UNION. THE CONSTITUTION, AND THE LAWSTHE GUARDIANS OF OUR LIBERTY.
Vol. XIX.
,3 . 97-1.
r - l
A LESSON FOR COQUETTES.
We hsve a visiter to day, said LnrJ
p .Titter to bit aeice, the Uvely Elizabeth
I'littcr, who on a far a week
a her right honorable nacte.
li ke ia ii aiJ tbe Udj; lady
t gentleman!
A geatleman Mr. Janes.
-ki who ie Mr. Jones! ii it Romper
fnitt Janet, or tht renowned To!
Hut we U eavt bit tordehip tha
iro.b!r f describing who Mr. Jones
aa. II
wss simply Mr. Junes (
IWcfirlJ. in ibt roomy of Suffolk
L. ibia detection it very abort. bot'T
m 4e sauieieut w aeerribt Mr. Jones. ;
...a m . I
U evident b. wa. o very .e,e,
gsauiitt t bad kt beea an, he woulJ hare
brtn Mr. Jonee of Fiercefietd Hall, or
Pierreful Manor: be was not a retired
wwliant. or ha would hart beea Mr.
J,MCt of 1'ierrenrlJ lloute; seilher could
be hoe bea a retired ahnp-keepcr, or bia
Ii.hi-i would hart beea dignified with tbe
rupliniru aaant ol Koae Villa, or
Urllrtue Lwttage. or riercpfieiJ Iodge.
Uut Mr. J..nea s bnurt waa a tery good
. a I a til
k-uM.;ttai.iolnn a lawn only one hundred
tarda Imrn the road -aide, andiht tatranrt
g.ie nat auijudrj between naaaive
uine piera. aurmouuted with round ball w.
i i, therefore, etident, that tie owner
at a man of a email independent fortune.
u4 tli't be was a gratleaiaa by two or
lltrre dearentt. Now, Mr. Jonea waa a
bachelor, Ine age twenty fie, bit educa
imm tuch at he could obtain at a eelebrat
r-d endaarrd tchnd ia the neighborhood;
be wat eminently handorae, but couM
am pretend to great abiliiieat but he wat
g'NHl-aatured and well ditnoaitioaed, and
a tfxriat farori'e of Lord Paliietcr.
New, Mitt Palliatrr, betides being a
wit, was a little bit of a coquette jett
tuGeient of eil ia her diepoeilion !
preaent her being an angel, but aht waa
a rry charming lady. She therefore
ilchatre with herteif aa to tht courtt the
ihould pursue toward Mr. Jonet, whether
the thuuld abaab the or sqare by her
tatire, at-imth him by her wit, or fat
rhaie him by ber emideaeeneioa, and
finally determined to be ruled by circum-
ttanrra. Accordingly, after bating been
introduced to our squirt, Miis Palliater
R'cupicd the fits minutes which atually
imerrene between the romplelioo of the
toilet aa l the eerring of dinner ia surrey
mg tht fortrete aha meant to attack.
" Not at all dittinguithrd in hit appear
anre," waa her fittl thought, but the
mm ia decidedly handtome," ber eecond.
People may talk al their appreciation!
of intellectual gifit, but thert art few who
are indtffeieat to personal beauty; and
whea Mr. Jones led the lady to the din
ing room, ht wss farored with the
sweetest of emilee, and during dinner, and
until sht retired to the drawing-room,
tha had directed the full battery of ber
eharma and (races against tht heart of
Mr. Jones. Sht wss witty without
ill-nature, end sitsrious without being
rude; but when sht was alone, eonfotaed
to heraclf, that to all appearance ber labor
had beea thrown away. Jonea had
liaiened to tht conreraation, but he had
not eipretted. and did not seem to feel,
any great admiration of enher her wit or
ber beauty; but hie polite replies aod
accommodating afiirmaiires, were gien
with a degrrt of good humored noncha
lanct thstcinf ineed Miaa Palliater. lo ber
great mortification, that aht had failed in
her attack oa tht heart. " A mare country
aquirt to be thaa invulnerablt to cbarmtj
uicn nave uriTrn iiiii tn imuuum ,
a. - . sk.ir ..i....i.ia
world mad, thought ahe, it is wonderful!";
and Miaa Palliater waa not vain in so
thinking it wss a fact "The man ia
not a foot either, and tht fellow ia hand
tome." She colored, though alone, as
this ides a second time occurteJ. She,
the star, or rather the aun of faahion, waa
not aurelv loaine? her own hesrt without
obtaining another in exchange. Pahaw!
