MR. LAWR 1aNc1iws?s
OR A TI 0 N
AT h V
SPRINlG~F'IfELI), CI"IICI{()PEE FACTORY,
  A JULY 4, 1836.

5......

 

 

 

AN

ORATION

DELIVERED AT

SPRING-FIELD, CI-IICKOPEE FACTORY,

AT A
"‘UN¢ION”’ CELEBRATION
033‘ '1‘fIE‘.

A Sixtinthgknnxivorsury of American Irnaapezmlen-ma,

31': &9 ‘ammo

BY MYRON LAWRENCE.

.,,..... .......m.m.. ..—..v...,. ..w.......«

fiaavmgfmtt:   M
two. AND C31-IAS. MERRIAM, MAIN STREET.

1836..

 

Clticlcopee Factory Village, July 4, 1836.

Sm,

The Committee of Arrangements for “the celebration
of the 60th Atmiversary of American Independence at Chickopee
Factory Village” would beg leave to tender you their unfeigned
tllztxllce for the very able and eloquent Orution delivered by you on
that occasion, and in co1'nplia11ce with their own feelings, and in
obedience to the ununiruous wish of the numerous audience who
lied the pleasure cl" liete1’1ing to it, would respectfully request :1 copy
thereof’, for publieutiori.

Very respectfhlly,
S. C. BEMIS, Oltuwmtm of C'omm2'ttee
of flwcwzigeaneazts.
l~Io;N. l‘/Iimow LAwmsNcx:-:.

I3elolte1'tow7z, July 8, 1836,
Sm,

Your kind tlwor of the 4th imst. is duly received. You
will accept for yourself; and communicate to the germtlemen asso-
ciated with you, my tl1er1I{e for the personal attentions shown me
on the oer.:ueio11 1'el'er1'ed to, as well as for the tlzgtttering opinion you
have been pleased to express of my Add1'ese. In couitplitufice with
your request, a copy is herewith placed at your disposal.

Respectfully,
M. LAWRENCE.
S. C. BEMIS, Ohmmuaru of Committee of./Jwtmgements‘.

 

ORATION.

.FELI_.0\9V CITIZENS, A
The history of our country  short. Our

aricestois, oppressed at home, by the strong arm of

power, and denied, by the government, the enjoyment
of common rights and privileges, souglit exemption
from persecution in voluntary exile. The untried per-—»
ils of the ocean, the unknown horrors of a Wilderness,
and the nameless deprivations consequent on the aban-
donment of the land of their birth, and the graves of
tliieir fathers, were, to their noble spirits, far less dread-~
ful than a. life of ease and comfort, attained by the loss
of civil liberty or religious freedom. Emigrating with
these dispositions, and under such influences, the pil—-
grim fathers commenced the settlement of the new
world, as freeman and C’/mkriavzs, laying broad and
deep the foundations of the institutions of liberty and
religion,. The first written constitution of govern»-
ment that the World ever saw, was framed by our
fathers in the cabin of the May Flower. Ere they
landed upon the soil consecrated to freedoni, they
spread upon parchment the landmarks of their rights
and liberties, and solemnly prescribed the rules by
which theyshould be governed. This wise precau-
tion saved them from the agitations of the restless,
and the intrigues of the ambitious; and lroxn tlie‘,eeb.,m_
gitining, they grew tog;et;l1e1*, a uiiitecl wl:h"appy C0111-»

      

_ munity. A protecting Providence,areserved them fronz.

theravages of famine and tire»,

 

:;esolations of I)GStl'.*

6

lence, and against the arts and Wiles, the attacks and
ambuscades of a savage and insidious foe.

The population of the colonies multiplied, with a
rapidity that astonished Europe. Tliougli during the
first quarter century of the settlement they were call-
ed upon to stiffer all the “ ills that flesh is heir to,”
from cold, and hunger, and disease, and savage vio-
lence, they rose superior to them all, and soon became
a powerful people, respectable both for numbers and
character. Their enterprise, and spirit of adventure,
speedily acquired for them all of the comforts, and
many of the lt1ati1'ies of life. Even at this early pe-
riod, the New Englander Was known tll1‘Ol1gl1OUt the
civilized World, by his cmnrnercial enterprise and ad-
venturous daring. The fisheries and the lumber trade,
which have since grown into such immense impor-
tance, even then were sources of no mean income,
and objects of no inconsiderable enterprise. The
mother country, restive under the accumulated pres--
sure of her pecuniary emba1'rassments, and seeing; the
growiiig prosperity of her trans-atlantic colonies, and
feeling, perhaps, a little splenetic at their fast increas-
ing power and greatness, adopted the rash ezrpedient
of compelling them to contribute to her 1'clief, by im-
posing upon them certain duties, as imposts, against
their consent. This attempt at systematic coercion,
aroused the free spirits of the colonists. r lndignatioii
burned in every bosom. 'rT he alarm, Our liberties are
in danger, was sounded from Maine to Georgia. The
illegal exaction. was universally condemned, and stren-
uously opposed. The patriots of New Eiiglaiitl led
the Way. The Adamses, the Otises, and the Han»
cocks, raised on high the standard of liberty, and
 fanned its inextinguishable fires. They
were most ably seconded by the Henrys, the F1'a11k-
lins, the Rtttledges, the Pinchneys, and the VVashing-
tons of the other colonies. As honest men, and good
citizens, feeling themselves agg1*ievecl, tliey respect-

,7.

