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THE PHILANTHROPIST; 
 
 OR 
 
 Political Peace-maker 
 
 BETWEEN 
 
 ALL HONEST MEN OF BOTH PARTIES. 
 
 WITH THE RECOMMENDATION PREFIXED 
 
 BY GEORGE WASHINGTON, 
 
 IN HIS OWN HAND-WRITING. 
 
 . 
 
 X BY M/ L. WEEMS, 
 
 LODGE No. 50, DUMFRIES. 
 
 God prosper long these sister states, 
 
 In union, health, and peace ; 
 And grant henceforth that quarrels vile 
 
 'Twixt feds and dems may cease. 
 Nor Gaul nor Brit need dear Columbia rue. 
 If but Columbia to herself be true. 
 
 THP. tenth edition, price 25 CENTS. 
 
 PHILADELPHIA J 
 
 PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR, 
 
 BY T. ^ G. PALMER. 
 
 1809. 
 

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 littp://www.arcliive.org/details/pliilantliropistOOweem 
 
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 DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA, TO WIT : 
 
 Be it remembered, that on the first day of January, in the thirty-third 
 
 X— — V year of the independence of the United States of America, A. D. 1809, 
 
 (L. S.)M L. Weems, of the said district, hath deposited in this office the 
 
 ^ title of a book, the right whereof he claims as proprietor, in the words 
 
 following, to wit t 
 
 [See title-page.] 
 In conformity to the act of the congress of the United States, intituled, " An 
 act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, 
 and books to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times 
 therein mentioned;" and also to the act intituled " An act supplementary to an 
 act, intituled, « An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the co- 
 pies of maps, charts, and books to the authors and proprietors of such copies, 
 during the times therein mentioned,' and extending the benefits thereof to 
 the arts of designings engraving, and fetching historical and other prints." 
 
 p. CALDWELL, 
 Clerk of the District of Penn^hani*' 
 
TO HIS EXCELLENCY 
 GEORGE WASHINGTON, ESQUIRE, 
 
 LIEUTEN^ANT-GENERAL OF THE ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 
 
 Most honoured general, 
 
 SCARCELY was I delivered of this young re- 
 publican Philanthropist, before I began, according to 
 good christian usage, to look about for a suitable god- 
 father for it. My thoughts, presumptuously enough, 
 I confess, instantly fixed upon you, for fujo reasons : 
 First, I was desirous of paying to you (the first bene- 
 factor of my country) this little mite of grateful and 
 affectionate respect; and, secondly, because I well 
 know there exists not, on this side of heaven, the man 
 who will more cordially than general Washington ap- 
 prove of whatever tends to advance the harmony and 
 happiness of Columbia. 
 
 God, I pray him, grant! that you may long live to 
 see us all catching from your fair example that reve- 
 rence for the Eternal Being, that veneration for the 
 laws, that infinite concern for the national union, that 
 unextinguishable love for our country, and that insu- 
 perable contempt of pleasures, of dangers, and of death 
 itself, in its service and defence, which have raised you 
 to immortality, and which alone can exalt us to be a 
 
 GREAT and HAPPY REPUBLIC. 
 
 On the square of Justice, and on the scale of Love, 
 I remain, most honoured general, your very sincere 
 friend, and masonic brother, 
 
 M. L. WEEMS. 
 
THE PHILANTHROPIST; 
 
 OK 
 
 POLITICAL PEACE-MAKER, 
 
 " In life's disastrous scenes, to others do 
 
 " What you would wish by others done to you. 
 
 " Winds! wide o'er earth the sacred law convey; 
 
 " Ye nations, hear it, and, ye kings, obey !" 
 
 DARWIN. 
 
 ALL MEN ARE EQUAL. 
 
 " SO HO! what the plague have we got here 
 now? All men equal ! All men equal! ! ! TVhat, my over- 
 see?' equal to me ! Here'^s a pretty love powder for us^ 
 truly. An arrant dose of jacobinism., IHl warrant it^ 
 sufficient to poison the nation.''^ 
 
 This is just what I apprehended ; for some gentlemen, 
 the moment they hear mention of equality., fancy the}^ 
 see a host of hungry sans-culottes in full march for deso- 
 lation, equalling all property., levelling all distinctions, 
 knocking down kings, clapping up beggars, and waving 
 the tri- coloured flag of anarchy, confusion, and wretch- 
 edness over the ruins of happiness and order. 
 
6 
 
 From such equality, good Lord, deliver us ! But the 
 equality now in question is as different from that, as is a 
 " spirit of heaven^ from a goblin damned.'''' 
 
 It is an equality of mutual dependence, of civil obliga- 
 tion, of social affection, of dutiful obedience to the laws, 
 and of harmonious co- exertion to make ourselves and 
 our country happy. 
 
 When I say that all men are equal, I allude not to the 
 endowments of mind or body. For, whether we consi- 
 der the size, strength, and activity of the latter, or the 
 wit, memory, and other faculties of the former, there is 
 certainly a surprizing inequality among men. 
 
 As to size, some are dwarfs^, mere pigmies, hafdly a 
 match for cranes ; while others, the giant^ sons of earth, 
 lift their mighty forms, terrible to look on. 
 
 As to strength, some are so very feeble, that the weight 
 of a grasshopper is burthensome ; while others, like Sam- 
 son among the Hebrews, or Peter FranciscoJ among our- 
 selves, possess a degree of bodily force that is truly asto- 
 nishing. 
 
 * Of dwarfs there have been numbers; but Baby, the little French- 
 man, born in 1741, is the most remarkable. At his birth, he weigh- 
 ed but a pound and a quarter, and was for some time rocked in a 
 large slipper, by way of cradle. When full grown, he was just 29 
 inches tall, healthy, handsome, and well proportioned. At 22 he 
 died of extreme old age ! 
 
 t As to giants, both Ireland and Patagonia have produced a great 
 many, 7, 8, and 9 feet high; but Goliath of Gatli out-gianted all 
 these by far; for he measured upwards of 1 1 feet, straight rabbet. 
 
 I This extraordinary man has been known to lift a cannon of 
 1500 weight, and to throw a stout bully over the pales of a garden 
 with great ease. He was at the famous batttle of the Eutaw springs, 
 where the gallant Williams, who led the host of Columbia, being 
 knocked down, the British grenadiers endeavoured to dispatch him 
 on the ground. The Americans and Irish defended him with great 
 bravery, and dreadful was the clashing of the bayonets over our 
 prostrate hero. He was soon covered with the dead bodies of the 
 combatants falling on him. Peter, being an officer, had no other 
 weapon than a heavy cutlass, with which, however, he got a blow 
 a-piece at four grenadiers. Every blow was ready money to old 
 Charon. 
 
As to aetivitJ/, some men*, swift-footed as the roe-buck, 
 can bound across the fields with the motion of the winds, 
 scarcely injuring the tender grass in their rapid course ; 
 while others, snail slow in progress, can scarcely drag 
 their torpid limbs along. 
 
 As to healthy some, blest with constitutions of steel, 
 hardly know what sickness means, as was the case of a 
 Mrs. Blackeney, an English lady, who on her death- bed 
 declared, that, during a life of eighty years, she had never 
 felt even a pain of the head ! while others, enervated by 
 sloth, strong drink, or strong tea, can seldom get through 
 a whole day without making dreadful complaints. 
 
 And as to long life^ millions return to the dust almost 
 as soon as they are awakened out of it; while others', like 
 superannuated Strulbrugs, live till they are quite tired of 
 living : witness Thomas Parr, an old English ploughman, 
 who lived to see ten kings and queens rise and fall from 
 the throne of England ! Such bubbles are kings com- 
 pared to cheerful labourers ! He died, aged 153 years. 
 Old Henry Jenkings (of Bolton, England) went a good 
 Way beyond Parr, for he lived 169 years. Both of these 
 veterans were honest, temperate, hard-working, poor men. 
 
 As to beauty^ some have so much of heaven in their 
 looks, that a single glance is enough to electrify with 
 delight^ every nerve in our frames, and to throw our 
 leaping hearts into the sweetest palpitation ; while others 
 are so slightly touched with this divine magnetism, that 
 they attract none of our iron race, but are at full liberty 
 to point towards heaven, and make angels their admirers. 
 
 " E'en crosses from our Maker's hand 
 Are blessings in disguise." 
 
 Equally great is the difference between different per- 
 sons, in the powers and qualities of their minds. 
 
 As to courage^ some, like the war-horse, rejoice at the 
 sound of the trumpet, and plunge with eagerness into the 
 
 * For example, colonel Daniel Boon, the settler of Kentucky, who, 
 in his flight from the Indians, ran upwai'ds of 150 miles in 36 hours. 
 
8 
 
 thickest battle, declaring, with the mad- cap king of Swe- 
 den, that no music equals the whistling of bullets ; while 
 others, like delicate court ladies, fall into a tremor at the 
 sight of an unloaded gun. 
 
 As to understanding, some are so very dull, that it is a 
 hard matter to teach them a sum in the rule of three ; 
 while others quickly drink dry the shallow fountains of 
 human knowledge, and then boldly strike out into the 
 main ocean of the Almighty's works. Witness our great 
 Rittenhouse, of whom it was well said by the vice-presi- 
 dent of the United States, that, " though he never made 
 a world, yet he came nearer to it than any other man ever 
 didy And witness, too, our sage Franklin, who, though 
 brought up a poor printer's boy, soon learnt the art to 
 direct the thunderbolts of heaven, and to bid fierce light- 
 nings play harmlessly about our buildings. " E coelo 
 fulnien eripuit, sceptraque tyrannis." 
 
