know anything about the lst day of August. and
what it is that makes it greater than even the
Fourth day of July, We mako use of it as our
Thanksgiving day. I believe once remarked in
a meeting somewhat like this, that 1t would be
proper for the Abolitionists to proclaim this as
their annual Thanksgiving then for annual
fast and humiliation, the Fourth day of Jnly-
That should be our fast, and this our thanksgiving
for the friends of Freedom and Humanity / see
no improprie.y in such arrangement. under
take here-though not the Governor cf the Com.
monwealth-I undertake to appoint these two days
as such. If any of you feel like saying, God
save the Commonwe of Massachusetts, why !
will say Amen to il. though think il Is asking a
great deal. (Cheers.) One of my friends. who
spoke here this morning, said that before we
could rightly recognize the importance of this day,
we must understand the condition of those eight
hundred thousand ,and'from what they were raised.
1t is out of our power. do not suppose we
have any language to describe Slavery. 1t such
a drama of devils as the fancy of man could never
possibly describe-such tragedy of humanity as
has never been penned by poets, or conceived of
by the most heavenly endowed genius Of mankind.
What do you suppose would induce one of US to
be savef What would you. fathers and moth
ers, take for the liberty, virtue, happiness, pros
perty, present and future, of your beloved daugh-
} ter. who is just blushing into womanhoodf At
what price might she be bought, and consec rated
on the altar of Slavery, and crucifed its terri
| BILE crossf You have heard Of treasures and hon
ors you have heard of the worlds best gifts and
greatest gains; but how many worlds like this
do you suppose it would require to purchase al
there is of loveliness and virtue and beauty, il
8 the person aid mind and soul of your daughter
{ for the fate of the slavef You have heard of th
S joys and glories of Heaven, and Of their immor
$ saity but If the price Of Jour admiitance ther