fully laid at the foot of the British throne an humble
statement of their grievances, and exhausted the pow-~
ers of petition and remonstrance Without obtaining
relief. Resolved not to submit to unauthorised impo-
sitions or agg1'essio11s of any sort, and finding the Bri-—
tish ministry and parliament inflexible in their deter-
minations, they reluctaritly resorted to the ultimate
remedy, and appealed to arms, and the God of battles,
in vindication of their rights. The same mad policy
coiitintiing to govern the councils of their king, they at
la.st solemnly severed the tie that bound to him their
allegiance, lrnd proclairnecl themselves “of i'igl1t, free,
S10V0]fG:lg‘11,£l.1l1Cl independent,” pledging to the mainte-

nance «if this declaration, their “lives, fortunes, and

sacred honor.” The chivalric boldness of this declara-~
tion st1'ilt‘in,g'l.y appears, when it is considered that it
was made by only three millions of people, sparsely
sczfrttered over thirteen States, and illy prepared for war,
a,<;faii:1st the gigaritic povvers and resources of Britain.
Tire history of the War that followed this declaration,
its cruel hardsliips and privations, its victories and de--
feats, i.ts triurnphs and reverses, shows how nobly, how
heroically, they redeemed this fearful and patriotic
pledge. , in n i \l

When has the sun, in all his course since time be-
gari, shone upon a scene like the disbanding of the rev-
oluti.o:nz«:u~y army? Where is the history that can show
its parallel, or the people that can boast its equal 3’ An
army, flushed with victory, that has just achieved the
independence of its country, and given it a name and
place among the nations ;----«an army that, with inde-
scribable toil and hardship, had accomplished the high
purposes of its enlistment, and that had large and just
claims upon the treasury, as Well as the gratitudeof the
nation, is summoned on parade for the last time; their
arrearages are unpaid, they are Without adollar in their
pockets, without comfortable apparel, Without a single
day’s rations in their knapsacks, hundreds of miles from

8

home, which home may have been dcsolated, in their
absence, by savage violence, many of them enfeebled
by sickness and protracted sufferings, and all of them

oaded to extreme sensitiveness by a most eloquent ex-
hibition of their deserts, and an exciting portraiture of
their grievances, by a talented and ingenious factionist.
Will their love of country overcome the promptings of
selfishness, and the keen and bitter stings of disappoint-
ment? Will they refuse to listen to the song of the
syren, that justifies and urges self--remuneration? Will
these care-worn and neglected veterans pile theirarms,
and literally beg their passage homevvard? Will they
quietly surrender the means of redress in their hands,
and trust cold charity for bread, and the tardy justice
of their country for remuneration ? Oh, it is more than
human, it is God-like. The drum beats---—-the line is
formed-—-the flag of independence is advanced to their
front«----the officers, with uncovered heads, bid their men
a silent farewell ; filing off, they pile their arms in sol-
emn silence, and with clasped hands, and averted eyes,
are dismissed, each one to his own Way. Is there
aught in Grecian or Roman story, in ancient or modern
revolutions, that can equal this last act of our veteran
fathers, in magnanimity and lofty patriotism ? r
s 1, Peace found our countrymen in possession of little
else than unsullied national honor, and political] inde-
pendence. During their protracted Warfare, the arts
of peace had slumbered, agriculture had been necessa-
rily neglected, and commerce forgotten. The Whole
country was impoverished. Private fortunes, as well
as the public treasures, had been unsparingly expended
in effecting their emancipation. And now, when peace
had da,,,.,,,,:,,n¢;d, and the European mercenary had ceased
to pollute a free soil, they were sorely embarrassed by
continued Indian hostilities, and by a most imbecile
governrnent. The national treasury was, e1:npty,,r the
financial in resources of the country exhausted, and the
government harrassed and weakened by an enormous

9

debt. General business was deranged, industry crip-a
pled, and enterprise smothered, by a Worthless curien«-
cy. In addition to all this, certain portions of the
people, Worn out with unrequitedtoil and privations,
showed decided symptoms of revolt, and were distract-
ed by domestic feuds. Anarchy, with her attendant
train of discords, civil Wars, and ruin, seemed to be
steadily approaching. VV ho, that contemplated the
young republic at this time, struggling into life amid
the most appalling difficulties and complicated embar-
rassments, would have predicted her future prosperity ?
Who would have foretold, that the sites of St. Clair’s
overthrow, and Harmer’s disastrous defeat, and Wayne’s
bloody victory, Would, in thirty years from that most
gloomy period, have constituted portions of two of our
most thriving and populous States ? The most ardent
friend of his country, the most sanguine believer in her
future greatness, would scarcely have ventured to
predict her rapid advancement in population, refine-—
ment, wealth, and the comforts of life. Much less
would he have predicted her unexampled progress in
internal improvement, her high attainments in manu--
facturing skill, and in the knowledge of the mechanic
arts. Less still would he have predicted her high po--
litical importance, and her elevated station in the circle
of nations. r

Peace was secured, and the country tranquillized, at
a most fortunate period for the general Welfare. The
condition of Europe was most favorable to the agricul—~
tural and commercial enterprise of our citizens. Just
entering upon a general War of many years’ continu-
ance, a rich and steady market was opened for our
commodities, and a strong and exciting stimulus ap-
plied to the industry of all classes of citizens. a The
resources of the country began rapidly to develope
themselves. Agriculture was extensively prosecuted,
and the farmer reaped not only golden harvests, but
harvests of gold. Commerce revived with renewed

10

energy, and our ships, under the ‘ star yspangled ban»
ner,’ bore the rich products of our soil to every port
on the Atlantic and Mediterranean. The mechanic arts
received a new impulse, and the talents of invention
and discovery were kept in constant exercise. In
short, every species of business, prosecuted with dili—
gence and skill, received an ample reward. The en»-
terprise of our citizens availed itself, most successfully,
of our country’s neutral position, and during the long
and sanguinary wars of Europe, became the well paid
carriers of her merchants, and the commissaries of her
armies. While the people of the several European
States were thus fighting the battles of their kings,
the citizens of young and free America were consoli-

dating their government, on, it is to be hoped, an i1“11-

‘movable republican basis.