 As to eloquence, some, like our famous Patrick Henry, 
 can lead the passions of men about, with as much ease as 
 a countryman calls his pigs after him ; while another 
 hardly has diction sufficient to ease his thumping heart to 
 a pretty milk- maid. 
 
 As to humanity, one is so tender hearted, that, like the 
 amiable Yorick, he can say to a little captive fly, " go, 
 poor thing, there is, surely, room enough in this great 
 world for you and tne ; while another can pickle the raw 
 hide of a poor slave for breaking a tea- cup ! ! 
 
 As to benevolence, this, like the man of Ross, will sell 
 his elegant pictures and plate, to assist his distressed te- 
 nant ; while that will distress his tenant, selling even the 
 bed from under his sick wife and children, to raise money 
 for gaudy pictures and plate. 
 
 Thus there appears a most surprising inequality between 
 men, both in mind and body ; an inequality almost as 
 great as that between angels and men, or between men 
 and children. This inequality is so very striking, that 
 some, when told that all men are equal, burst into a 
 hearty laugh, treating it as a silly French conceit. Such 
 gentlemen will, perhaps, keep up the laugh when they 
 
9 
 
 hear that this inequality among men, as individuals^ is the 
 very cause of their equaUty as a social body. 
 
 " 'Tis mutual wants man's happiness increase, 
 And nature's diffrence keeps all nature's peace." 
 
 That great philosopher, Paul of Tarsus, has explained 
 this seeming paradox in a most beautiful and masterl}' 
 manner. He compares the various members in the 
 body of society to the members in the human body : 
 " We have all," says he, " many members, in one bo- 
 dy — some of these occupy a high place, as the head ; 
 some a low, as the feet ; some appear to enjoy great ho- 
 nour : the eye which sees beautiful objects, the ear which 
 hears sweet sounds ; while others, the poor feet, are 
 obliged to plod on the ground, liable to be bruised by 
 stones, or defiled by dirt." But, notwithstanding this 
 apparently great inequality among the members, they 
 have no just cause of pride or discontent. The foot has 
 no reason to envy the eye, nor the eye to insult the foot. 
 They are all equally dependent on one another, equally 
 necessary to the perfection of the body, and to each other's 
 welfare. For, what could the eyes do without the feet ? 
 Or how could the feet do vv'ithout the eyes ? 
 
 With the like admirable wisdom, God has placed to- 
 gether the members which compose the great body of so- 
 ciety. Some are rich, some poor; some wise, some ig- 
 norant ; some strong, some feeble. These, though seem- 
 ingly very unequal, are yet perfectly equal ; in their mu- 
 tual dependence, in their absolute need of one another. 
 The wise are like eyes, to see for the ignorant ; the 
 poor, like the feet, to plod ; some like the head, to con- 
 trive : others, like the arms, to execute. Some were 
 made to direct ; others to obey ; these, to labour with 
 their heads, and those with their hands'. None of these 
 can do without the rest. As, in the body, the head can- 
 not say to the foot, " I have no need of you ;" so, in so- 
 ciety, the richest man, nay, the greatest king cannot say 
 to the poorest tradesman, " I have no need of you ;" for 
 the laced coat that glitters on his back, the sword which 
 graces his side, the chariot in which he rolls, the palace 
 
 B 
 
10 
 
 wherein he lives, the books that amuse his mind, the 
 music that enchants his ear, all these, and the ten thousand 
 other conveniences and elegances of this hfe are the joint 
 production of as many different artificers. Were it not 
 for these ingenious poor men, what would become of the 
 greatest monarch on earth? Why, he would soon find 
 himself a most necessitous and wretched being. To be 
 more sensibly convinced of this, let us suppose the proud- 
 est Nebuchadnezzar that ever scoffed contempt on his 
 poor subjects to be placed in a situation where he could 
 derive no assistance from them, and mark the figure his 
 haughty kingship makes. *' With a flint tomahawk he 
 hacks down a dozen or two of saplings; these he sets 
 up on end, ties at the top, and covers with bark and mud, 
 leaving a hole just big enough for himself and his dog to 
 creep in and out. This is his wigwam, his castle, his 
 palace. In the midst of this he kindles up a fire, around 
 which he yawns and dozes away his gloomy winters, 
 with no clothes but skins torn from the quivering limbs 
 of wolves and bears, no food but acorns and the carcas- 
 es of such animals as he has mastered by his club and 
 bow, no music but hissing serpents, screaming wild cats, 
 or the storm howling through the forest." 
 
 Thus destitute is the condition, thus imperfect and 
 miserable the state of the man who has none to help him. 
 His abilities, though the greatest ever bestowed on man, 
 are infinitely insufficient to procure those innumerable fe- 
 licities of which his kind Creator has rendered him capa- 
 ble. His body embraces a number ofsenses, such as see- 
 ing, hearing, tasting, &c., which are so many pleasant 
 inlets to a vast variety of gratifications ; add to this, his 
 mind, with its capacities for all the far sublimer pleasures 
 of knowledge, virtue, beauty, painting, poetry, harmony, 
 &c., so numerous that nature herself, Avith all her ex- 
 liaustless treasures, can hardly supply them. 
 
 But how utterly impossible it is for an individual to 
 acquire all these things for himself, must instantly occur 
 to any one who considers what a world of industry, time, 
 and ingenuity it takes to invent and carry to perfection 
 
li 
 
 a single art or science : then how passing absurd to think 
 that any one man, though armed with the strength of 
 Samson and the wisdom of Solomon, can manage the 
 thousand arts and sciences which exalt the citizen above 
 the savage, which sweeten and embellish life, and wliich, 
 from the most helpless, of the animal creation, render man 
 the lord of the world! No ; this is the work, not of one, 
 but of myriads ; a work to be effected by men, not as so- 
 litary, scattered individuals, but as the members of a 
 compact, all-powerful society. 
 
 Let us now view them in their associated state. Con- 
 vinced of their extreme feebleness while alone, they come 
 together for mutual safety and benefit. The various ta- 
 lents which God has distributed among them individualli/, 
 are now brought into the common stock, and exerted for 
 the general good. Some contribute great bodily strength, 
 others increase that strength by the aid of art and inge- 
 nious inventions : the old counsel the young, the wise 
 teach the ignorant, the bold encourage the timid; and 
 as fifty thousand men, taken individually, have but little 
 strength or terror, but, consolidated into an army, fur- 
 nished with proper weapons, aided by discipline, and led 
 on by brave commanders, they become unspeakably for- 
 midable : so, when the talents and strength of thousands 
 (though insignificant in the individual) are collected into 
 one great social body, aided by arts, and acting in har- 
 monious concert, they acquire a force that is truly asto- 
 nishing, and can with ease accomplish things beyond the 
 reach of imagination. See them now, like a noble band 
 of brothers, bending to the glorious toil. The deepest 
 mines cannot conceal their precious metals. Furnaces 
 and forges begin to blaze and thunder. Iron and steel 
 are fashioned into tools. Quarries of stone and marble 
 are dug up, and polished for buildings. The strongest 
 animals are subdued and put into their service ; the 
 bounding horse, the sturdy ox, and even the mighty ele- 
 phant lends them all his powers. Nothing can resist their 
 force. Old ocean roars and foams in vain. Tall ships 
 rise upon the stocks, seek the yielding flood, and plough 
 
12 
 
 the main in quest of foreign luxuries. The aged forest 
 falls beneath their sounding axes. Elegant houses are 
 erected ; the fields are ploughed, meadows drained, and 
 orchards planted. Adorned with fruits and with flowers, 
 the earth smiles like the garden of God. Their barns are 
 filled with plenty, and their presses burst out with new 
 wine. Royal dainties, even cake^ of wheat-flour, with 
 marrow and fatness, are piled upon their tables ; while 
 their wardrobes are filled with " purple and fine linen," 
 and with silks dyed in the richest colours of the showery 
 arch. 
 
 Thus abundantly supplied with all the necessaries and 
 conveniences of life, we now get leisure to cultivate the 
 fine arts, and to taste of those far sublimer pleasures of 
 which God has rendered us capable. Paintuig and print- 
 ing are invented, by the help of which we can take a view 
 of all the great men and mighty nations, of ancient or mo- 
 dern days. Their origin, governments, wars, vices, and 
 virtues, with all their interesting consequences, are set be- 
 fore us, to our infinite entertainment and instruction. 
 Music is studied ; that magic art, whose wondrous notes 
 can waken every passion of our souls, and charm our 
 senses into rapture. Poetry too is cultivated ; that asto- 
 nishing power which transports us out of ourselves, and 
 lifts our thoughts to heaven. 
 
 Who, without the sweetest emotions of gratitude and 
 rejoicing can cast his eye over this immense feast, this 
 royal banquet of delights, which the great Father has 
 spread for us his little children ? Or who can meditate, 
 though but for a moment, on this pleasing, wondrous 
 theme, without feeling that great truth, the natural 
 equality of men ? Does not every man, rich or poor, 
 equally covet these felicities of life; and is he not, of 
 himself, equally unable to procure them ? Are we not 
 equal in our ivants^ and equal in our inability to supply 
 them without the help of others, and therefore equally de- 
 pendent on one another ? Without our brethren we can 
 do nothing, no, not even make a hoe or a hatchet : but, 
 united with them, supported by their ingenuity and 
 
3 
 
 strength, we can look on this world, with all Its rich fur- 
 niture, as our own, and gratefully exclaim with the poet, 
 
 " For us kind Nature wakes her genial power, 
 Suckles each plant, and blossoms every flower. 
 Annual for us, the grape, the rose renew 
 The juice nectareous, and the balmy dew. 
 For us, the mine a thousand treasures brings. 
 For us, health gushes from a thousand springs. 
 Seas roll to waft us, suns to light us rise, 
 Our foot-stool earth, our canopy the skies." 
 
