ORATION,

PRONOUNCED AT HUBBARDSTON,

JULY 4., 1810,

TIVHE THIR TY F0 UR TH ﬂJ\/°NI‘V]£‘R a3‘.-a’J+? 

OF

§?£1um’c2‘m gumepmmmzre.

Jar WILLz;..m4 C11./11aLJ~:;s' rmIIcm~:, Em.

I’UB_LISI-IED BY REQUEST OF THE AUDITORS.

EK3S1W3}J:
ynxwwan BY JOSHUA BELCEER.

3810.

ORATION.

THE festivity of patriotism may, with pro«—
priety, be classed among the most elevated joys of
the human mind. It is not a light fantastick gaiety
playing around the surface of the heart, and snatch-
ing the shadows of pleasure as they ﬂit along : It is
a magniﬁcent and philosophick recreation I of the

soul, which, taking her ﬂight above the observation

of vulgar objects, smiles and rejoices in the sublime
love of liberty.

It is to emotions, like these, fellow citizens, that
we owe our eniancipation from the British tyrant.

It is to suchemotions that we owe the illustrious

blessing of national sovereignty. In the hands of a
dull, a tame, and an irresolute people, the whole tre-
mendous machinery of war is little else than mere

lumber and rubbish. With such a people, the sword,

the bayonet, and the cannon, are almost harmless, or
rather ridiculous instruments. It is the spirit which,
while it forces, justiﬁes an appeal to arms, that can
alone assure them successful execution, and drive
them through perils to triumph and to glory. Such

4»

was ti e spirit of Americans: a spirit sublime and
unconquerable ; which bravely faced the thousand
formidable terrors which despotism could oppose to
it, and which ultimately taught our haughty foe this
humble and bitter lesson, thatti, “‘ for a nation to be
free it is suﬁicient that she Wills it.”

The story of the American revolution furnishes a
text upon which philosophy might Write a thousand
volumes of instructive commentaries. In this re?-
spect it may justly be ~C01iSii~Cl€:r,E:d as fartmore valua-—
‘ble tha11‘e3¢e»ry =ot1:1er~l*1~ist«oryr, aacietit -or modern.

Most other historiesiiypre sent us with so very :ﬂa.ttcir-

ting pictu res of human ~1aattt~re :, 0:11 , the contrary,-s ~huv- ,_ it

man rxaturre is exliibited urider “the; most ‘degrading

and morttifyintg aspects. tWe see the vilest and the
it lticleest passions start into -fr~igl1tful~and ‘1117}g0tVf31“Ilr'
abide o.,per'ation. i,W,e S€e.aI11l1D*il2itO11 crlimbing to power

through the secret and winding avenues of , fraud;
or openly and directly marching, to it by violence.
“vVe see sgovernments Without a cornpact, authority
wit'hout fright, laws without wisdom, and religior1,or

rather bigotry Withcut—even the forms of morality or

virtue to 1°econ1me11dasit. ‘ On the one har1d,~weii‘see

i ltings swimming to their thrones sthrough éoceans of

human -blood ;, and then making their :poWer subser-
vient to the degradation, the misery, and at last, the
destruction of their subjects. On the other hancl,
we behold these subjects stung by repeated ::inju‘ries
‘VVll1iCl1"t’l'lf3y can no longer eiidrure, in their tturnrhurl-
Eng, these usurpers from their thrones, and, in the

5

tempest of their wrath, tearin_.g; up the foundations of
society, and scattering, on all sides, desolation and
ruin. A

Such are the lamentable views displayed by most
histories inregard to the political condition of man.-

But when we turn our eyes towards the American
revolution, _and the glorious results it produced, a
brighter and happier prospect bursts upon the view,
and we yield ourselves to the fascinations of admira-
tion and ideal-ig-ht.