rln consequence of the wars of Europe, our citizens
were rapidly enriched. Wealth rolled into our cities
on every successive tide, and thence found its way into
the interior, arousing all the energies of the country
into vigorous activity. A spirit of bold and successful
adventure, that had lain dormant through the war,
nowrevived, and took to itself new energies. .The
fertile valleys of the West, hitherto unexplored, ex—
cept by the reckless hunter, or in hasty expeditions
against thesavages, began to be penetrated by the
hardy sons of England, and favorite sites select-r
ed for cultivation and inhabitancy. The verdant banks
of the Ohio and the inviting shores of the lakes sum-
moned vouriispopulation westward. They obeyed ‘ the
call. Emigrants, Ilike successive waves of the ocean,
poured into the western valleys, till New York, Ohio,
Kentucky, became themselves radiant points, sending
of their ‘thousands, annually, to the “ faroff West.’ it
At this moment, the then unexplored, and almost une-

heard of valley of the Mississippi, Ioutnumbers, in pop-
rsu1atiOI1,s ‘theasserters.aofveur independence. , 

march is istill onward. . The tide of emigration, both

ll

ibreign and domestic, rises yet higher and higher, and
its Waves roll on in more rapid succession, and in
deeper volume, carrying our institutions, and laws,
and customs, and religion, deep, deeper, into the prai-
ries of the “ far off West.” Already, that fearless
band of patriots, that some fifty years ago scarcely
numbered three millions, have increased to fifteen mil-
lions. To the original thirteen states, have been add-
ed thirteen new ones, embracing an extent of territory
twice or thrice as great as the original number.

The general business of the country has kept pace
with its rapid increase in population, and in improve-
ments. The imports of the past year were a fraction

a less than 150 millions of dollars. The greatest impor-

tation in any previous year was in 1816, and fell short
of 147 millions. The exports during the past year
amounted to nearly 122 millions, of which sum, 10%
millions were of domestic products. The greatest
amount of exportations in any previous year was I08
millions, of which only -18 millions, less than half,
were of domestic articles. Of the 122 millions of
last year’s exports, 102 were of domestic. origin, more
than eight tenths of the Whole amount, showing an in-
crease of domestic exports, of 54 millions. This re-
sult is truly flattering to the enterprise and industry of
our citizens, especially to those concerned in the man--
ufacturc of cotton and wool.

, What mingled sensations must, swell the bosoms,
and thrill the hearts of the survivors of those times, at
each returninganniversary of this proud day of our
country’s emancipation ! As they recur to that period
“ that tried men’s souls,” and retrace, in imagination,
the blood stained footsteps of the retreat through New
Jersey, and live over again the untold horrors of ythe
Winter’s encampment at ValleyForge, and Witness the
defection of Arnold, and the consequent gloom that
shrouded their hopes and prospects,and march on-
ltward witlrrtheir country, th1‘oughprospe1*ous and ad»

1?

Verse fortune, to its present commanding position,
what mingled streams of hope and fear, of desponden-
cy and confidence, of gratitude and gladness, concen--
trate in this retrospect. I envy them not their honors,
nor their glories, nor their undying fame, but I may
well envy them the fortunate period of their birth, and
the scenes through which they have passed. “_,Eartl1
never will look upon their like again.”

The future increase of our country’s population, and
wealth, and resources, and powers, it would be mad-
ness to predict. Another half century anniversary
will see a population of fifty millions, and la cultivated
territoryextending to the Rocky Mountains. Another

may see its one hundred and a quarter millions, and A

flourishing cities and towns on the shores of the Paci-
fic. The ultimate destinies of this country, its im-
mense territory, its unlimited capacity of production,
its vast andseasy means of intercommunication, its in-
exhaustible mineral deposites, its future unnumbered
millions of population and wealth, dazzle and bewil-
der the mind in its contemplations, like the countless
stars of the firmament. \

The United States of America have within them-
selves the essentials of perfect independence. Em-
bracing almost every variety of soil and climate, every
article of production, necessary to the sustenance and
happiness of the human race, may be grown within
her territbrial boundaries. The great staples, cotton,
wool, and bread stuffs, are annually produced in im-
mense abundance. Sugar, silks, and other commodi-
ties of foreign origin are successfully cultivated, and
time and experience, only, are requisite to add them
to the list of exports. The vine and the fig tree find
a genial soil, and climate in the Southwest, and the
orange and citron. in the South. The luxury of tea,
even, may be grown within our borders, in the greatest
perfection. Thus distinguished from the other.quar-
teI‘S.f0if theglobe by position, climate, soil,and capa-

13

bilities of production, and pre--eminently, favored above
all the nations of the earth, by a vigorous, hardy, en»
terprising,and patriotic population, it wouldbe dis-
graceful beyond expression, if they should ever become
subservient to foreign powers, even to a combination
of them all, or dependent on foreign aid.  
Descriptions of thenatural, and acquired advantages
of our country, though in the simplest terms of truth,
seem to the prejudiced foreigner, like the language of
exaggeration and hyperbole. Speak to him, ever so
modestly, of its water powers, its forests, its mineral
deposites, its immense capabilities of agricultural and
commercial enterprise, its facilities of communication
by navigable lakes and rivers, and of its unlimited sus-—~
ceptibility of internal improvement by canals and rail-
roads,and helistens with ill--disguised incredulity. Tell
him of the height of our mountains, the length and
volume of our rivers, the grandeur of our cataracts, the
magnificence of our prairies, the extent and number of
our forests, and the fertility of our alluvion, and he will
refuse utterly to believe. » Shall we, therefore, cease
to speak of things as they are, and thus indirectly ad-
mit the charge of arrogance and boasting, so liberally
bestowed upon us 5’ Shall We cease to proclaim truth,
to “ nothing extenuate, and nought setdown in malice,”
because, forsooth, the resident of a petty European
principality may choose to disbelieve P Shall we cease
to proclaim the truth, because the truth may exceed
thelimitedcornprehension of pensioned libellers of this
country ; of the Hamiltons, the Halls, the Trollopes,

who may choose to deal in slander? We should dis»-

honor our ancestors by so doing. Let us, when cc-
casion requires, declare the truth, plainly and pointedly,

whether Europe’s monarchs, or their subjects, will hear,
or forbear. Europeans have an lnterest in underrat-i

ing this country, and i11rnisrep1*esentingitsinstitutions,
and their legitimate effects. Let rthetruth, as it ex-

ists, shine into the minds of thei1*subjects, and many  

14

a monarch would feel his throne tremble under him ;
many a king, who now wields despotic power, and
holds in his hand the liberties of the people, would
atone with his heart’s blood.