 What virtuous mind can think of these things without 
 catching impressions the most desirable, without Jeeling 
 sentiments the most tender and benevolent towards his 
 fellow-men ? 
 
 We have seen that it is not good for man to be 
 alone; that, alone ^ he is a feeble, helpless wretch, liv- 
 ing in a world stored with ten thousand blessings, but 
 which, Tantalus like, he has not the power to taste ; 
 that, alone^ he is but a poor ship-wrecked sailor cast on 
 a desolate island, where he is hard put to it for berries 
 and roots to keep him from starving : but that, in 
 our associated state, we are like a great family of bro- 
 thers, whom God has placed together as mutual aids, 
 and has endued with suitable talents, giving this to one, 
 and that to another, so that we can now most easily 
 command all the conveniences and elegances of a 
 happy life. O how closely ought these considerations 
 to unite us to our species ! how powerfully do they 
 bind it upon us to love one another. Is it not as much a 
 law of nature that we should love one another, as it is 
 that the members of the body should love one another ; 
 as that the eyes should love the feet for carrying them 
 to gaze on the dear objects of their affections ; or 
 that the feet should love the eyes for directing them 
 to flowery walks to ramble in ? 
 
 This endearing light, in which Nature herself 
 teaches us to view one another, is enough, one would 
 think, to banish all hateful passions from our bosoms, 
 
14 
 
 and, especially, pale heart-sickening envy. Envy ! 
 merciful God! Whom shall we envy? Our own 
 flesh and blood kindly multiplied into a thousand bro- 
 thers, and placed round us on purpose to administer 
 to our happiness ! And for what shall we envy them ? 
 For those very talents and possessions which God has 
 conferred on them for our own good, and which will be 
 the tnore for our good, in exact proportion as they pos- 
 sess them in a more eminent degree. This were a sin, 
 not only against nature, but utterly iinknovjn to nature. 
 Do the members of the body ever repine at each 
 other's perfections ? Does the foot repine because the 
 eye is quick-sighted to see a thousand charming ob- 
 jects ; because the ear with admirable nicety can dis- 
 tinguish enchanting sounds ; or because the arms are 
 strong and able to get an abundance of good things ? 
 No ; they rejoice in each other'' s perfections, as in the in- 
 struments of their own glory and happiness. In like 
 manner, ought not every member of the great body of 
 society to rejoice in the perfections of his brother ? 
 Am I poor ; ought I not to rejoice that God has be- 
 stowed great riches on my neighbour, who can under- 
 take works of public usefulness, and give employment 
 and bread to thousands of poor men and their families ? 
 Am I ignorant ; ought I not to thank God for giving 
 my neighbour wisdom to instruct me ? Am I desti- 
 tute of genius; utterly incapable of a line of poetry, or 
 a bar of music; then, oh! how ought I to love those 
 hea'oen-sent bards, Milton, Ossian, Handel, Sec, whose 
 magic fancies, like Moses' wand striking the rock, 
 can melt our hearts, and call forth the delicious floods 
 of admiration and delight ? Am I timid and fearful, 
 easily frightened out of my rights; ought I not to be 
 thankful that my neighbour has courage to rise up in 
 my behalf, and to defend me against him who would 
 be too strong for me ? Am I rich, never so rich ; I 
 have equal cause of gratitude that I am not left to 
 starve amidst my piles of guineas and half-joes, but 
 
15 
 
 that God has kindly placed around me thousands of 
 poor brothers, all ready, this with his strength^ that 
 with his ingenuity; one with this charming art, another 
 with that^ to add to me all the comforts and pleasures 
 of life ? And, indeed, if I be wise, I shall thank God 
 more cordially for distributing these talents among my 
 brethren, than if they were all concentred in myself. 
 For, had I the talents to become as great a soldier as 
 Washington, as great a statesman as Jefferson, as pro- 
 found a philosopher as Franklin, as ingenious a physi- 
 cian as Rush ; yet all these eminent talents would be 
 of little use to me or to others, because I should not have 
 time to impro'ue them. But, distributed as now they 
 are most wisely, among the mass of the citizens, one 
 talent to this^ and another to that^ they are all cultivat- 
 ed to the highest perfection, and consequently prove 
 eminently useful both to the possessor and to the 
 public. 
 
 This endearing view of human kind, this looking on 
 our neighbour as ourself, kindly multiplied into many 
 members, for mutual good, must show us, as with the 
 brightness of a sun-beam, what a horrid thing it is for 
 one man needlessly to hurt another ! What a most hor- 
 rible abuse of God's goodness, most monstrous perver- 
 sion of his blessed design, to abuse, to curses, those very 
 talents which he gave us for blessings to one another ! 
 
 That power, which God gave you to protect your in- 
 nocent brethren, will you abuse it to overawe and to 
 frighten them out of their rights? 
 
 That superior genius, which he gave you to instruct 
 the ignorant, and to lead you to virtue and happiness, can 
 you debase and prostitute it to the vile purposes of fraud 
 a,nd over-reaching ? 
 
 That precious gift of speech, which was given you to 
 hold sweet converse with your brethren, can you, most 
 wickedly, abuse it to blast their characters, and to make 
 their very appearance odious ? 
 
 That wealth, which was given that you might be a 
 
16 
 
 guardian angel to the poor, will you, like a demon, abuse 
 it to their corruption and ruin ? 
 
 That courage, which was lent you to defend your in- 
 jured countrymen, can you, most horribly, abuse it to 
 their destruction, in brutish battles, and worse than devil- 
 ish duels? 
 
 What if you were to see the teeth tearing the flesh from 
 the bleeding arms, or the arms stabbing and mangling the 
 quivering body, would not the very sight freeze the blood 
 in your veins, and fill your souls with horror ? how then 
 must it affect, how torture the soul of humanity, to see us 
 men, whom God placed here to live in love, thus dread- 
 fully abusing our powers to curse each other's existence, 
 and to crush one another into untimely graves ? Poor de- 
 luded mortals ! we may call ourselves MEN of honour, 
 but surely it will be more tolerable, in the day of judg- 
 ment, for bloody savages, than for such men of honour. 
 
 This great doctrine, " the natural equality of men," 
 founded in our equal \Nm\ts, and ^^wa/ inability to supply 
 them without brotherly union and co-operation, suggests 
 the great duty of exerting ourselves for the common be- 
 nefit. He who neglects this deserves not to be called a 
 good man, for he withholds from the community the bles- 
 sings which he might confer, and, by meanly withdraw- 
 ing his shoulders from the common burden, he cruelly 
 throws too g^eat a part of it upon others. Such a man, 
 instead of rising, as is foolishly imagined, by such a life of 
 idleness and dissipation, degrades himself into the condi- 
 tion of an ungrateful beggar, who lives upon the labours 
 of others without making any return. 
 
 And besides, what can sink a man more, even in his 
 own .eyes, tharl the recollection that he has done nothing 
 to serve his neighbours ; to benefit his poor relations ; to 
 educate and establish his own children ; or to advance the 
 interest and glory of his country : in fine, that he has bu- 
 ried his talents ; defeated the kind intentions of Heaven 
 in bestowing them ; and that, if he were cut off by death, 
 his place would not be missed, nay, the world would be 
 happily delivered from a useless burden ? 
 
17 
 
 On the other hand, what nobler satisfaction can a ge- 
 nerous mind enjoy than in the reflection, that no day 
 passes over his head but sees him diligently employed in 
 promoting his own and the happiness of mankind ; that 
 he not only supplies others with many of the good things 
 of this life, but endeavours, by his good example, to raise 
 their joyful views to a far brighter world ? An exalting 
 consideration this, and one equally open to the poor and 
 to rich : for as, in the natural body, the smallest joint, 
 the smallest nerve and fibre, contribute to the strength^ 
 elegance^ SLudusefuhiess of the whole: so, in the social body, 
 the general peace and happiness depend on the good be- 
 haviour of the lo^ver classes, especially as these are by far 
 the most numerous. Hence, it is not to be doubted, that 
 the meanest labourer, the poorest slave, v/ho cheerfully 
 exerts himself in the duties of his place, has a right to 
 share, with the most exalted of the sons of men, that glo- 
 rious title, the friend of mankind, and the servant of God. 
 
 This great doctrine, " the natural equality of men," 
 sweeps away all ground of pride from the rich, and of 
 dejection from the poor. 
 
 Some of the great nabobs of the earth, long accus- 
 tomed to the cap-ill-band homage of the poor, may not 
 perhaps like to be told that there is no difference be- 
 tween the rich lord in his silks, and the poor black- 
 smith in his leather apron ; no odds between the learn- 
 ed doctor in his velvet cap and slippers, and the un- 
 lettered ploughman in his humble fearnought. 
 
 Inconsiderate mortal ! who can take airs upon your- 
 self and despise your poor brother, because he is ig- 
 norant and you learned. You understand Latin and 
 Greek ! and can talk of comets and eclipses! and yet, 
 after all, the cobler is a more independent man than 
 you are, for he can do better without your comets and 
 eclipses, without your hie, hsec, hoe's, than you can 
 without his shoes. 
 
 And you, my monied friend, who are pleased to 
 suppose yourself quite independent of mechanics and 
 tradesmen, worth a host of blacksmiths, butchers, and 
 
18 
 
 bakers, 8^c. ; suppose these good people Mere all to 
 rise up in wrath, and swear by their sledge-hammers, 
 awls, and ovens, that you should have no more meat, 
 bread, nor clothes ; no more elegant houses, earpets, 
 or plate, what would become of" you ? Unable, like 
 them, to work, and }et ashamed to beg, what a sad 
 chop- fallen figure you would make ! 
 