Vtflien We consider this revolution, man‘, on this
side the Atlantick, appears under a new aspect; he
seems to breathe with a new soul, to think with a new
intellect, and to be animated by aregenerated spirit.
Welaltnost Wonder that he has ever been a slave.
We can hardly believe that he could ever tannely
surrender his neck to the yoke of despotism ; and
we ih-ecome almost incredulous to the testimony of

{those ’ histories, which have recorded the meanness

and brutality of his servitude. , A _ t t
i °VVhen We contemplate thisrrevolution, a new re-

gioti of political philosophy breaks in upon us.

Goverrnrnent appears no longer a CO1%1SCC1‘?tt€Cl mys-
tery, but a rational and beneficial science, progressive
like its sister sciences, in which discoveries may be
made -to an indeﬁnite extent.

i/Vhen we reﬁect upon this Wonderful revolution,
we regard the political prejudices of ancient times
and distant nations as the chimeras of rnadnesys or the
dreams of idiocy, rather than asthe errors of rational

6

beings. The sounding titles, the empty pageants?
and the solemn mnrnrnery of monarehical govern-
ments appear to us’ like so many contetmptible arti-
ﬁces calculated to defraud ignorance of even the lit-
tle understanding it may chance to possess, that it may
have neither the faculty to perceive nor the spirit to
resent those irnpositions they are intended to conceal.
Kings and emperors, and dnlzes and lords, and car»
dinals a11d"bishops,~——nay, the whole gay delusive
puppet-show of political impostnres looks like the
wicked enchantnient of a set of juggling ﬁends, who
ﬂatter the senses that they may seduce the under-
standing, and who, by this sort of infernal witchcraft,
strive to imrnortalize the empire of folly.

These, fellow citizens,‘ are among some of the most
striking and salutary impressions, resulting from a
review of our memorable revolution : a revolution
which began in a manly resistance of arbitrary power,
and which terminated in that happy and splendid
event, whose anniversary we, this day, consecrate.

But we ought not here to dismiss this topick. The
manner in which our revolution was conducted re-
quires at least some portion of our consideration ; for
it gives value to ourliberties by shewing we deserve
them. A t V t

No nation is entitled to freedom who knows not
how to obtain it,l or who knows not how topreserve it
after it is obtained. This is one of those obvious and
eternal truths, which can never be controverted with
the least colour of argument: Hence there arehsome

7

people ﬁt only to be slaves like the beast which is
harnessed to. the plough. Elven he rnayrebel if you
treat him too hardly, but he Will nevertheless be saris-
ﬁed with his servitude, and the most he will desire is
a change of mastersﬁ ,

So is it with some people. They are not only
Willing to fall down before the golden call’ of monain
chy ; they pay a most sincere and hearty ﬂevation to
the idol, and even Vaunt of their worship. Their
minds are incapable of those generous and lofty sen-
timents, without which, rational liberty can never be
properly understood. If they cannot understand it,
they have no business with it; for they would only
abuse it. They would turn it to the most unjust,
the mostcruel and the most destructive purposes.

With such a people, liberty is but another name
for the most proﬂigate and abandoned licentiousness.

‘Break but z‘/zezr yokes, and tear asunder the salutary

cords which bind Mama, and like so many wolves and
tigers let loose upon the world, theywould instantly
beginthe horrible workof carnage and desolation.

‘Every thi11g' beautiful in nature and sublime in art

would become the objects of their fury : Nor would
their Wrath be restrained, nor the dreadful progress of
devastation be terminated, till the necessity of self
preservation should drive them to solicit the ioterpo-t
sition of some hardy and determined tyrant, from
Whose strong hold they might hope inever afterwards
to escape.

W 8

Such is the strangely brutal and ferocious charac-

terp’ of some nations. But not so the Character} of W

Americans. VVe always knew the value of liberty;
and were determined never to part with it. Let at us
then, only abide by this determination, and we may
place the most unlimited conﬁdence in its security.

Of the strong title which Americans have to free» A
dom, greater evidence cannot be adduced than that  

which is furnished by the history of our contest with
Britain. Even when we were the humble colonists
of that haughty nation, we were not willingto hazard
the liberties we then enjoyed; tlioughinvitedpby the
alluring chance of enlarging them.