British journalists and tourists charge us with the
want of national character, and talk gravely about it, as
if it were a crying sin. This charge is in some respects
well founded. Our population is various in its ori-
gin, and discordant in its characteristic habits. We
have not existed as a people, long enough to have ac-
quired a general character, but our various habits and
customs are rapidly assimilating, and shall, in_due time,
establish a national character, that will do no discredit
to our ancestors. Certain prominent traits and linea-
ments of national character are already established,
which even the sneering Englishman is forced to ac-
knowledge. Industry that never tires, perseverance
that never faints, hardihoodthat hever flinches, cour-~
age that never quails, and enterprise that never yields
to discouragements, may besafely reckoned as estab-
lished attributes of American character. But, never--
theless, they chew tobacco, spit on the floor, take snuff,
drink whiskey, call each other coloneland esquire, eat
with a fork, lean back in a chair, talk politics, walk
fast, and murder the king’s English. it
 These are some of the grave charges seriously made

against us, by sober men, and women too, wlrotiaffectt

to be our friends. And, verily, if they can find nothing
worse, lwherewith to charge us, than all this, we had
better dispose of it by a plea of guilty. It is at true,
that alarge portion of ourcountrymen indulge in the

use of the vile weed, and feed themselves with forks,

rather than their fingers. It is, also, true that they
are fond of titles, and deal freely in honorary epithets,

like , sargeant,captain, deacon, esquire- It is true,

t_olo,f" that they are notrema1'kablyp1'ecise and scl1;;olas—"-

  their pronunciation of words, yetthey. comma

to understandeach other, and ‘go ahead.’ This ‘ go

15

ahead" property, that characterizes our people, is, in
a national point of view, worth all the studied polite-
ness of Europe. Let our good friends over the water
he as fastidious in their tastes as t.hey please, sit on
their chairs as perpendicularly and immovably as they
choose, and spit into their pockets, or on an embroid-
ered napkin if they like, but leave us to ‘go ahead’
in our own way. i

It will not be denied, that our countrymen have
acquired some little reputation for military achievement
and naval prowess. If to conquer the conquerors of
Europe confers distinction, they are entitled to it.
This broad country is an enduring monument, less
perishable than brass or marble, to the martial enter-
prise of our fathers. Every mast, that bears the flag
of freedom into foreign ports, silently proclaims our
triumph over British dominion, and our victory over
British legions. We have butfew trophies of victory,
and fewer national monuments, commemorative ~ of
great achievements. We have no fields of blood like
Waterloo, but we can point the inquirer to New Or-
leans, where the victorious veterans of the peninsular
wars, fell like mown grass, before the rifles of our
back-woodsmen. We have no Austerlitz or Marengo,
but we can show the plains of Bridgewater and Chip-—
pewa, where the Well trained British and American
soldiers, equal in numbers and advantages, contended
for the honor of victory. Let the . Englishman, .,Wl10
is so solicitous for our reputation, tell who_conquered..
We have no bridge of LOCl1, but we can point to Lun-
dy’s Lane, where six successive charges with the
bayonet, secured a victory. Let our English friend
tell to whom. We cannot talk of Trafalgar, or the
Nile, yet we may venture to whisper Erie and Cham-
plain. Lexington, Saratoga, Monmouth, York Town,
Bunker Hill are places, to which even:British inso—-
Ience will allow us to refer as evidence of military
charactelr. Our claims to naval reputation are not

16

less unequivocal. The battles of the Cons-titution
and the Guerriere, of the U. States and Macedonian,
of the Constitution“ and the Java, of the fleets on the
lakes, and other naval engagements, prove the Ameri-
can sailors, at least, equal, and in some respects, su—-
perior to the sons of the boasted Queen of the Ocean.

“ Who reads an American book P” This question
has been tauntingly asked, and repeated, till even
British arrogance has been humbled by the successful
establishment of a shop in London for the exclusive
republication and sale of American literature. Let
Europe, the lmost favored part of it, show a single
state, however small its territory, Whose population,
generally, can compare in intelligence and general in-
formation With the population of New England. Let
her show philosophers or statesmen, Who have existed
during, the past half century, that can prefer stronger
claims to remembrance, than our Franklins and Jef—-
fersons, our Ameses and Clintons, our Rittenhouses
and Rushes, our Wirts and Livingstons, our Hamil-
tons and Pinckneys.

Who Wears an American cloth 5’ Let the markets
of South America, of Peninsular Europe, of the Le-
vant, and even of China, answer. Who is compelled
to imitate the American fabric, to compete with us in
foreignmarts? Who counterfeits the,American labels,
and modes of finishing, and surreptitiously palms off
their spurious goods, as of American manufacture?
Who is compelled to resort to such miserable expedi-
ents as these, to sustain themselves against the excel-
lence of American manufactures? Will our kind
friend the Englishman have the goodness to inform
us?  Will the manufacturers of Birmingham, Leeds,
and Manchester condescend to enlighten us on this

, v The unexampled A national prosperity, to vvhichl
lhaveoorgbeeni directing your attention, is ‘rthtelegitimate

fruit_,,j of our civil and religious institutions. The main-

l7

tenance of these institutions, in their purity and sim--
plicity, and the transmission of them unimpaired to
posterity, devolve upon the men of the present age,
as sacred duties. “A sum of human interests and
blessings of untold amount, and a social and moral
treasure of incalculable value” are thus committed to
us, in trust, for future generations. It becomes us,
therefore, with earnestness to inquire, how this pros-
perity can be sustained, and how these institutions
can be preserved and perpetuated.