 I'ver)' thing iihows the natuVal ecpuility of man. If 
 the philosopher confer a favour on the ploughman by 
 inventing for him a ]>lough, the ploughman requites 
 the favour by usii\g it, and thereby supplying the phi- 
 losopher with bread. If the artist do a good service 
 to the sailor by building hini a ship, the sailor comes 
 a/o/i^sule of him again, by navigating his ship through 
 the stormy ocean, and bringing him the rich commodi- 
 ties of foreign countries. Thus we all depend on each 
 other like the links in a golden chain, which, though 
 not all precisely of the same size, are yet equally es- 
 sential to the beauty and integrity of the whole. Break 
 but one link, and the rest are of but little use. Thus, 
 take away any one class of the citizens, c. g. the cul- 
 tivators of the earth, and what should we do for 
 bread ? Take away our mechanics, and of how many 
 ro/ivcnic/ict's should vve be deprived! Take away our 
 men of genius, and what a number of noble arts and 
 inventions should we lose ! Take away our poets, 
 painters, and musicians, and how many sweet embel- 
 lishments A\ould be lost to social life! And if our gal- 
 lant seamen and soldiers, our Truxtuns, Tingeys, &c. 
 were to be taken from us, how insecure would be all 
 the riches, elegances, and pleasures acquired by the 
 ingenuity and industry of the other classes! Thus, as, 
 in the natural body, no member could be amputated 
 without great detiiment to the whole, so, in the social 
 bod}', no class of the citizens could be taken away 
 without great detriment to the rest. Thus has God, 
 the common parent, removed far from us all ground 
 of pride on the part of the rich, and of dejection on 
 the part of the poor : ^'Tbc ricb and the poor, says Solo- 
 
19 
 
 mon, 7neet together, the Lord Is the maker of them ail.'" 
 In his view all good men are equally honourable, and 
 none of them is more or less worthy than another, 
 but in so tar as ho discharg-cs or neglects the part al- 
 lotted him, and increases or diminishes the sum of 
 general happiness. 
 
 Since then no individual has either time or talents to 
 procure the materials of a happy life, without anafteetion- 
 ate union with his fellow-men in society, it is very plain 
 that God intended man for society, and it is as plainly 
 his intention that good laws and government should be 
 introduced among them. As in the human body those 
 numberless sinews which give it all its motions are not 
 left at liberty to distort and convi;lse it at pleasure, but 
 are w isely contincd by ligamentous bandages, which will 
 not allow their irregular and dangerous cramps : just 
 so, the nicmbcrs c^t" the political bod\' require to be re- 
 strained h'om all huiil'iil actions, and to be coiifuicd \\ ilhia 
 the bounds of their duty and usefulness. The \veakness 
 of human nature renders this necessary ; for when men, 
 leaving their caves and dens, fust came together, they 
 were neither Solomons nor saints, but a rude, selfish race, 
 too ready to lay light hands on A\hatever pleased them, 
 raid hcav\ hands on all ^vho displeased them : and at this 
 day there are but too many of the same Mohawk prin- 
 ciples, utterly unfit to be turned loose on society without 
 the curb of law. Yes, the iron restraint of hws is ne- 
 cessary ; and laws require rulers to execute them : for 
 it would never do for a whole country to quit their 
 ploughs, and convene to make laws to punish criminals. 
 Certain persons must be elected by the pco]5le, and invest- 
 ed with their authority, to make good laws, and to sec 
 them rigorously executed, " /o the terror of einl doers^ 
 and to f/ir praise of them that do reel!.'''' 
 
 Hence appears the exceeding obligation of civil obedi- 
 ence ; an obligation the greatest of all others, our duty to 
 God excepted. Indeed this constitutes a very consider- 
 able part of our duty to him ; for God desires, above all 
 things, the happiness of mim. But, as man cannot be 
 
20 
 
 happy without society, nor society secure without laws, 
 nor laws effectual without rulersj nor rulers beneficial 
 unless they are dutifully obeyed, it follows, that civil 
 obedience is infinitely pleasing to God. 'Tis the accom- 
 plishment of Kis favourite ivish^ and therefore he looks on 
 it as paid to himself, and very justly too : for as we are 
 to be their subjects, God has been pleased to delegate to 
 us the power to chuse such laws and rulers as we shall 
 think most likely to make ourselves happy. And since, 
 in chusing these, we are but using the right which God 
 himself put into our hands, expressly to make ourselves 
 happy, according to his blessed will, it follows that the 
 rulers which we chuse are, in fact, of tjod's chusing. 
 '-'■ Let every soul (cries that noblest of patriots, St. Paul) 
 he subject to the higher powers (the rulers), for they are 
 ordained of God {yts^ surely, when chosen by the majority 
 of the people). Whosoever^ therefore., resisteth the rulers^ 
 resisteth the ordinance of God, and they that resist shall 
 receive to themselves datnnation.'''': No wonder that the 
 great Preserver of men is so anxious that we should du- 
 tifully obey our rulers, for it is indeed the greatest of all 
 social blessings ; the grand principle of union, strength, 
 order, peace, and happiness to a nation. Embraced in this 
 golden band, we are no lon^tr feeble, crumbled indivi- 
 duals, but the force of rtiillions is collected and exerted 
 as a mighty man. The ample shield of a nation's power 
 is spread over each virtuous character. Under its aw- 
 ful shade we enjoy safety and peace. The sons of violence 
 are curbed ; the bloody effects of individual rage and 
 resentment are happily checked. The weakest, if inno- 
 cent, is a match for the mightiest, having the force of the 
 whole community to take his part. And, besides, clasped 
 in the fostering bosom of his country, he can partake of 
 all the conveniences and pleasures procured by the art 
 and industry of his fellow-citizens, and, at the same time, 
 following his own favourite business, he can gather the 
 rich fruits of it for his own and the good of others. 
 Thus secure in each other's protection, thus abundant and 
 happy in the sweet rew^ards of their mutual labours, they 
 
21 
 
 can eat, drink, and rejoice together like brothers, under 
 the shade of their own vine and fig-tree, none daring to 
 make them afraid. 
 
 O how goodly a thing it is, to see a whole nation living 
 thus together in unity ! A single instrument of music, 
 artfully touched, afibrds much delight ; but how much 
 more delightful to hear a hundred different instruments 
 all mingling their sweet notes in one grand concert ! So 
 to see 072e man living p7md€ntly and happily., affords a 
 heartfelt satisfaction ; but to see thousands and millions 
 living harmoniously together, under the same excellent 
 laws, all cheerfully engaged at their several works, 
 and moving on smoothly in their proper ranks ; the 
 rulers wisely leading, and the people dutifully fol- 
 lowing, and all lovingly exerting themselves to make 
 one another happy ; oh ! this is a spectacle worthy the 
 eyes of blessed angels ! Nay, God himself looks down, 
 delighted, upon them ; the Father of the universe re- 
 gards them with smiles of complacency. He sees the 
 travail of his soul^ and is satisfied. 
 
 Since so many and such precious pleasures and advan- 
 tages arise from good government, what virtuous man 
 can otherwise than most cheerfully pay his part of the 
 TAXES necessaiy to its support? O, let us not wait till 
 Justice, knitting her brow, declares, that, since we derive 
 so much from government, we are bound in equity to 
 contribute to its maintenance ; let us not wait till the 
 great lover of men thunder forth his orders — '•'' for this 
 cause (the welfare of government) pay you taxes also., for 
 they are God''s ministers attending on this very thing. ^"^ 
 No, let this generous sentiment, let a grateful sense of 
 the numberless blessings we receive from our excellent 
 government, render it a pleasure to us to contribute to its 
 support, its honour, and peace. In no country have the 
 people such reason to pay their taxes cheerfully as in this; 
 for in no country do they derive so much from govern- 
 ment, or pay so little to it. 
 
 In Great Britain, which is thought to be the happiest 
 government in Europe, they tax tx^rj thing ; even the 
 
elements cannot escape them. They tax the air above^ 
 the earth beneath, and the waters under the earth. And, 
 as if all this was not enough, as if wearied of this piece- 
 meal kind of work, they have made lately a short apo- 
 plectic stroke at once often per cent, ad valorem, that is, 
 one hundred dollars out of the thousand every year ! in 
 addition to a thousand little hectic taxes besides! If they 
 kindle a fire for the little trembling children, they must pay 
 a tax for the hearth. If they let in a ray of heaven's light, 
 they must pay tax for the window. If they keep mare, 
 horse, or gelding, they must pay taoc for stretching their 
 sinews while living ; and tax also for tanning their hides 
 when dead. Even for a making of coffee ; for a dipping 
 of candles ; for trying up a pot of lard ; or brewing a tub 
 of beer, &c., &c., there is a tax. In short, no good man 
 can look over the British tax tables without sadness and 
 tears. But in this country, thanks to God, our taxes are 
 so very few and trifling, as justly to excite our astonish- 
 ment. That a man dwelling in a comfortable house, 
 rated at 150 dollars, a plantation of 500 acres (called a 
 principality in Europe), and 3 valuable slaves, making in 
 all 3000 dollars, should be taxed scarcely 3 dollars for 
 the whole ! ! Is not this most astonishing? And are there 
 Americans who can think this oppressive, who can refuse 
 to pay it ! can threaten the sacred officers of government, 
 just for asking this well-earned pittance, thus flying in 
 the venerable face of the parent country, blowing up the 
 flames of a bloody and expensive htsurrection ? O, tell it 
 not in England ! publish it not in the streets of Paris I 
 lest tjie toil-worn porters, throwing their heavy burdens 
 from their backs, stamp on the earth in wrath, and curse 
 us- all for fools. 
 