it waa ridiculous, but thia did not prevent
her, when the party re-aatembled, from1
renewing her attack, and ahe again failed;
for Jnnaa, from the efiVcte of good wine
and Miat I'allitter's encouragement, had
become rather talkative, and, to her
turpiite. he talked remarkably well; for
though not brilliant, he had good sense,
had read a great deal, and had a good
memory. Tha evening aonn paated away.
and the lady, on reviewing the eventa of;
the day, waa rnirtiued to conieta that,
not only had ahe made no impresaion on
Mr. Jonea. but ahe began to sutpect that
her own heart waa not invulnerable; ahe
recollected that ahe had liaiened with
pleasure to Jonea' ditquitition on the Pto
lemaick kiogt, she who had never liaiened
for two minutes together to any body it
waa ominoua. .
The intercourse between tht partiea
became daily of a more particular detcrip
tion, and Miaa Palliater wat delighted to
rind that ahe aubdued tha atubborn heart
of Jonea. How ahe would teaae htm when
he had once been brought to confetaion.
Uut to bring about thia confetaion waa
mora difficult than the lady aspected.
If ahe gave him eneoragement in the
pretence of her nncle, Jonea would follow
her lead briakly enough; but alone he waa
grave, frigid, and polite but alat, not
loving. Now this waa exactly the con-
irary W Alias Pallistrr'a wUherj tht bad
no ejection to cohort. h bad a treat
aversion to being found out. She knew
that brr uncle WM1J BOf Uw her to
take a fool of say aaaa. aad if Jonea vert
lo make a declaration in coneeqaeece ol
aay public coqueUry. aba nuti tidier at
eace accept bin or inear that aobletaaa'e
eerioua ditpleasare, aod aht wit alwsys
aneasy it say difference look plaet with
tbat relative, to whoa aba aa aineerrly
attached.
But all things cone to a dote, to did
. M mm
Slut Palliilera vit to ber socle and
it . tA. l.j ..i j t7T I
iMarf wZl u V iara.ioti
r! i t, t "n.
1 ..t i, , .
-, HC (HmWI Will ROUS Ol lUt
BMt fchf ,fI lh . J"
the game of coqattry. aba bad not oulv
failed ia ber object, but had loat ber heart
and double and feara poeteterd ber
breatt, Ibktperbapajoaea.ditgttated with
her conduct, anight direct bis aitemioa
elKwhere sad she bural into irate at
thought.
Now, Lord PalIitUi had area the game
ma nirra waa piarinr. ana was orettv
.ii r ,k. ,. t . u..A .-fi
"mw w vrw at wa saesit
att& him that her ar7etian. I.t
fallen where they bad; but ba laughed
neartny at me iriougiit. tuat a mere
country squire like Jones should so
completely out-mancrure a practiced co
quette like his niece. Jones likes the
girl," said bia lordabip to himtelf, " and
ha ahall hart brr, but let ber tufler a
little; and aha did. Letlrre from bis
til-M0-law drerribed his niece at not
well, pale, out of epirite. So," aa' J hie
lordahip, she ia ia lava at latt, it the?
I mutt gitt ber another chaoce, 1 aup
pote."