The first great means of preservation is a course of
liberal and just legislation, both by the national and
State legislatures. A course of legislation, that ex-
tends equal and exact justice to all the great interests
of the country, that encourages schools, and endows
seminaries of learning, that fosters internal improve-
ment, that sustains a competent militia, that strength-
ens and fortilies the frontiers, that patronizes enter—~
prize, invention, and discovery, that punishes vice and
rewards virtue, that supports religion, and discounte-—
nances itminorality, cannot fail to throw around our in-
stitutions, walls of defence, that will protect them
against the convulsions, the storms, and the tempests
that may hereafter assail them. While a consistent
and uniforrn legislative policy would confer stability
and perxnanence on our institutions, a capricious and
firtfufl course of legislation, a partial and unjust series
of enactments, Would tend directly and powerfully to
their subversion. So various‘ and conflicting are the
local interests of this great republic, that mutual con-
cession, and a spirit of conciliation and compromise, are
clearly inscribed on the list of patriotic duties. The
best good of the greatest number should be the legis-
lator’s constant aim, and the highest happiness of the
Whole, regardless of sectional feelings, and particular
interests, the great object of pursuit. l Honest d1fi”er-
ences of opinion, as to men and measures, Wlll, una-
voidably, prevail, and our citizens will range themselves

18

into parties agreeably to these opinions. A degree of
party, spirit is incident to free institutions, ‘and so long
as it is kept Within proper bounds of moderation, it is
not to be regretted. So long as the best good of the

country is the object, and the people take sides ac- _

cording to their convictions of right and expediency,
always regarding the Constitution as their polar star,
our institutions are not endangered by party zeal, or
party collisions. On the contrary, their influence is
salutary. Like the lightning and the thunder, the
storm and tempest of the physical World, terrible dur--
ing, their continuance, but Whenpassed away, leave a
purer atmosphere and serener sky. So party collisions
and political discussions, full of rancor, and acrimony,
and recrimination, and ill—~tempered zeal, when quiet-
ed, leave the landmarks of the Constitution more
clearly defined, and the principles of liberty more per-—
fectly understood. But when parties shall be organ-
ized, vvithout reference to the common weal, Without
principle, and vvithoutconvictions of right, and shall
range themselves under the banner of a favorite leader,
because he is a favorite, and shall adopt his opinions,
because they are his ojairtiorzs, and shall pursue his
measures, because they are /L'?i.S‘ measures, then the sun
of ,freedom will soon go down in everlastirlg night, and
the A country. will soon take final leave of its liberties,
and fund itself chained to the car of a despot. This is
no idle fear. All history confirms its truth, and until
the nature of man shall be radically changed, let the
sta1‘tlingV " admonition be constantly sounded in free-
men’s ears. r r

Intelligence is the palladium of free institutions.
Norepublic canestist long, unless its citizens be en—~
lightened, and well informed on political subjects.
They are a constituent part of the sovereignty, and

lsomedegree of information is essential to the correct

lperforrnarirce of their political duties. 7 Where univerm
salt suffrage mprevails, and cvery1nan’s vote is alike-

l9

influential in controlling the affairs of government, the

citizen, if he be not well, informed so as to judge cor-
rectly for himself, is as likely to exert his influence in
behalf of wrong measures, as of right, to give his vote
111 furtherance of the mad schemes of the ambitious
demagogue, as in support of the established institu-
tions of his country. Nay, more likely, because the
artful demagogue well knows on what class of citizens
to lavish his blandishments, and exert his wiles.
Hence -the importance of legislative provision for some
degree of education. Let it be imperative on citizens
to educate their children and dependants. Hence
the incalculable importance of the common school.
The common school, unpretending as it is----slighted,
neglected, and despised, as it often is, lies, neverthe-
less, at the very foundation of our liberties. It is the
chief corner stone of our political edifice. On it rest,
in a great measure, our existence as a republic, and the
preservation and perpetuity of our free institutions.
Strike from these institutions the common school, and
the rest wouldsoon follow. Take from the rising
generation this means of common education, and you
would prepare them for slaves: they now hear me,
who would survive the downfall of our government,

‘and witness its funeral obsequies. The rose and the

bramble may grow together in social proximity, but
liberty and ignorance delight in separation. ,
Next in influence to the common school, among the
means .of preserving our institutions, is the pulpit.
The -weekly teachings of the sacred desk exert a be--
neficent influence on the politics, as well as the morals
of a people. In countries where all religions, and de-
nominations, are alike tolerated, the freedom of discus»

sion that obtains among them is favorable to liberty,

inasmuch, as it arouses a spirit of inquiry, and excites

a thirst for knowledge. The mind quickenedi by po-

lemical cliscussion, and exercised by the contempla--
tion of I'€>l].g10US truth, 1s more ready to apprehend the

‘.20

right of a question, and to discriminate between poli--
tical truth and error. But the great efficiency of the
pulpit in reforming the manners and morals of men,
and its great influence in support of free mstitutions,
arises from teaching the doctrine of moral accounta-
bility, and sealing its instructions with the divine sanc-
tions of the gospel. W/Vherever hardy enterprise may
pioneer its way into the wilderness, and erect the rude
cabins of a new settlement, let the light of everlasting
truth shine upon the settler’s path, and though de-
prived of the ordinarymeans of intelligence, his mo-—,

tives of actionwill be right, and his knowledge suffi-

cient to render the republic safe in his hands.