 Many of the poor, to my knowledge, are not quite so 
 cheerful in paying their taxes as good citizens ought to 
 be, because they have been taught (God forgive their 
 teachers) that all the money goes to the president and to 
 the quALiTY, I. c. the great folks. This is so far from 
 being true, that the very reverse of it is true ; that is, in- 
 stead of the poor paying taxes for the rich, the rich pay 
 
23 
 
 taxes for the poor. The realhj poor pay nothing ; nay, 
 those in circumstances that may be called comfortable pay 
 nothing, e. g. with 99 dollars and 99 cents you may build 
 a very snug house, a much better one than Abraham, 
 Isaac, or Jacob ever lived in, and in which you and your 
 loving dame, with half a score chubby, rosy- cheeked boys 
 and girls may live as merry as crickets, and yet your 
 country does not ask you a cent for your house, the scene 
 of all this innocent mirth. But Mr. Bingham, of Phila- 
 delphia, one of the (quality, living in a house that cost 
 30,000 dollars, pays no less than 270 dollars yearly. 
 
 Again ; you own a heavy waggon and team : with this, 
 Jchu-like, you rattle along the highways, tear up the 
 roads, break down the bridges, and set the poor road- 
 <menders to cursing and swearing, and, after all, what is 
 your tax ? Why not even a sharp-shin^ ! But lo ! here 
 comes one of the quality, in a little gim-crack phaeton 
 and Lilliputian pair, not a tythe the substance of your 
 waggon, a carriage that makes no more impression on the 
 roads, than does a cat running over a harpsichord, and yet 
 this gentleman pays a tax of 9 dollars. 
 
 No ! my brothers, if you be really poor, you pay no- 
 thing ; even though your poverty should be owing to 
 your own shameful love of ease, or of w^hiskey, you pay 
 nothing. Your dear country, like the strong eagle of 
 heaven, gathers you^ her poorest birds, her unfledged nest- 
 lings, under her wings, and imparts to you her vital warmth 
 and strong protection, with no other motive than love ; 
 for no other pay than the pleasure of doing it. O then let 
 not, for gratitude, for justice sake, let not the sons of 
 Belial deceive you by bringing up an evil report against 
 this good land. But admitting that you were treated as are 
 the poor in many countries, where the neediest widow is 
 obliged to throw in her mite, the wretchedest Lazarus 
 his crumb or his scab for the support of government ; ad- 
 mitting, 1 say, that you were constrained to pay taxes, 
 
 * A Virginia coin, worth 4 cents, the usual douceur to a negro 
 boy for cleaning your boots- 
 
24 
 
 do you thiiik that they would all go to the presideni 
 and to the quality ? No, not a cent beyond what was 
 their well-earned right. As every vein in the body sends 
 on its tax of blood to the heart, the great treasury, from 
 whence it is quickly driven on again, through the large and 
 small arteries, to each well-fed fibre in the system ; so, un- 
 der our constitution, which nearly resembles the human 
 body (that most perfect of all God's works), every dollar 
 that is taken up by those grand absorbents, the sheriffs, is 
 carried straight on to the treasury, whence, in a very few 
 pulsations, it is distributed among the servants of the 
 public ; those wise and brave men whom you yourselves 
 have chosen to superintend your laws, or to fight your 
 battles. And, my dear countrymen, if you did but con- 
 sider what cost, fatigue, and danger those gentlemen en- 
 counter to serve you, you could not, I am sure, grudge 
 your mite to reward them. A part of this little money, 
 that each of you gives, goes to your judges, your assem- 
 bly-men, your senators, 8cc. Now do but reflect how 
 many thousands of dollars these gentlemen have laid out 
 on their education and libraries to enable them to cope 
 with the long-headed Pitts and Talleyrands of Europe. 
 
 Consider, also, the brain- racking, spirit- wasting, flesh- 
 consuming study, these poor gentlemen are obliged to 
 undergo for your sakes : as a proof of this, look at your 
 Madisons, Marshalls, &c. ; see what pale, pensive, Wer- 
 TER-looking countenances they generally wear, obliged 
 every year almost to push off" to the springs to brace up 
 their lax fibres. 
 
 A part of your small taxes goes to your brave soldiers, 
 and to your gallant seamen ; your Truxtuns, your Tin- 
 gey s, &c. Noble fellows, who have exchanged their wives 
 and smiling babes for the gloomy waves, that they may 
 there enjoy the heroic pleasu?'e of meeting your enemies. 
 Consider what they undergo for you. While " ^ou are 
 on your down-beds lying, fondly locWd in beauty'' s arms,''^ 
 they, poor fellows, may be preparing for very different 
 scenes, making ready for bloody battle. See the hostile 
 man of war bearing down upon them. The hearts of the 
 
25 
 
 youthful warriors palpitate, while the blood comes and 
 goes in their cheeks ; but the love of their country, the 
 justice of their cause, and a noble sense of honour brace 
 them up as with triple steel. ' ' All hands to quarters — 
 fore and aft^ a clear ship — uphammocks — light the matches y 
 and stand by to wake the thunder — now^ my hearts^ be stout 
 and bold.'''' The flag of Columbia waves over their heads ; 
 the heroes eye the beloved stripes. The smile of joy is 
 on their countenances, and the fire of valour flashes from 
 their eyes. They demand the fight. The tall black ship 
 of the enemy is now close along side ; her tremendous 
 artillery stares them in the face, yawning destruction. 
 The dreadful fray begins ; the air is rent with their hor- 
 rid thunder. Old Ocean trembles, and lowers all her 
 waves. The ships are wrapped in flaming fires, while 
 storms of iron bullets dash every thing to pieces. The 
 decks are covered with mangled corses, and the scuppers 
 run torrents of blood. But lo ! the mortal strife is end- 
 ed, and Columbia is victor. But, alas ! what avails it that 
 her flag rides triumphant ? many of her bravest sons lie 
 low. Hearts that glowed with heavenly fire, that beat 
 high with the love of their country ; muscles that were 
 gloriously strained at the four and twenty pounders fight- 
 ing for you, my brothers ; these now lie in mangled heaps, 
 hardly known that they ever were men ; their dearest 
 blood mingling with the briny wave, their precious limbs 
 soon to be tossed to devouring sharks ! Oh, my country- 
 men, can we think of these things, and yet deem it hard 
 to pay a tax of one little dollar in the thousand to our gal- 
 lant brothers, who thus, at the expence of their lives, se- 
 cure to us the other nine hundred and ninety- nine ? 
 
 But, not only on account of the exceeding moderatioTi 
 of our taxes, but also of their amazingly equal distribu- 
 tion, we have reason to pay them with more cheerfulness 
 than any people on earth. In other countries, the politi- 
 cal body is so grown out of all proportion, the head and 
 larger limbs are so bloated with fat, while the inferior 
 members are so shrivelled for nourishment, that it is hard 
 for a cordial love to grow between them. 
 
26 
 
 That a bishop should receive his 10 or 15,0001. ster- 
 ling per ann., should ride in his coach, live in his palace, and 
 keep up a constant carnwaU while his poor brother levite is 
 obliged to lent it all the year on a pitiful curacy of 201. 
 
 That a king should receive his twenty or thirty hun- 
 dred thousand dollars per ann. while the mechanic is hard 
 put to it for bread ! and, after all his toih and sorrows, is 
 scarcely able to keep his family out of prison or a poor, 
 house ; and, as if all this was not enough, that the go- 
 vernment should suffer a host of pensioners and sine, 
 cures-men, each with a large salary, to be clapped, like 
 so many elegant cupping-glasses, on the vitals of the peo- 
 ple. 
 
 Who could suffer this without a decline of love for his 
 country, or, indeed, without feeling that love turned into 
 detestation ? 
 
 But, oh happy Americans ! we groan under none of 
 these iniquitous impositions to wean us from our coun- 
 try ; with us the political body still preserves its exquisite 
 shape and symmetry : the head is not bloated, the feet are 
 not starved. Our public officers (the head) are furnished 
 with plenty, but not excess*; while our common citizens 
 (the feet and hands) may, if industrious, have enough and 
 to spare. 
 
 Another consideration, which must rivet the souls of 
 all reasonable men to our constitution, is that charming 
 delicacy, that p?'oJbn?id and equal respect with which she 
 treats the religious opinions of her children. Even in 
 that government which is looked on as the most equitable 
 
 * Few of our public ofiicers, viz., our judges, members of assem- 
 bly, senate, congress, Sec, are allowed more than they could make by 
 their respective professions, many not so much. And as to our good 
 president, though his 25,000 dollars have made a great noise, yet 'tis 
 questionable; whether it be a cent too much. He is placed in a situa- 
 tion of all others the most public and expensive. His levee, his tablci 
 Sec, must consume vast sums. It were high treason in him to eat 
 his venison, or to drink his INIadeira by himself. He is expected to 
 act the national publican, to keep open house, and to entertain comers 
 from all the winds of heaven. Think of that, my brothers. 
 