L-ird Paltiater's ncit letter mentioned
incipenl symptoms of gout, snd bia sflec
tionatt nice eoon srrited 10 nurte him,
but he waa allocked to perceire that ahe
ItNiked horribly ill. Poor thing,"
thought he, I rouat be merciful;" but in
the cvurte of the day he gate her a hint
respecting her rountry beau, Mr. Jonea
aid Miat Palliater, in a paationof teara,
threw heraelf at her uncle'e feet, and eon
fested at onct ber loe, and besought him
not to allude again to ber wicked snd
foolith conduct.
It wss wicked," said she," because
I intended to injnre tht happinets of a
worthy man, and I tufler now juttly."
!ord Palliater thought to himtelf,
' Thou art a good and hoorei girl, after
all. and thou a halt be M's. Jones yet."
Lords hare great power, no doubt, but
how hia lordship eontrited, a few weeke
after, tt detect Mr. Jonea in the act of
imprinting a kite upon tht lips ol tut tatr
Elisabeth, wt cannot tell; neither bate
wt heard that either bis lordship or hia
niece cspreeted any violent indignation
at tht audacity of Mr. Jones. Nay, it
haa been insinuated that tht said kiss wss
giten with tht full approbation, not only
of Iud Palliater. but also with thst of
his nieee but this sesms incredible.
ADDRESS
Or COL. BAXIKL BAItlXOIt,
Dtlitarad at the celebration of tht aaniter.
aary nl tha Mecklenburg Declaration of In
dependence, le Conceid, N. C, May tOih,
18.19.
Frltndt and Ftllow-Ciliztnt: t am
much gratified with the pretence of ao
very large and resectable an alterably
oa this occaaion. For though reluctant
to become tht organ of tht committee in
addrvaajlie Jm fot mion M
;-.,i trt tham and nal neeemrv ta ba
repeated; yet as wS have resolved to mark
thia day by an act 01 public celebration,
and aa it is tht firtt attempt at thia place
to do public justice to the memory of tht
actors in a memorable event in our hiato-
rr: it mutt bt hit hly gratifying to every
cititen of oar county, and every friend to
the reputation of our atate, to know that
our people art willing and anxioua to do
all in thtir power to render the occaaion
worthy of Ibt deed it is intended to com
memorate.
Fellow Citisens: Tht dote of tht 18th
century waa remarkable in the hittory of
the world, both for tht magnitude ol the
eventa by which it waa diatinguitbed, and
the results which followed them, on the
destiny of mankind. To America, espe
cially, it was marked by trantactione of
the highett moment. The last quarter
of that century witneaaed our emancipa
tion from tht thraldom of colonial vataal
age. It saw a people without means
but with a fiim reliance on God, and the
justice of their cause enter the titts, and
contend, against the rnott fearful odds,
with tha then moat formidable monarchy
on earth. It saw tbat people aurmottnt
every obttacle, and coma out from the
coniett triumphantly victorioue. Itjaaw
that people occupy a new untried petition
on the theatre of human action; and
tabliah for themselves a system of self
government, by which they hsve practi
cally vindicated the inalienable rights of
man acanowieugtng no rceponiiuiiuy
but to their Creator, and the government
of their own choice: a eyatem which haa
become the womler and admiration of
mankind; which haa ahed happineas and
renown on the nation which it protecta.
and by whom tt is maintained.
Wt art all familiar, cay 'tirade, w'uh
tLe history of oar reTolatioaary struggle,
and tbe important reaulia il hss'prodoced,
tod aa a grateful people, we eer recur,
with a just pride aad taiiafaeiioa, to tbe
part which waa bora by oar common
country in that etrr memorable eoatro
t eray. We dwell with patriotic iutereat
oa ttery incident, baiaer may bate
beea iu bearing! on tht gtorioue ead to
ardently wished for, the eaUbliahraeat
and aecurity, oa a 6ra aod permanent ba
aU. of our freedom aad independeaet.
la tht hilory of that period. wt find
me event which we Haft thie day aart to
celebrate; an I nldiough it nay sol bate
tht event which wt bat t thia day met to
rountry men, or filled, in tht eye of the
world, so largt a apact at that other
great deed, by which onr whole country
proclaimed its Independence; yet, to aa
here ateemhled to tha citizena of tha
countiea of Cabarrus snd Mecklenburg
and to tbe people of tht suit of North
Carolina, 11 poateatca a luih and pceul
ar interett, and deserves to be remember
ed, with tha liveliest gratitude, by aa and
our deacendanta, to the latest posterity.