The press exerts a commanding influence, for weal
or woe, on the political institutions, and ultimate des-
tinies of our country. A free and upright press, that
seeks to propagate truth, and diffuse correct principles

and sentiments, is an invaluable blessing. A shackled, A

partisan press, that seeks its own aggrandizement, re-
gardless of the common welfare, and disseminates
falsehood rather than truth, when it may best subserve
its selfish purposes, is an intolerable nuisance,and
curse. A dread responsibility rests upon the conduc-
tors of the public press. Its influence on the commu-
nity cannot be calculated. lts agency in the forma-
tion of. political parties, and its influence over the
elective franchise, act directly, and ..with immense
power, on the government, and through that, on the
happiness and prosperity of the people, to the remotest
extremes of the republic. In the hands of men of high
character and honorable views, and well settled prin-
ciples, it is an engine of incalculable good ; but in op»
posite hands, and under the control of sordid, base,
unprincipled and aspiring adventurers, it becomes an

engme of indescribable evil; an engine of wrath and,

oppression, more terrible and disastrous, than i the
plagues of Egypt. Corrupt fountains send forth‘im--
pure lstrearns. Bitterness, unmingled bitterness is the

21

prodigal and unseemly issue of a corrupt, partisan
press. Licentiousness has so extensively seized upon
the newspaper press of this country, and many of its
leading political journals have become so utterly aban-
doned, and reckless of the truth, that the patriot is,
sometimes, more than half inclined to despair of the
republic. A free press I would defend with my latest
breath, and regard it as a principal safe--guard of our
liberties. There is, however, a wide differencérbe~
tween freedom and licentiousness, between frank dis-—
cussion and elaborated slander, between plain truth,
however unpalatable, and designirig falsehood, how--
ever it may be spiced and sweetened. Were it not
for the constant operation of counteracting causes, the
patriot Inigiit well despair, and closing his eyes, resign
this fair he1'itage to the tender mercies of convulsions,
revolutions, anarchy, despotism. 
Internal improvement is to be reckoned among the
prominent means of perpetuating our i institutions.
The efficient agency of this cause in increasing the
prosperity, wealth, and powers of the country is, in—-
deed, wonderful.   Already has it overcome many of
the obstacles of nature, and made neighbors of the
remotest inhabitants of the extremet points of the
union. ~~In the expressive language of another, “ it
has brottght the west to the Atlantic, and carried the
Atlantic to the west. Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, lVl:ichi-
gain, and Wisconsixi, are places no longer remote from
us. Railroadstand canals have brought the settlers of
those regions so near to us, that We almost fancy that
we can see the smoke of their cabins, and hear: the
strokes of their axes. Frorn Maine to the upper
Mississippi is already a beaten track, with our ac-
quaintances every where along the road, and that road
even not a long one, if we measure it by the time
required to pass over it.” This spirit of internal
improvement. will prevail, till everylsection of the
country shall be intersected and bound together by

22

iron bands, and every mountain and valley passed, as
if on the wings of the Wind, by the power of steam.
In time of peace, such facilities of locomotion are of
inestimable value, but in time of war, their usefulness
is still more manifest. The means of concentrating
the forces of the country, at any given point, with
such swift expedition, gives an advantage in attack
or defence, that no other circumstances can supply.
An enemy may be assailed by forces brought from an
extreme point in the union, before he has had scarce
time to mark out his encampment and pitch his tents.
In case of insurrectiori, it would arm the government
with ten fold powers of suppression, and even before
the black flag of rebellion should have time to spread
its folds upon the breerze, its staff would be riven by
the strong arm of government.

A well settled line of demarcation between the
powers of the general government and the powers of
the State sovereignties, is essential to permanent union.
The tendency of the one is to consolidation, a.nd the
tendency of the others to usurpation. If either of

these tendencies should be permitted to go beyond-

constitutional limits, and acquire an iacknowledged as»
cendency, a dissolution of the union would inevitably
follow. The salvation of our institutions depends up-

on the continued union of the States, as now conmziu-r

tionvally united. Let this constitution be abrogated,
and the States resolve themselves into new communi-
ties, whether into two, four, or twenty-—siX indepen-
dent sovereignties, and our liberties and free institu-
tions are gone. ‘Occasions of war would never be
wanting. One after another, in fearful succession,
would come under the dominion of ya conqueror, till
the whole should fall into the repose of despotism,
or sink into the gulf of anarchy-f T

  military power of some description hais,.ir1 all

governments, been found a .necessary'aid “to thefcivil
authority. The only question is, which IS the better

52.3

species of force, a regular or irregular, a rnilitia, or a
standing army? It is conceded, that some military
power is indispensable to the preservation of our in-
stitutions unimpaired. We are exposed to insults
from abroad, and to disorders a.t home. The signs of
the times clearly show us, that the merely civil arm,
the constable’s staff, and the sheriff’s baton, and the
statutes of pains and penalties are inadequate to the
preservation of peace, and the maintenance of order.
Recerit dernonstrations in various parts of our coun-
try, show the miserable insufficiency of civil authori-
ty, when opposed by ‘violence. Our fathers exhibit-
ed, on 1"l;ll.S vital subject, their characteristic wisdom,
and prudence. Instead of aslting from the mother
eoumry, a cordon of soldiers, to defend them against
the incursi.ons of a savage and remorseless enemy, they
took arms into their own hands, and made every able
bedi.ed man, a soldier. Thus armed and organized,
they were, at all times, prepared to repel invasion,
er enforce the cixeetitioii of the laws. This force,
though u1:r1solcli.er-~like in its appearance, and deficient
in military science, answered every useful purpose of
a standing army, without its expense, and without its
dangers. In their colonial wars, with the Indians
and Fl‘€3Il(f3l“l, they won many laurels. They aided
the British forces in their wars on the frontiers,
“ et>rn::1u«::1*e(§l Leruisburgli, and shared in the glories of
Q,ll("3l'J€3C.7’ , They hurnbled the British lion at Bunker
Hill, and captured the proud Burgoyne at Saratoga.
New Orleans’ crimsoned plains will remain a lasting
memorial of the skill, bravery, and efficiency of a
patriotic militia. The only alternative is a standing
army, drilled and trained to military precision and
exactness, stationed in garrisoned towns, or dispersed
along our frontiers, arrayed in “ all the pomp and
circumstance of war,” or a militia, composed of our
own (:llT..lZD1lt55, ordinarily atteridant uporr their usual
occupations, and when called together by any erner-~

‘Z4

gency, are ready to be dismissed to their fields, and
Workshops, as soon as the purpose for which they are

ut under arms, is accomplished. Can any man
doubt, which is to be preferred by the citizens of a
free government, and which best comports with the
perpetuity of free institutions 3’ Can any man hesitate
which to choose as the safeguard of our liberties, an
organized force, making daily exhibitions of its power
and consequence, or a secret, reserved force, putting
on its armor and plumes, only When occasion may
demand its services? Ourmilitia system has sadly
deteriorated. ,Degeneracy seems to prevail through-
out its ranks, and a Want of patriotic ardor to charace
terize" the citizen soldier. This state of things is not
a little alarming, and should be speedily reformed.
Let the militia be restored to public favor, and be-
come again the favorite institution with all classes of
citizens, “ in peace the bulwark of the law, and in
War the basis of defence.” Let our young men pro-4
vide themselves with armor, and be ever ready to
gird it on, when summoned by their country, and We
may defy ‘a World in arms.’