With us, allegiance if not a sacred, was at least an
honourable principle. We obeyed the king and
obeyed him cheerfully, so long as he kept within the
pale of his prerogative. And even when this king
and his vile servants, and still viler parliament, were
forming an unnatural confederacy against us; when
the insolence of power and of oﬂice was demanding
of us the surrender of that principle which was the
bulwark and defence of our freedom; even then We
forebore an immediate appeal to arms; and our ju-
dicious moderation and philosophick temperament
are among the most meritorious traits in the charac-

tery of the revolution.

A We had learned the maxims of prudence in the
school of intelligence. We well knew how essene
tial government was to the protection of liberty; and
we were not willing to risque the latter by an impro-

9

vident contest with the former. W-7e tlierefore con...
ducted ourselves according to the stiggestioiis of the
most cautiouspolicy. t A

Vfe were willing, for the sake of thegreater good,
to elect the least evil. We were ‘willing to prostrate
ourselves even at the footstool of a tyrant; ‘We were
willing to drain the bitter cup of hnrniliation, even
to its very dregs. we l~:nelt before the throne, and
ina supplicating attitude beseeched his majesty to
recognize our rights.
A But the art of humility and the science of prayer
were exhausted in vain. T he king frowned contemp-
tuously on our abasement; and, in spite of our phi-
losophy, we were obliged to appeal to the last  r
of nations. A y

VVe flew to arnls----we sought our -OppI‘€SSOr'----Wéi
hurled the thunderbolt of our wrath-—-we were free !
----the enemy acknowledged our independence, and
we were classed among the nations. \ ‘ A w

Such is the character of our revolution--——-—in this
manner was it conducted-—-in thisvmanner was our
freedom achieved. A V7 ho then will deny our title,“
our proud, our boasted title to liberty, to glory---I
had almost said----to political imrnortality.
  A But,fellow citizens, better were it for us that we
had never known the divine blessing of liberty, 
we tniust now part with it forever! Part with it for-
ever did I say .9 It is a thought too painful to endure,
though but in fancy.

0

and

10

“Let it not be said tl1a‘l2.VVaSl1ll‘lg‘tO11 fought, or that
"Warren died in vain. Let it never be declared that
we are unworthy the sacred cause for which these
heroes so gloriously — contended ; or that We have
Wasted, or deserted, or have even been driven from
that invaluable and splendid inheritance which they
so largely contributed to purchase by their Valour
and their patriotism.

The disgrace of such an event can be more easily
conceived than described. Mountains of infamy

, itvould heap themselves on ‘us and on our posterity,

which neither timenor labour could take away. Then
indeed would our wretched and degraded oﬁ'spring
lament the hour of their nativity, and in the voice of
mingled grief, indignation, and horror, pour a thou-
sand curses on the heads of theirfathers. A
Itbehoves us, then, fellow citizens, to guard our
rights with the most zealous and unremitted vigi-
lance ; for the enemy is at hand, who is Waiting to
destroy them. i
a l I will give you an emblernatical description of this
enemy. 7% ’ 7 A

Over a cassock of black, she Wears a ﬂowingirobe
of purple and gold. On her head is a crown and a..
rnitre, the signiﬁcant ensigns of church and state. At

her breast is a pendant of A burnished topaz, with this -

engraving, “ ‘pious ﬁend.”

t In her right hand she Waves aisceptre, bearing at i

one end a wreath of cypress, and at the other a gar.»
lanclof poppies. “At the cypress end is this inscrip-

11

tion, “ despotism ;"’ and at the other is this inscrip-
tion, ‘F delusion.” i a % y l

Her right foot, bare and brawnyg treads malicious-
ly in the dust the hated Volumes of modern philosoe»
phy; and her left foot is bound in a sandal stained
with the blood of martyrs. l % l

Such, fellow citizens, is our foe. She stalks a
broad in dark and secret places,and celebrates the
virtue of a tyrants and the piety of n1onl:s, in feasts of
human victims, and libations from the sl-:ulls of in.-
fants. y A

Shehypocritically assumes the attitudes and ges-
tures of a saint, and straining her goggle antl blood-
shot eyes to theaven, with all the holy lvehemenee of
at certain right reverend political election sermonizer,
she breathes out her calumnies and her anathemas

against the best friencls and brightest ornaments of

humanity, and lastly, wimls off with the czealous

praises of religion.