When tht Britith. deluded by Mae and
mitchievoua eoonaels, arrogated the pow
er of using America without her content.
the latter intUntly resisted the assump
tion, not so much on account of any
immediate detriment to her interett, as
oa principle on the great Saxon piinei
rle of M no taxation without repretenta
tion," no imposition of burdena without
the content of Ihote who sre compelled
to pay them. A great fundamental prin
ciple which had been recognized and sus
tained by the txample of Britain heraelf.
and which would have involved, in ite tie-
atruction. tht entire overthrow of the li
bertiea f the coloniea, and the suhjuga
tion of America. Keaiatance to thia on
authorized claim became the general epi
rit of the country: every part waa more
or lets under ita influence, and determined
lo tacrifics all in defence of their invaded
righta and privileges. As might readily
have been foreseen, thia coniett eoon re
aulted in the employment of the last ar
gument of kinge the argument of tha
a word. Tha appeal was the choice of
the King; and tha continent accepted the
cbsllenge."
Before thie eri.-is. however, had arriv.
ed, light and knowledge on tht nature of
our rights, and tht principles of human
liberty, were diffused among our people;
and the moment of conflict found an in
telligent and fearless yeomanry prepared
at all hazards, lo meet it, and abide the
fate of arma. Meetings in every aection
of the country, had been held, where dis
cussions were freely and fully entertain
ed on the oaurpationa of the mother roun
try and the meana of organized reaistsnce
to her tyrannical claima. 1 be urea or pat
riotism' spread over tht land; and when
the Congreaa of '76 declared one entire
politics! eenaration from Great Britain, it
but re-echoed the ardent wiah of all Ame
rica, it touched a choid that vibrated in
every true American bcait, and exploded
a magazine of feeling which had long be
fore been collected and cherished by the
patriotic sons of freedom in our land.
This truth ia illustrated by the whole his
tnry of the revolutionary contest, from
the firtt attempt 01 the bnglith Pariia
meat to atainp ua with a tax against our
content, till the final declaration of Con
gress that we were a free and telf-govern
inr people.
But, fellow citizens, to our beloved
atate. and 10 our immediate seetion of
lhat state, belongs, in an especial manner,
the high and single honor of having first
publicly proclaimed to the world tbat we
would no longer aubmit to the lawless de
mands of a tyrannical parliament, in
which we were unrepresented; to us be
longs the glorious distinction of lesdmg
off in the race of freedom, and of declar
ing long before all others, thst wt were
a sovereign people, recognizing no other
power but that 01 our uod, and tht go
vernment of our own creation.
Let ua, my fiiends, for a while recur
to the history of thie memorable tranaac
tion. Let oa contemplate the character
of an event which haa placed the namea
of our Revolutionary Whiga in the bold
ett relief, and which haa become diatin-
guithed in our state and throughout the
Union.
Tbe truth of tht Mecklenburg Decla
ration of Independence, ia now placed be
yond the contingency or a doubt. 1 tie
praise-worthy exertion of our native
sons, snd 'public acts of our legislature
have established, beyond the reach ol
controversy, and made known through
out the land, an era in our history, which
waa attempted (for reaaons it ia not now
neeestary to examine) lo bt thrown in
the shade, and, perhaps, obliterated from
the memoriea of men. To ua, and the
generation that have preceded ua, it haa
ever been familiar aa houaehold words.