27 
 
 ill all Europe (I mean Great Britain), the people are at 
 daggers- drawn about religion ! The established church 
 insisting on the dissenters to think of God Almighty, and 
 to worship him just as tliey do, or to pay a fine ! Oh ! 
 this is a shameful thing ; a dreadful drawback on patri- 
 otism ! What ! shall I sweat and bleed in support and de- 
 fence of my country, and, when I expected her sweetest 
 smiles, her kindest caresses, shall she, most ungratefully, 
 reject my petition to say what prayers I think best ; shall 
 she look tamely on and see my heard-earned substance 
 sold by the sheriff, to swell the princely revenue of some 
 bishop, to whose church I belong not ? He must be an 
 Israelite indeed, in whom there is no gall, whom this 
 w^ould not provoke to detest his country as a cruel step- 
 mother, and to turn his back on her for ever. But, thanks 
 to God, we have none of these pontifical villanies to wean 
 our affections from our country, or from one another. 
 We are perfectly at liberty to worship our Maker, every 
 man according to the dictates of his own conscience, and, 
 provided we act up to the high character of ^ooc/ citizens, 
 our excellent constitution stands equally a wall of fire 
 around all, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, Christians 
 or Mahometans. 
 
 Oh, my beloved mother country ! my soul embraces 
 thee with more than filial ardour for this thy ivise and 
 equal love to all us thy dutiful children, and for that thou 
 allowest no establishment to create heart-burnings 
 among us, no merciless fanatic with fire and faggot to 
 destroy us. 
 
 And, oh, my dear brothers, natiiie or adopted sows of 
 Columbia ! if ever people on earth were under particu- 
 lar obligations to love their government we are that 
 people. Compared with those of other nations, our go- 
 vernment shines like the hill of Zion, and breathes 
 abroad her fragrance like a field which the Lord hath 
 blessed. 
 
 " When I look around me (says the Rev. Dr. Chan- 
 dler, one of the ornaments both of English learning and 
 piety) on the present kings of Europe^ I am apt to ask 
 
28 
 
 myself, what is there in most of them that should make 
 their subjects wish their lives, or regret their deaths ? 
 Actuated by ambition or revenge, or sunk in indolence 
 and pleasure, they waste the riches of their people in 
 the most abominable extravagance and dissipation ; or 
 rush their subjects into war, to the certain murder and 
 ruin of thousands of them. And as to our own kings, 
 some of them involved us in all the calamities of civil 
 wars ; others impoverished and oppressed us by illegal 
 exactions ; and the generality of them, either by their 
 own choice, or led by wicked ministers, sacrificed the 
 national interest to their own accursed ambition, re- 
 venge, and debauchery." 
 
 Comparing with this the condition of our own dear 
 country, who without tears of gratitude can reflect on 
 that benignant Power, which not only conducted us 
 in safety through our perilous war against Britain, but 
 enabled us, far beyond our Jirst and most sanguine 
 expectations, to establish ourselves free and inde- 
 pendent states; and then mercifully disposed us, 
 without struggle or bloodshed, to erect over our own 
 heads, and the heads of our dear children, the sacred ca- 
 nopy of a republican government; securing to all alike 
 the inestimable blessings of liberty, property, and reli- 
 gion; and, by holding open to all alike the sacred door 
 of self-advancement, best promotes brotherly love, 
 with all her graces ; industry, with all her treasures ; 
 LEARNING, with all her precious truths; and whatever 
 tends to the highest perfection and, happiness of man 
 in this world, and consists with his best preparation 
 for endless happiness in the world to come. 
 
 Oh, blessed land oi well-secured liberty ,!:»{ equal laws, 
 of moderate taxes, and of universal toleration! what 
 dutiful son can think of all these thy truly republican 
 fa'Dours without clasping thee to his heart as of God that 
 dearest, best of mothers, who gave us birth, and lavishes 
 on us such a profusion of every earthly good ! Or 
 what prodigal son, who considers the husks fed on by 
 the poor in other lands, and the plenteousness of bread 
 
 I 
 
29 
 
 at thy table, oh Columbia, but must instantly exclaim, 
 *' Surely the lot is fallen to me in a pleasant place ; yea^ 
 I have a goodly heritage. The Lord hath crowned my 
 table with fat things, and caused my cup to run over with 
 choice wine.'' ^ 
 
 It has been well said, that " the trimmings of a 
 monarchy would maintain a republic.^'' The truth is, 
 monarchies tend as naturally to extravagance as stones 
 do to roll down a hill. For knowing, in the first 
 place, that their thrones are founded on the slippery 
 balls o^ fraud and force, they prudently take care to 
 block them up by numerous grandees, such as lords 
 secular and lords spiritual, captains of hundreds and 
 captains of thousands ; for rich maintenance of whom 
 millions are to be raised, and, of course, at the ex- 
 pence of the people! This is one step to their impo- 
 verishment, but it is a mere bagatelle in comparison 
 of the next. For knowing, in the second place, that 
 there is nothing of wisdom and virtue in their govern- 
 ment to merit the regards of their people, they make 
 a push for it in an easier way. They set the whole 
 nation a-gape on their equipage and retinue. Through 
 town and country, nothing is talked of like the " king^s 
 parks and palaces; the ki?ig''s gold plate and Jewels.^* 
 This clinches the nail of their depression and poverty. 
 For when a nation, instead of honouring the divine at- 
 tributes of wisdom and goodness in their king, turn 
 to worship him for his outward pomp and pride, then 
 are they like the stupid Israelites, who turned from the 
 living God to worship dead idols ; and then also, like 
 those same stupid Israelites, that foolish nation is near 
 to reprobation, and on the high road to poverty, both 
 in principle and purse. For their golden calf thus 
 worshipped, I mean their monarch, knowing that his 
 gold is the main spring that keeps his puppet nation a 
 dancing around him, his aurum fulminans, or magic 
 powder, that continues his racket through the realm, 
 becomes tenfold more rapacious of his people's mo- 
 ney, that he may become tenfold more splendid and 
 
30 
 
 noisy in his shows. And as man is a whoreson sort 
 of an animal, prodigiously given to imitation, these 
 fine capers, which the stupid people enable their gold- 
 en calf to cut, are soon followed by the whole seed, 
 breed, and generation of the beastly herd. For the 
 king, to be sure, sets the fashion ; the sachems follow 
 the king ; the dignified powvows follow the sachems; 
 and then in falls the whole tribe, where every man that 
 can raise a feather and an ounce of pocoon paint, af- 
 fects to be a great captain. 
 
 The consequence of all this is as plain as it is la- 
 mentable. This universal pride quickly begets uni- 
 versal poverty — and this again, as physically, begets 
 misery — and this again, by operation morally certain, 
 begets obduracy — the cold unfeeling heart. Hence 
 the hindmost runners in this miserable race of pride 
 and extravagance (all following hard after the king), if 
 they should be thrown out by flying the way of blessed 
 honesty, or if, through sickness or lack of employ- 
 ment, they should stumble and fall, they are often left 
 to suffer, and even to starve. 
 
 Volney, who, though in divinity a heretic, yet, 
 certes, in history a divine ; Volney, I say, assures us, 
 that he once saw, without the walls of the once-flou- 
 rishing Damascus, two human beings, pale, naked, 
 and brutalized (under a Turkish tyrant), contending 
 with hungry dogs over the carcase of a dead camel ! ! 
 
 That German Shakspeare, the amiable Kotzebue, de- 
 clares (and oh ! that the proud unfeeling tyrants of Europe 
 would but hearken) that on the 24th of December, 
 the very eve of the nativity of the incarnate God, coming 
 with his angels shouting " peace and good-will among 
 men;'''' that, on Christmas eve, Avhen the hearts of all chris- 
 tians are more than usually disposed to cheerfulness and 
 hospitality ; that on Christmas eve, in the year 1804, he 
 saw, in the city of Naples, a female perishing of want in 
 the street ! " A group of people," says he, " were around 
 her : drawn by strong kindred feelings, I hastened up to 
 the spot where she lay, a pale, emaciated, rag- covered, 
 
31 
 
 miserable skeleton of a woman about forty. " Poor crea- 
 ture /" whispered all around me ; '■''poor creature, she is 
 dying of hunger /" I was seized with a horror indescri- 
 bable. Like one distracted, I called on all around, for 
 God's sake, for mercy's sake, to give help. My purse 
 was but light, but such as it was I pressed it upon the 
 owner of the next door to allow her to be taken in. The 
 monster shook his head ! The people, after gratifying their 
 curiosity for a moment, all most brutishly went away. 
 But it is a sweet consolation to me that the dying person 
 understood my motions, if not my words, for her looks 
 were rivetted on me with tenderness ; and I was the last 
 object on which her closing eyes with tears were fixed. 
 While I continued by her, waiting for the officers to 
 come and take her dead body a^\"ay, I saw the king pass 
 by, returning from the chace, with, twenty or thirty dogs, 
 all in excellent order ! ! ! !" 
 