Again I say, fellow citizens. such is‘ourgfo_§e.ell I
need not tell you t_he name of this allegorical person”-

age. You may learn her name from her character.

You may learn it in that malevolent and almost fran-

~ tick hostility, Withtvhichteour government, our con.-
Wstitution, nay our very inclepenclence, hasbeen, tlalas,

but too long assailed.   My ‘ l .
It may be found in the deadly persecution of re»
publican Virtue by those who arrogate to thernselves

A the exclusive possession of the talents, anél the mor-

als, and the patriotism, and, lastly,“ the religion of our
country. i

1:2

  But permit one to ask where is the evidence of so

that vast fund of talents and morals, which are so

‘much boasted of 3? Let the impotent reproaches the

abortive wit, and the wilful andexecrable falsehoods
which swell the pages of Osooon and of PARISH",
answer this question. i
V These are among the men who have received the
animated praises of a certain jnnto, for acuteness and
vivacity of mental powers, 4 as well as for strong and
undeviating principles of integrity. But the party
are Welcome to these men.  Republicans are too
proud to envy any honours‘ which can be derived
from the alliance of such characters. t t

Thus much as to the talents and morals of this ar-
rogant and peevish faction. V7 e Will now brieﬂy ex-
amine their title to patriotism. ‘ i A

Patriotism. We have been taught to consider as
signifying the love of one’s country; and it never
fails to display itself in generous and disinterested
sacriﬁces of private advantage to the publick good.
It is apreternatural, and, I had almost said, a god»
like virtue.

But do the most violent of the opposition possess

tit ? Do they love their country ‘Z? Do they venerate

its institutions? Do they obey its laws? Do they re-

d spect the constitutions ‘s’ And do they contemplate

the political happiness of their fellow citizens vvith -

"pleasure and with pride ‘.3

Let a long and regretted. catalogue of recent and
well established facts answer these questions. ; A

13

”We have not yet forgotten the rebellion against
the embargo laws, nor the eiliorts to effect a separa-

y tion of the States, nor thethousand ingenious labours

to embarrass the national executive in his attempted
negociations with the belligerents; nor the Wanton
and Wicked calurnnies of .leii"erson ; nor the indeco«
rous justification of Great Britain, and the criminai
reproaches of our own government, in matters which
concerned the dearest interest and most sacred hon-
our of our country.

Can this be patriotism? Can so much vice be

found in the company of such a digniﬁed and elevat-

ed virtue? N o, fellow citizens, it would scorn such
mean society. It is not patriotism ; it has only bor-

rowed its name to give facility to its projects of sedi-

tion; It is‘ the mad and malignant spirit of party,
whose opposition is founded in no slight or superficial
views, but arises in a rancorous and implacable ha»
tred of our republican institutions. l i is r r N

.[ Having thus: brieﬂy dispatched this topick, We

willnow examine the title to religion vvhichour op-

ponents are so forward to claim, and on which they
are perpetually dwelling with such complacency and
such triumph. i

To boast of religion is the reverse of religionr

And in those Who profess christianity, such conduct.
is not only immodest, but amounts to something lit-
tle short of insolence ; nay more, it is irnpious ; for it
falls within the description of that odious and loath-
some ofl'ence for which their Lord andMaster so se.»