To aitemnL therefore, before thie audi
ence, an argument to prove tht existence
or the event we have assemoiea 10 com'
memorate. would be inaulting 10 the un
deratandinga and feeiinga of thoao who
breathe the air and tread the aoil where
it transDired aome of whom are the
cotemporariea, and others the descend
ants of its illustrious actors, and whoae
recollectiona of ita truth are aa early and
aa strong aa tht first impressions ia their
infancy, aad as vivid aa tha remembrance
of their fathers who periled their lives
a t . - . .t--
an weir torwnce in evPDon 01 tneir
pledge on that extraordinary occasion.
I'tevioaa to aad oa tha 20th of May
1T73. tha pretcnt county of Cabarrua, as
yon all know, wss a part of the old coua
y or Mecklenburg, and ao continued tiu
1797; aa therefore, this county waa a
constituent part of Mecklenburg at that
time, and waa fully represented ia ber fa
rooue convention (havinr not less, 1 be
lieve, than one third of aU tha delegates,)
snd equally entitled to the honors wa this
day render; ao the obeervatione wbicb
are made are intended to apply equally to
both countiee, between whom tha only
rivalry ahould be. which shall most ap
propriately commemorate tbe deed and
most successfully maintain the principles
it promulgated.
In tha early part or iht year 1779 tht
Briiiab troope were atationed in tht city
of Boeton, and as lhat city had always
been distinguished for its enthusiasm in
the cauae of the coloniea, iht eyee of our
eouutrymen were anxiously turned to the
early cradle of republican liberty, in live
ly expectation of eomt hostile movement.
thst would bring the ontetileJ affairs of
lha two countries lo a crisis snd makt
np tht issut of liberty or submission, to
bt decided only by the (od of batilee
In May of lhat year, tht then count
of Mecklenburg, always conspicuous for
its attachment to the Whig cauae of the
revolution, and once honored by Cornwal
lia with the compliment of being denounc
ed aa "the moat rebellious county in
America." held deUched meetinge of the
people in the different neighborhoods: at
which neighborhood meetings, (some of
whieb art doubtless remembered by the
veterans who sit before me.) tht people
discussed the general state of affairs, ex
pretted their aympathy for the common
caute, and especially for their suffering
brethren in the city or Boston, in whose ,
fate wrre identified the interest of their
countrymen, asserted their determina
tion never to submit to Hie cxacuona ol
the British Croan; and to support their
brethren in liberty thoughout all the tri
als of their perilous situation. These
meetings and disrussions, prompted by
the love of liberty among the people
themselves, prepared them for tbe event
of which we now apeak, and tats dsy ce-
ebrate.
Accordingly an order waa issued by
the Colonel Commandant of the County,
directing every militia company to elect
two delegates and to veal them with un-
loiited powers for the general good and
safety. This order met with a hesrty
response from the people. Ibt dele
gates were elected ae required, and met
in the town of Charlotte on lha lUth 01
May, 1775. A remarkable coincidence
occurred on lhat occaaion. When the
drlegatea were atsembled and in lha per
formance of the high trust committed 10
their charge, greeted and urged on by the
warm approbation or their assembled
countrymen, an expreaa arrived announc
ing that tha first hos'ile blow had been
struck in defenoe of liberty: that the fol
lies of negotiation were ended: thst the
Rubicon hsd been paated: lhat the aword
waa unsheathed and ita scabbard thrown
away: and that the blood, the firtt blood
of American Citizena, had been ahed on
the plains of Lexington and cried aloud
for vengeance! 1 he very lioddeaa of Ii
berty heraelf could not have furniahed a
mora powerful motive for prompt and de
cisive action, a more irreaiatible incentive
to that noble deed which has crowned our
patriotic forefathers with imperishable re
nown. Suppose, Fellow-Citizena, our
beloved country now intuited and our
rirhta trampled under fool by an imperi
oua enemy; auppose that enemy to invade
our ahorea with an hired soldiery and
besiege our cities and to complete the
climax of intuit and injury, suppose that
enemy to make our free aoil drink the
blood of American citizens, inhumanly
butchered! What aon of here would not
quit hia fireside and meet in the tented
field the violator of his country'a injured
righta and honor? Yes, my friends,
thoossnds of eworda would leap from
their acabbard to avenge the wrong and
defend our country tboutanda of patriot
warriors would lead us on to battle.