 That celebrated physician and philanthropist, doctor 
 Lettsom, a friend indeed ! a ivise runner ! who not 
 idly " beats the air^' for vain notions, and dead faiths, and 
 beggarly elements, which Paul forbids, but, like a hea- 
 venly footman, runs for the high prize of pure love, re- 
 lates the following story : 
 
 ** As I stepped out of my house," says the doctor, " I 
 was accosted by a tall thin man, whose countenance ex- 
 hibited such a picture of distress and poverty as fixed my 
 attention, and induced me to inquire into his situation. 
 He informed me that he was a day labourer, just recover- 
 ing from sickness, and that, feeble as he then was, to pro- 
 cure food for a sick family, he was obliged to seek for, and 
 to exert himself much beyond his strength ; and added, 
 that he lived in Aldersgate street. This poor object 
 seemed to feel distress too deeply to be an impostor ; and 
 I could not avoid giving him something for his present 
 relief; for which he retired bowing, with tears in his eyes. 
 But when he was gone, his image came before me ; and 
 I was then sorry that I had not gi^^en him more, and this 
 determined me to go the next day and find him out. 
 With some difficulty I groped my way up a dark passage 
 
32 
 
 and staircase to a little chamber, wherein this poor man 
 and his family lived. But what words can express my 
 feelings at sight of the poverty and wretchedness of the 
 afflicted group that then lay before me ? An old box was 
 the only article that served for a chair ; a piece of old tick- 
 en spread on the floor, with a worn-out blanket, formed 
 the only couch whereon this destitute family could lay 
 their heads to rest. And what a scene did they present ! 
 Near the centre of the bed lay the mother with half a 
 shift, and covered as high as the middle with a blanket. 
 She was incapable of telling her complaints. The spit- 
 tle, for want of some fluid to moisten her mouth, had 
 dried upon her lips, which, as well as the gums, were 
 black with the putrid fever. At another end of the 
 blanket was extended a girl about five years old. It had 
 rolled from under this covering, and was totally naked, 
 except its back, on which a blister-plaster was tied by a 
 piece of pack-thread ; and, though labouring under this 
 dreadful fever, the poor creature was asleep. On one 
 side of its mother lay a naked boy about two years old ; 
 this little innocent was likewise sleeping. On the other 
 side of the mother lay a girl about twelve years old. The 
 fever had not bereaved her of her senses ; she was con- 
 stantly moaning out, "0/ I shall die for drink ! water ! 
 water ! pray give me some water /" Near her stood ano- 
 ther girl about four years old, having, for her only cover- 
 ing, a loose piece of petticoat thrown over her shoulders ; 
 and to this infant it was that her sister was crying for 
 water*! !" 
 
 In Ireland, this miserable picture has been seen with 
 aggravations. The family, sick, naked, without food or 
 assistance, and lying on dirty straw ! 
 
 * What a contrast between this scene, and that exhibited in per- 
 haps the very next day's newspaficr, chaunting, in all the fulsome 
 strains of fainting^ dying admiration, the wondrous splendours of 
 the king's hoicse-iuarmi?ig, which cost Ji/ty thousand fiounds sterling ! 
 Is this great gentleman to be hated ? Oh no ! infinitely the reverse. 
 The eye that catches a luxury from the widow's or the orphan's 
 smile, will weep for the king. 
 
33 
 
 What generous American can think of these things 
 without pouring forth his double flood of tears — tears of 
 sorrow for the miseries of others, and tears of gratitude 
 for the matchless mercies lavished on us ? 
 
 " Not more than others we deserve, 
 Yet God hath given us more ; 
 For we abound, while millions starve, 
 Millions of foreign /zoc?-." 
 
 While other nations, many of them at least, are confined 
 to narrow nooks, or islands insufficient to ^'ield them 
 bread, God hath enlarged our borders, and spread abroad 
 our habitation even from the mountains to the great seas. 
 Other nations, if cut off from commerce, would pre- 
 sently pine and perish by thousands ; while we, O thanks 
 to God, though driven from the ocean by European 
 violence, may yet he safe and happy. We may turn 
 our eyes to the fertile south and west, and, after filling 
 up all the intermediate country, we may then from our 
 hills, like ancient Israel from the heights of Jordan, survey 
 our vast transalpine plains, the destined Canaan of millions 
 yet unborn. " There^^^ with hearts overrunning with gra- 
 titude and joy we may say, " there is room enough, and em- 
 ployment for all ; employment, not as in crowded mo- 
 narchies, servilely asked, insultingly given, and precari- 
 ously held ; _but the sure and independent employment of 
 cultivating the earth, even a land peculiarly blessed of 
 Heaven ; a land of short winters and long summers ; of 
 soils and climes fitted to the growth of all vegetable nature, 
 and yielding ever}^ necessary and delight of human life, 
 from the hardy grain and fat meats of New England, to 
 the rich roots and fruits of Georgia ; and in such endless 
 variety, that our staff of bread, of some kind or other, 
 has never been known to fail. Yearly, our trees have 
 been made to bend under the vveight of their delicious 
 fruits ; yearly, our corn, that noblest son of the furrows, 
 has been made " to exalt his horn" of praise to Him 
 who filled his big shock with ^o«r; insomuch that even 
 while princes in other countries have been obliged to use 
 coarse roots, and even powdered barks and fsb bones, 
 for bread, we have been heaped with fine wheaten 
 
c> 
 
 i 
 
 loaves and to spare ; the teeth of our little ones have 
 been white with milk, and the eyes of our aged have 
 sparkled with the pleasant juice of the grape. 
 
 " O that x\merica would therefore but praise th€ 
 Lord for his goodness, and declare the wonders that 
 he hath done for the people of our land!" 
 
 But how shall we manifest our sense of his good- 
 ness ? Shall we do it by splitting into parties, and 
 mortally hating one another ? No ; God forbid ; 
 for a furious party spirit is the greatest judg- 
 ment, the heamest curse that can befal our country. — - 
 It extinguishes love in the best hearts, and, in the 
 worst, blows up the coals of hatred to tenfold fury. — 
 It makes even good men shy of one another, and 
 breaks off the sweetest friendships. This vile spirit 
 deforms every thing. By giving a hardness to the 
 features and fierceness to the eyes, it turns the loveliest 
 woman into a fright, and the comeliest man into a de- 
 mon.- — It pollutes the most sacred places, introducing 
 unnatural strifes even there where sweetest harmony 
 should ever prevail- — in our streets and at our tables. 
 It fills our newspapers, which were meant to be the 
 vehicles of innocent amusement and calm instructionj 
 with the bitterest abuse. — -It confounds all the great 
 distinctions of ivortb and villanj' in characters ; the 
 vilest creature, if oh our side, is cried up as an angel ; 
 while an angel, if he oppose us, though never so de- 
 cently, is branded as a miscreant! — It corrupts our taste; 
 the dirtiest gazetteer, if he blackguard for us, is 
 applauded as a Junius, while a Junius, i( agai?ist us, is 
 execrated as a mere Grub- street. — It banishes all se?iseo{ 
 gratitude, justice, and truth ; what signifies the purest 
 inf2oce?ice, the uprightest intentions, the greatest abilities, 
 the profoundest learning ? if opposed to us, they vanish 
 into nothing ; the greatest abilities are hooted at, the 
 brightest virtues are not seen, the longest andjaitb- 
 fullest services are all forgotten ! — -Under the bias of 
 this most disingenuous spirit, Jefferson is an empty pe- 
 dant, Franklin an old fool, Adams a British agent, and 
 Washington — let faction write the rest ! It ruins 
 
55 
 
 all our public affairs ; the blessed end of society and 
 government is Xo unite men m pr07noting their viutuai 
 interest^ but the aim of party spirit is to disunite them 
 entirely. Overlooking the general good, the study of 
 ■each faction (I mean the designing men) is, to advance 
 their own separate strength^ and to sink their oppo- 
 nents in the public esteem, calumniating the worthi- 
 est characters, charging the wisest measures with folly, 
 the best intentions with villany : thus filling the minds, 
 even of honest men, with prejudices against their 
 rulers, and opposition to government, which, by com- 
 pelling them to use coerci'ue measures ^ bring on insur- 
 rection and ci'oil war, with all their horrors, when bro- 
 ther, with worse than hellish fury, shall sheathe his 
 steel in his brother's heart, or call in ruthless foreign- 
 ers to aid the accursed deed; and when God, the 
 righteous judge, in punishment of such unnatural 
 monsters, shall allow these foreigners to swallow up 
 their substance, to fill their land with blood and vio- 
 lence, and to fix the galling chain of slavery on them 
 and their posterity for ages. 
 
 Alas for poor Carthage ! Traveller, say I in all 
 thy busy search, did thine eye behold one stone of her 
 former glory standing on another : Like the land of 
 our fathers, Cai'thage once shone the unrivalled queen 
 of the waves, the peerless handmaid of this wide 
 world's commerce. Thick as the white clouds of sum- 
 mer, her ships came in from all the winds of heaven, 
 laden with merchandize and gold. Her numerous 
 sons, like princes, all rode on camels, while her 
 daughters of beauty moved, like queens, all decked in 
 rich attire. 
 
 How like America v\as that beauteous -Carthage I^ yes, 
 alas! and too much like her in other respects. Carthage 
 was hated by a powerful people beyond the seas ! But 
 while she continued united and true to herself, her bow 
 abode in strength ; she laughed the warlike Romans to 
 scorn. But, alas I faction came ; that fell destroyer of 
 republics came, and all was lost. Her accursed hand 
 gave easy entrance to the Roman armies. Carthage, that 
 
glorious city, was soon in flames — her streets ran torrents 
 of blood — while thousands of shrieking virgins, and dis- 
 tracted mothers, with their children at their breasts, or in 
 their hands, were seen flying from the flames of their fall- 
 ing houses, and from the Roman steel, red with the blood 
 of their slaughtered brothers, fathers, and husbands. 
 
 Oh, merciful God ! what American with bleeding 
 heart can think of these things, without turning his brim- 
 ful eye towards his own poor devoted country ! O / that 
 my head were waters^ and mine eyes fountains of tearsy 
 that I might weep day and night for the daughters of my 
 people,''"' — " For Israel doth not know^ (complains the 
 blessed God) my people will not consider.^'' 
 
 Alas ! x\merica will not consider ! she will not consi- 
 der how soon the horrid tragedy of Carthage may be act- 
 ed over in this divided, ruined country. Like that mad, 
 devoted city spoken of in the word of God, America is 
 blind to the evil day! " Tush I" says she, " do I not sit 
 as a queen F what evil can come near unto meP'' — Thus, 
 though the ominous voice of discord is heard in our 
 land, crying aloud in the car of wisdom, " Woe be to 
 America !" yet we cannot believe that our ^'■destruction 
 hasteneth.'"' 
 