Protection and encouragement of American indus-
try, in preference to foreign, is alike the dictate of
patriotism and sound policy. Entire independence on
foreign nations can be acquired only by patronising
domestic products, and by encouraging the growth
and multiplication of domestic manufactures. The
capabilities of the country, and the talents of its citi-
zens, are amply sufficient to insure this result. The
rapid progress of manufactures, in variety and ex-
cellence, since their introduction, give perfect assur-
anre of ultimate, complete success. Already have
the products of the American spindle and loom, of the
cotton and Woollen mills, driven from our markets fo-
reign fabrics of similar texture, and entered into _suc-
cessful competition with the European, in thevmarts
of the World. What can hinder, or prevent, this suc~—-

25

cessful commencement ripening into perfection? What
can delay or prevent the attainment of final, perfect
success, in all the branches of manufacturing enter»
prise? Nothing but a narrow and suicidal policy on
the part of the government. Nothing but ya capricious
and fitful legislation, as prompted by sectional jealous-
ies, and individual fears. Let the duties on foreign
fabrics remain, as now settled, and nothing on earth
can arrest or divert the tide of present prosperity.
Unsettle the tariff, open again the floodgates of doubt
and uncertainty, unkennel the whole pack of preju-
dices, and let loose the pent up fires of discord and
local interests, and the manufacturer’s prospects will
become overcast. An unusual influx of foreign fabrics
will glut the market, and aruinous depression of prices
ensue, that may sink him in irretrievable ruin.

,The three great interests of agriculture, commerce
and manufactures, are alike entitled to the protection
of government, and prefer equal claims to the patronage
of all our citizens. Jealousies have existed, and in
some portions of the republic do exist still, against the
last mentioned branch of American industry. Time
and experience will show these jealousies tobe ground-
less, and correct these redundant and anti—patriotic
fears. lThere is a natural reciprocity of sympathy
among these great interests, and a mutual dependance
among these sister arts. Increase the successes of
one, and you necessarily promote the prosperity of the

, others. Add new impulses or new energies to one,

and the others sympathize in the addition. Open new
fields of enterprize to one, and the others come to its
support, and cheer it onward. Depress one, and the
others feel the shock. Take from one 1ts accus-
tomed means of usefulness, and the others become
crippled in their energies, and c.1rcu1nscr1bed1n their
efforts. They have become so 1nt1mately connected,
and interwoven in all their interests, that they must
rise or fall together. Agriculture alone, commerce

.4

26

alone, or manufactures alone, will dwindle away, and
become comparatively insignificant and worthless.
But combine them, sustain them together, give them
mutual aid and comfort, and their mightiest efforts
will be put forth, and the most astounding results be
produced.

This argument can be best presented by familiar

illustration. Survey, for example, yonder Chickopee

and its tributary streams, and calculate, if you can,
the amount of good, occasioned by the establishment

of manufactories along up their banks ;---calculate the

inc.1:'eased value of l the adjacent lands and their pro-
ducts ;-t---calculate their influence on the surrounding.
communities, and the sum of happiness, they have

engendered ;-—--- calculate the benefits, bestowed on

their immediate neighborhoods, and on thecountry
more remote, and you will be prepared to judge of their
expediency and utility. Contrast the present condi-
tion of the banks of these streams, and of the country
contiguous to them, with what it was some thirty
years ago, and mark the change. tWl1at saw you then,
where now, business congregates, and the cheerful
hum of industry is heard, and the thriving village
smiles in prosperity ?, What saw you, where now
l1und1‘e,dis, throng the market, and make selections
fi'om,fthe products of every clime? What saw you,
where now the it uschooli instructs its happy hundreds,
and the church is filled with humble worshippers?
fWhat saw you, where now the well cultivated farm
or garden unfolds its numerous beauties? ,What saw
you, where now the well wrought thoroughfare g170a1'1S
under the burthens of the products of your looms and
Worksliops E’, An occasional fisherrnaii might, perhaps,
have hgeenut seen, with his rod, and line, i angling for
trout, or a rustic boy with his traps, seeking out the
home of the musltrat, and otter, arid,possibly,_,a 
,,Indi;a~n, darting from point to po,;i»rit,»in yyhistbark
canes, Thewild flower blushed unseen, and spent

27

its sweetness on the desert air. The slimy wa‘-T»
tner serpent coiled himself around the stem of the
lrlly, and slept undisturbed on its bosom; the duck
made her nest securely under the willows, and the
partridge reared her young on the river’s banks; the
deer fearlessly drank of its ‘waters at noonday, and
the wolf prowled about its cabins for food. The
Chickopee, throughout: its length, rolled on its waters,
in solitude and silence, to the great river of the val--
ley, undisturbed by the sound ef the shuttle, and un.
cheered by the song of its fair dircctress. This river
and its branches flowed through a lengthened tract of
country, of almost unbroken desolation. Agriculture
was stinted, commerce unemployed, and the 1necha-
nic arts, and manufactures, unknown. Since the in-
troduction of manufactures how changed the scene!
The vvilderness is, literally, made to bud and blossom,
like the rose. Lands in the vicinity of factory villages,
which have sprung up, as if by magic, whose sterile
soil could scarce produce the dwarf pine or gnarled
oak, have become highly cultivated farms, making
rich their fortunate proprietors by their rise in value.
The site of the woodman’s cabinhas become the site
of the splendid mansion, and tlienfern-covered soil the
picturesque and productive garden. These are the
legitimate effects of well conducted manufacturing
establishments. Every thing around them is made
better, new exciternents to industry are offered, new
sources of wealth are opened, and new means of en-

joyment presented. Labor meets with its appropri-

ate reward, and thrift and comfort every where pre-~
Vail. ,

Pursue this contrast, yet a step further. VVhere,
but a few years since, the aforesaid pine and oak in-
cumbered the soil with their unseemliness, the capa-—
cious factory building rears its front of solid masonry,
and the dependent village, beautiful in its neatness,