But tht deed we now celebrate, aa we
ahall preaently abow, waa of alilt higher
daring and glory.
When the niestenger arrived and com
municated the momentoua purport of hia
intelligence, our delegatea were aurroon
ded, but not overwhelmed with new dif
ficulties and atill greater responsibilities.
They still proceeded in their noble work,
with unflinching firmness. Tht 19th
pasted over. The night was consumed
in sleepless and crave but unwearied de
liberations. The aun of tha 20th of
May rose upon their labora. They felt
the awful responsibility of their situation.
They knew the dangera by which they
were surrounded tha extent of tha
power they defied, and the weakness ol
their own arm to contend against it.
Still they wavered not. The proposition
for independence waa finally prepared
eubmitted ditcuated and unanimously
agreed to, in the form, and in the chaate,
simple, firm, and sublime language,
hich bat been, thia day, to veil
read ia your bearing by ear venerable
Inend. Tbe eease ol America at tbat
moment has never beea so well express
ed before or since."
After devising anctturet for the safety
of their new government, and for tha se
curity of the persons aad properly of the
citizens, and tha future progress and sue-
cese of the Whig esuae ia our section of
state, our Convention dissolved; aad its
delegates again returned to tha ranka of
tht people, but not to bt idle spectatore
of tba heart stirring events that wcrt oe
curing in our country.
Look then, my It tends, at tba c lortous
deed as wa bate described it-a deed
worthy the cauae of libertr, St tha praise
snd gratitude of ber friends as long aa ahe
can find a homo upon tha earth. For thia
noble deed, wt art aasembied to do grata
fut homage, not to aa illuttriooa lion of
titled nobility, not to tht memory of a
military despot, whose laareis bavt been
dyed in the blood of thousands, inglori
outly slain, but to the patriotism, the e
nergy, the prudence, and unyielding firm
neta of a email but fearleaa band of plain
but intelligent men, who knew their
righta and dared to maiauia them ; of
men, who, allured by 00 promptinga of
peraonal agrandizement, and onawed by
all tha frowns of power, took tha first
bold step ia tbe history of our liberty ;
of men, who, unaided but by tba com
mon aympathy of our people, and uncooa
aelled but by knowledge of their ughie.
were the precursors of all others, in pro
claiming themselves free from the shack
les of royal dominion. It was an act wor
thy the enduring admiration of posterity,
deserving tha noblest gifts of the orator, 1
and the brightest page of the historian.
It evinced a heroism equal to tht beat
day a of Greece or Roma. Il wat un
aurpatted for ite daring boldness and mor
al courage. 1 do not mean that reckleaa
audacity which is needjess or consequen
ces, and fortees no dsnger, but that true
fortitude which is seen in great exploits
that justice warrants, and that wiadnm
guides. Recur, then, fellow-citizens, for
a moment, to the 20th Msy, 1775, and
reflect under what circumstances lhat
declaration was made. We were then a
feeble nation, thinly settled, in wbst
might well be termed, the wilderness of
the New World. Wa hsd also domes-
lie foes to divide our rsnks, and cripple
our resources, some Irons the natural
propensity of men to uphold the forma
of government under which they live,
. .-
and otnera irom ine oarer mouvee 01 in
tercst, of fear and subserviency to the
powers lhat be." Wt were without meana
or friends, except the cheering encourage
ments of the friends of freedom. Without
arms, except the double armor of the jus
lice of our cause. Without sn orgsnized
and efficient government for our protec
tion. Without concentration of power
to give energy lo action. Without cred
it abroad, or an army at home. Yet, in
the ruidat of all theaa privationa and ob
stacle to success, with tha gloomiest
prospects before them, a little band of
patriots assemble, in a remote section of
tbe country, and hurl defiance at the
common enemy, dissolve all connection
with a government on which they had
been ao long dependent, proclaim them
aelvea a free and aelf governing associa
tion, and pledge their lives, their fortunes
snd their sacred honor in defence of their
principles! And against whom, my coun
trymen, waa this pledge given t Why,
sgsinst the then most powerful kingdom
on ihe globe against a nstion whose
prowess had bumbled the proudest ar
mies of Europe, whose wealth abound
ed in every land, whose commerce whit
ened every sea, whoae victorioue armies
were spread in every quarter of ihe
world, and whose navies had won ber
the proud title of Miatreta of the O
cean." To op pote such odds, wss an
elevation of courage, and firmneas of
purpose that we can acarcely realize in
thia our day of palmy prosperity. It
haa few parallele in the annala of time.