 Neither did Carthage, even in the midst of her fac- 
 tions., believe it, until the Roman eagles came and devour- 
 ed her up. 
 
 Neither did Rome, even in the midst of her fact io?is, 
 believe that any evil could reach her. But alas ! availing 
 themselves of her divided and weak state, armies of hun- 
 gry barbarians poured down from the north, numerous 
 as the caterpillars and locusts of chastising Heaven — -in 
 front of their march all was a garden, in their rear all a 
 desert. They swallovv'cd up all the riches and glories of 
 Rome, filling the country with the stench of the dead, 
 and imposing chains on all the living. 
 
 Neither did Poland, in the midst of her factions., be- 
 lieve a word of her approaching ruin. But the bloody 
 Suwarrow and his Russians came like murderers in the 
 night. The morning sun beheld half the fine city of 
 Prague reduced to smoking ruins, and her streets filled 
 with blood and dead bodies, while the helpless sex, 
 
37 
 
 shrieking from their windows, heard the cries of their 
 brothers, husbands, and fathers perishing under the mer- 
 ciless bayonets of the Russians. 
 
 Nor did the cities of Europe believe that the French 
 meant them the evil which they have since brought upon 
 them. Neither did Copenhagen believe what the British 
 meditated against her. But the British, notwithstand- 
 ing, came with their ships of war, and bombarded and in 
 part destroyed their town, and, after filling it with hor- 
 rors indescribable of blood and death — -daughters seeing 
 
 their fathers mano-led with cannon-bails — mothers be- 
 
 . . . ^ 
 
 holding their children torn to pieces by bursting bombs — 
 
 and fathers looking up to their houses set on fire by red- 
 hot shot — the British then went away with an immense 
 booty. 
 
 Neither may xve believe what France and England 
 intend for us; though, God knows, after so long impress- 
 ing and killing our citizens! and plundering our com- 
 merce! and burning our ships! ^vA driving us from the 
 ocean! they have clearly enough sho^vn what they would 
 do with us, if they had the power. Yes, my countrymen, 
 sure as the being of God, if, as our dear father Washing- 
 ton warns us, " the British and French can but get us to 
 break union" (the main pillar and palladium of all our 
 civil, political, and religious blessings), their fleets and 
 armies will be pouring in upon us, arming the slaves, 
 stirring up the Indians, dividing the citizens, playing 
 " STATES against ST AT Es,^^ and thus filling our country 
 with murders, confiscations, and miseries never wit- 
 nessed before. 
 
 But, thanks eternal to God, this is not the case with 
 us yet, nor, if we be wise, will it ever be. He created 
 us for happiness, and, still faithful to his purpose, fur- 
 nishes abundantly the means. These are plain, O ! let 
 us love him, the fountain of all excellence and glory, with 
 trwQ filial affection, and this will beget that other divine 
 spirit which binds man to man, and citizens to citizens, 
 in bonds (stronger than gold) of ever-during union. 
 
 If you should ask me, what is that spirit? I an- 
 swer, 'tis Love f ardent philanthropy J . This, at once 
 the sweetest and strongest of all the affections, is appoint- 
 
38 
 
 ed of God as the grand preservative of all societies, but 
 chiefly of repubhcs ; because the people there, being 
 most free, can do most harm, unless restrained by some 
 secret force. This secret force, as I said, is Love ; 
 which has the same benign influence on the moral world, 
 that gravitation has on the natural. It counteracts the 
 centrifugal and destructive tendencies of selfishness, and, 
 by causing republicans to study the good of others as 
 their own, it makes them all feel that " each is to each a 
 dearer self;'''' and thus binds them together by a cen- 
 tripetal impulse, strong and indestructible as a rock of 
 granite. In short, all that Solomon says of that " righte- 
 ousness which exalteth a nation ; " all that Montesquieu 
 praises in that " virtue which alone pillars up republics;" 
 all that Washington boasts of that " religion, whose im- 
 portance to society volumes could not trace" — is " sum- 
 med up in Love, the bond of perfection," and the end 
 of all rehgion. This is the true " salt of the earth^''^ 
 preserving all societies from the corruption of selfish 
 passions. This is " the life of the world^'''' diftusing (as 
 natural life does through the body) that strong fellow- 
 feeling through the members, that, when " one suffers 
 all the rest suffer with Jum .)'''' and are ready to fly to take 
 his pai't. 
 
 For glorious proof, look at the little republic of Spar- 
 ta. To make his dear countrymen invincible, Lycurgus 
 knew that he must make them love one another ; to kin- 
 dle this social love, he knew he must extinguish inordi- 
 nate self-love. To this great end, he divided all the lands 
 equally among the citizens ; and, by creating a common- 
 ness of property, and sameness of dress and diet (all ex- 
 ceedingly plain), he did away pride, luxury, and strife, 
 and thus brought them, in a wonderful degree, to feel the 
 glowings of the brotherly spirit. This spirit, descending 
 into their hearts, rendered them terrible in the field as an 
 army of brothers, each fighting for lives dearer than his 
 own. On the brink of battle for their country, they need- 
 ed no SDcech from their sreneral to inflame their valour ; 
 
 1 o 
 
 one tender glance thrown back on the land of their bro- 
 thers y and instantly every bosom glowed with that spirit 
 
39 
 
 which '' smiles on the drawn faulchion^ and defies its 
 edge." The trumpet's clangour is music in their ears, 
 and they rush to the charge with eyes of lions, burning for 
 slaughter. Their swords rise high in the bloody strife ; 
 while, with close- compacted squadrons, they burst 
 through the ranks of mercenary enemies, as the bounding 
 ships through yielding weaves. 
 
 For five hundred years, even all the time that they pos- 
 sessed this brotherly spirit, they remained invincible ; 
 antl stood, though but a little people, in the midst of the 
 great neighbouring monarchies, like a rock in the midst 
 of the ocean defying all its storms, and, from sides of ada- 
 mant, easily dashmg back its loud, thundering billows. 
 
 No country affords a nobler proof of the guardian power 
 of love than our own. Turn, for example, to New Eng- 
 land. 'Tis well known, that New England was settled 
 by a colony who left their native Britain for conscience 
 sake. To the land of their exile they brought with them 
 their religion ; which, partly perhaps for want of other 
 consolations, they cultivated with great zeal. Their 
 week-day hours were spent in innocent and happy labours, 
 and on the sabbath they all went to church, where they 
 .were taught that " God is love ;" and that he who loves 
 most, shall be the most happy. Suitable to such sublime 
 doctrines were the morals of the hearers. Those who 
 owed any thing, paid with pleasure ; those who promised, 
 performed with punctuality. Superiors spoke with mild- 
 ness, and inferiors obeyed with alacrity. The rich were 
 like guardians to the poor, and the poor as children to the 
 rich ; and whenever they met, they met like brethren, 
 every man's face shining upon his neighbour. What 
 was the result ? Why, the people of New England grew 
 up together as one great family ; the blow that struck one 
 was felt by allj and excited a rage dangerous to the strong- 
 est assailant. Witness the 19th of April, 1775, when a 
 thousand British regulars fired on a company of sixty- 
 four militia-men, at the little town of Concord. Six of 
 the militia-men were shot down. See here the effect of 
 that love which is ever ready " to lay down its life for its 
 friends." At the sight of their beloved neighbours wel- 
 
40 
 
 tering in their blood, the rage of the farmers rose to a 
 pitch that defied all consequences. They returned the 
 fire upon the enemy. Though but sixty against a thou- 
 sand, they returned the fire ! Every volley fired by the 
 British enraged the neighbouring farmers as though it had 
 been levelled at their own breasts. " The British are 
 murdering our friends^'''' was the reiterated cry. Instantly, 
 all who heard the cry threw down the implements of hus- 
 bandry, and flew to their houses ; not to hide their plate, 
 but to snatch the arms of vengeance. Pouring in from 
 every quarter were seen crowds of sturdy peasants, with 
 Hushed cheeks and fier}^ eyes, eager for battle. Nay, age 
 itself forgot its wonted infirmites ; and hands long palsied 
 with years threw aside the cushioned crutch, and grasped 
 the deadly firelock. In brief, the farmers attacked the 
 British regulars with such fury, that they killed and took 
 nearly one-fourth of their whole number ! A striking 
 proof how close men will stick together, and how desper- 
 ately they will fight for one another, when thdy love. 
 
 Americans,' think ! often think of the last words of your 
 Washington — '^' Continue united, hut a few years longer^ 
 and the glorious work is done. Foreigners ivill not dare 
 to injure or insult you /" Think also of the awful crisis 
 in Avhich you live, and that with your " union and bro- 
 therly love''"' is now involved not only your own^ but the 
 destiny ofiCnhorn millions.'''' Think also what your dear 
 fathers did for you ! How they fought and died in battles 
 against the French and English, that they might hand 
 down to you the blessings of liberty unimpaired. 
 And, oh ! think also of what you owe to your children ! 
 Let not your guiltless posterity, clanking their galling 
 chains, the fatal effects of your divisions, rise up and call 
 you " accursed.'''' — " Your life is hut a vapour;'''' then 
 gild it over with glorious deeds. " Fear your god" — 
 *' Honour your government" — " Cleave to one 
 another;" and, like the flaming angels that guarded 
 the tree of life, stand as a wall of fire round your tree of 
 Liberty.; wisely remembering that " without virtue life 
 is pai?i and woe, and that without lihe?'ty even virtue 
 mourns and looks around for happiness in vain,^^ 
 
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