Merely rebuked the Pharisees, VV€i13.V€, therefore,

Me

the highest possible authority for calling into ,qu€.‘5l-

tion the sincerity of these vaunting professions. or
Religion, my fellow citizens, is not an idle fancy.
which dwells on the exterior of the mind, and enjoys

the dismal ecstacies of fanatical speculation. It does 7

not consist in sickly dreams for frantic]: reveries. No,
indeed : It is a deep and settled principle of the heart,
which sweetly mingles itself with the afl"ections,whicl*t
incorporates itself with the disposition, and produces
a happy and essential result to the entire character of

‘him, who possesses it. A A   _  
It is not full of noisy itnpertinence. It is not taper, i
petually stunning us with the praises of its sown i_.n;-

fallibility, and with the reproaches of those to whom
it imputes error. Onithe contrary, it is full ofygena
tleness, it is full of peace, it is full of love- As it
respects professions, it preserves a modest and U11-
obtrusive silence, and it is in actions only, that it is
truly and divinely eloquent. , y y

i The man of real religion is a man of delicacy ; he
is a than of feeling; he is endowed with all the_ten—

der and elegant sympathies. In every yybirdatphat  

sin s, in ever T flower that blossoms in ever s ire of
y \ 3

grass that grows, he ﬁnds a perpetual and ineXhat1st_i- __

ble theme of gratitude and adoration. ,
He does not impiously attempt _to _,pI‘y i.I.1:tQgtl1€

: is awful mysteries of the divine nature, but humbly re-
d ,‘1i1'1i»17€;s from speculations for which his Maker, has not
vgitven him a capacity. , Instead A of insulting you

with the brutal and exploded dogmas of ignorant and
higotted oommentators, he recornmends the cultiva-at

15

tion of the understanding as one of the best means of
tbrrning the heart to virtue; he blesses God for the

 gift of reason which distinguishes him from the ,

ibrutes ; and, lastly, he pours out his heart in thanks.-

giving for thewisdom and the happiness with which
the abundance of nature continually supplies him.

He is meek, and charitable, and humble. a He seeks
out objects of distress. He feeds the hungry and
he clothes the naked.

Like the blessed Jesus, weeping at the grave of
Lazarus, his soul is divinely touched at the sight of
sorrow. He compassionates ‘ it-----he soothes it.
Like a little child who grietfes for the afflictions of its
beloved mother, he will gently put his hand and steal
awayithe tear thatis coursing down the cheel' : And,
like the good Samaritan, he will pour oil into the
wounds of the unfortunate, with no other reward
than the delight which ::.‘.;tends the consciousness of a
yloenevolent action. A on , i pi a up A

i This, fellow citizens, is real religion; for it bears
good fruit. Every one must venerate it; for it ad-
rnisters largely torhuman happiness ; although every
one cannot or does not practice it. It is indeed, the
religion of Jesus. ‘He recommended it in his pre.—
cepts,-——-he practised it in his life. i .

l,But, permit me “to ask, is this the religion of our
opponents? If so, ‘it is time that we heard less,
and that we saw more of it. Let them then no ion!-
ger boast of it. Let them no longer with the odious
ostentation of Pliarisees, proclaim. the-irpiety upon the
lnouse-tops; but let them. exhibit sorneresplendent

fl

lo

examples of virtue that shall awe us into admirationl
At any rate, let them furnish one single solitary proof
of sincerity, and convince us, if they can, that they

are not consummate hypocrites.

I have now completed my examination of the title
which our adversaries so modestly claim to all the
talents, and all the morals, and all the patriotism, and
all the religion of our country. The evidence and
the argument are both before you, fellow citizens,
and I most cheerfully ‘submit it to the integrity of
your understandings to deduce the result. V

Whenl I speak of our adversaries, I mean not to
comprehend every individual who has enlisted him-
self in the ranks of the opposition. So far from it
we are ever proud to believe that the great "mass of

r the American people arebrethren of the same princi-

ple. I And the splendid triumph which has crowned
the republican sufliragoi present year justiﬁes the
hope that our numbers‘ere long discourage the voice
of opposition. M I _