28

and abundant in its comforts, greets the trave1ler’s
vision. Along these streams appear, in quick succes-
sion, the flourishing manufacturing villages of Cabot-
ville, Chickopee, Putt’s Bridge, Three Rivers, Bonds-
ville, Enfield, Ware, and many others. Villages, that
will well compare with any other in our country, for
architectural beauty, and simplicity of design, for the
excellence of their schools, the regular support of reli-
gious worship, and the correct and orderly deportment
of their citizens. Let any man, who honestly doubts
the usefulness of manufacturing establishments, and
fears their influence upon the morals and habits of our
citizens, follow up the Chickopee from its mouth toits
source, and thoroughly acquaint himself with the fac-
tory villages on its banks, and their internal police and
arrangements, and he will give over his doubts and
fears, and join, heartily, in commendation of the en»-
terprise that constructed, and of the liberality that
sustains them. He would wonder, that he ever could
have been found in opposition, to what is so mani-
festly conducive to the public weal, and promotive of
thehighest happiness of the country. He would as
soon lament the appearance of the sun after a pro-
tracted storm, or of falling drops of rain after an im-
moderate drought, as join, again, in the cry of oppo-
sition to these establishments. To no one class of
citizens is the country more indebted for its present
prosperity, and cheering future prospects, than to the
manufacturer. His enterprise has added new sup—-
ports to our liberties, and given new assurances of their
continuance. Away, then, at once, and for ever, with
all local prejudices, and sectional jealousies. Receive
into the circle of _ cherished arts, this great interest,
and sustain it with cordiality, and generous Ameri-—
can sympathy. i

This day’s exhibition is an ample refutation of
the slanders and aspersions of the enemies of man-

29

ufacturing enterprise. Where are the palefaces,
the squalid attire, and the evidence of loose and de-
graded habits, that are said to abound in these es-
tablishments? Where are the starved and meagre
children, the deformed and stinted young women,
the rude, ignorant, and half-savage young men, that
are said to be shut out from the light of heaven, and
the ordinary privileges of society, in these dens of
misery and pollution ? Where are the decrepit fa-
thers and mothers, borne down by the cruel imposi-
tions of a merciless taskrnaster? Let the grave le-
gislator, who, against facts, and the evidence of his
senses. delights to utter such damnable sentiments,
witness the sobriety, neatness, order, health, intelli-
gence and comforts of both male and female opera-
tives here assembled, and if his heart have not lost
its contractile power, and his blood become polar
ice, he would blush at his own disingenuousness,
and be ashamed of his dastardly opposition to man»-
ufactnring establishments. The man, who cloaks
his opposition to manufactures under arguments like
these, convicts himself either of gross folly or gross
ignorance. Facts conclusively negative them all,
and show them to be utterly fallacious. If he be
aware of the facts, and still persist in urging these
reasons, such arrant hypocrisy, such downright
meanness, should sink him below contempt, and
stamp him with the brand of perpetual infamy.
Sixty years has our-country existed, as a free, re-
presentative republic, guaranteeing to its citizens,
all of liberty, that is compatible with the nature of
man, and the prosperity of human institutions. Is
the problem, whether man is capable of self—govern-
ment, solved? Will our free institutions be perpe-
tual? Will the constitution be preserved unimpair-
ed, and unaltered? Will the latest posterity receive

a as a legacy from their fathers this inestimable boon?

30

Will the republic, in spirit, as Well as form, exist
throughout all coming time ? We have had our times
of trial, and of doubt, and shall have them again.
We have had our disaffections, threatened seces-
sions, and temporary convulsions, and shall have
them again. We have had conspiracies, open, and
covert, treason and misprision of treason, and shall
have them again. The storm and the whirlwind
have passed over us, leaving the republic unscathed,
and her guardian eagle yet gazes steadfastly at the
sun. Not a stripe has faded, nor a star been strick-
en from the banner of our country’s independence.
Let the acts of our law-making powers be con-
sistent, just, and liberal---let education become uni-
versal, the common school, and the higher semina-
ry be every Where patronized, and the public wor-
ship of God, and the regular ordinances of the gos-
pel be sustained ;-—--let the press be corrected of its
pruriencies, and shorn of its licentiousness,-,--—let
internal improvement go on in the multiplication of
facilities, conquering both time and space ;-—-let the
general and state governments scrupulously move
within their respective circles of duty, carefully
avoiding collisions With, and encroachments on
each other ;——let a Well organized and efficient mili-
tia, supersede the necessity, and take away all
apology for the establishment of a standing ar-
my ;----let American industry be protected and en-
couraged by a “judicious tariff,” and the just im-
position of discriminating duties on foreign com-
modjities;-—-—-let the great interests of agriculture,
commerce, and manufactures be alike sustained
and encouraged ;-——let local prejudices, and section-
al jealousies be magnanimously sacrificed on the
altar of patriotism, and the Republic shall live----
Freedoml shall prevail--Liberty shall have a home
on earthtill time shall be no more, iThebroad

3]

banner of our country’s independence shall con-
tinue to float proudly, and spread its ample folds
on the last breeze of earth, bearing aloft, emblazon-
ed upon it, in letters of living light, THE CONSTITU-
TION AND THE SUPREMACY or THE LAWS, WE ARE
ems AND INDIVISIBLE.