I This, however, like almost every thing else, ‘must
be left to the determination of time. Much depends
on the wisdom and spirit of the people, and much,
very much depends on the judicious and energeticlt
policy of the chief executive. iWe all know the im-
portant powers which are committed to him by the

I constitution ; and these it is his duty toe.Xert« in such
I a manner as will best meet the expression of the pub-

lick will.   I I I ,.
Ancl now, fellow citizens, permit me again to ad-
monish you “of that ceaseless vigilance, so essential

17

to the preservation of our liberties. These liberties
were clearly purchased 5 we paid their price in blood;

they are therefore deserving of our warm and con-

stant solicitude. ,

Let us then watch the foe I Let us inculcate in our
children a veneration of republican institutions. Let
us be meek and humble in our religion, and leave to
our adversaries the triumphant accusation of inﬁdeli-
ty. Let us patronize the arts, foster the sciences, and
cherish literature. Let us take genius by the hand,
and assist him in the attainment of that fame and that
glory which is his natural destination and rightful in-
heritance. Above all, never let this day, this thrice
joyful day, pass unconsecrated by appropriate festivi-
ties. ,

Then, fellow citizens, in spite of tyrants, traitors,
and hypocrites, we shall be indeed a great and an il-
lustrious people ; great for our vvisclorn and illustri-
ous for our felicity.

Then, indeed, peace will take up her abode
amongst us, and the voice of faction be heard no
more. Then the frenzied reign of fanaticism will fall,
and the serene empire of philosophy rise upon its ru-
ins. Innocence will beam on our dwelliiigs, and
plenty smile in our vallies.

Then, fellow citizens, you may gather your chil-
dren around you, and make to_ them this happy dec-
laration; We /zavefoug/zt the battles of our 7‘6U0fZ.£—
tion, we /zaveﬁnis/zed its triurnplzavzt cozzrse, we have

“ kept the repuélicanﬂzitfz : we have olatairwrl our male-

«J

18

ytaevzalemre, am! /zave preserved 2.‘/mt indeperzdezzeeﬂome

3‘/ze violation of 2.‘/ze enemy: and now we are able to i

z‘m72.s-mil‘ to you a spZeno.7z'd and 2.‘m7zgu27Z in/zeritance,
w/z2'c/'2, we pray God may be “ incorrzzptible and zmde-
ﬁled, and mag; 7Z€Z.7C’7‘ﬁZd6 (two;/.” T

O my countrymen! at the mention of your chil-
dren, do you not feel a tide of tenderness gushing in
upon you ? Are not your ﬁnest sensibilities awaken-
ed, and do not your hearts swell and throb with emo-
tions too delicate for utterance ?

Turn your eyes with me, and behold the numer-

ous children who are the spectators of our happiness. “

Their yotilig eyes gaze with delight upon the scene,
and wonder at it. Their young hearts beat with a
new, but confused joy ; for they know not yet all the
pride of this jubilee. But they will one day know it,
they will one day feel it, and they will hereafter dis-
play all the enthusiasm of their fathers.

0 my dear little ones, you know not now the hap—-
piness that awaits you. You know not the blood
that was shed for you. Yes, your fathers did not
ﬁght and bleed for themselves alone : they fought and
bled for you also. ‘

Alas, they have not long to abide here. A few

more years and their spirits will mingle with those of
eternity. And when the ashes of the grave shall cov-
er them, when the earth, shall hide them from your
sight forever ; when you have ran the happy race of
boyhood, and are called upon to ﬁll your stations in
the world ;. then, 0 then, my dear children, forget

19

not this day; but imitate the noble example your fa-

thers have set you. On every return of this anniver»
sary, gather round the altars of your country, and
celebrate the blessings of heaven, and the virtues of
your ancestors. Take your children in your arms,
who are to be the future fathers of a more distant gen-‘
eration; and in your turn teach. t/’zem also the divine
lessons of liberty‘,