Leonidaa and his Spartan band have not
more deaerved the applause of mankind
for their invincible valor againat the Persi
an hotta, than our ancestors for tha no
ble boldness of their msnifesto in behalf
of liberty and the immutable righta of
man. If the heroes of Thermopylae have
gained immortality for tbeir desperate
bravery againat the invaaion of their
country, by the armiea of Xerxea; equal
ly high in the temple of fame should
we inscribe the names of those who
pledged tbeir lives and their all, upon the
issue with an enemy not less terrible,
in defence not only of their country, but
of their principles, sscred to all mankind!
But. fellow-citizens, our forefathers
were men, not only of words and pro
fessions. They practiced whet they
tauirhL and acted out what they pro
fessed. The delegates of the 20th of
Mav 1775. were the heroes of many a
well-fought battle-field. Throughout the
campaigna of ibe South, their heroic v
Tha ninna. elooutnt and dielineoiahed
John Robinson, D. D., who kimialf well re.
mernbera tha particular! of lha declaration
r tha 90th Mav: and waa neraonally ac
quainted with nearly all ita airnera, and who
teatintd (this day) to their high individual
worth, at well aa the truth of the evanl ia
which they were actora.
lor was displayed; tb sir blood freely she!
snd some of their livea sacrificed to at "
teat tha sincerity of their pledge; aad tw
tht end of the eanguinary con teal f lib
ertr. and amid tha most appal ir-g difS
caliie, they over evinced the aamt intrt
pio courage, ana taamoiaoie constancy.
Tht leBueneo ol their searleat exam
ple, pervaded all ranka of society: aad
our part of tbo Suit became proverbi
al for its ardent devotioa to tht coot
mna cauae a rrpotatioa wticb it nobly
sustained until the great object of the re
volution was achieved. But that iafla
enct waa not confined to onr aection of
the suit. It diffuved itself far and wide;
it decided tha fata of tha Whig cauat in
North Carolina. Tba lukewarm were
confirmed: tba bold encouraged. Coon
ty committeea aad aaeociatioru were
formed throughout our borders, ia which
every effort wee made, and pledge given,
to tnainuin and band dawn, unimpair
ed, tba just lights and privileges of tht
people. Kt state was mort fixed or
forward." Tbt Prounrul Con frets of
North-Carolina, on the 12th April, 1770,
waa tht first organised, deliberative as
sembly under tht authority of tbo atate
governments, that recommended the tie
claration of American Independence.
In Mecklenburg declaration wat tht
firat link in that great chain which termi
nated in tht etiabliahmenl of our nation
al freedom. Our siste, however, much
as aha msy have beea neglected ia tht t
history of tht timee. was the firat to
put the Ball of that Independence ia
motion; and amidst all the embairsss
ments and distresses by which eha wst
eneoropsssed, no etatt maintained the
Whig cauae of that day with mort a tea-"
dineas and integrity of purpose, with
mora ability in couocil and alacrity ia
tha field.
Suffer mo bert to eay, my friends.
thst although our euts msy not, with a
falaa ambition and overbearing vanity.
have blazoned forth her praiee lo tha dis
paragement of her sisters, none bavt ad
hered with more rigid consistency to the
fret principles sbe wst tht first to pro
claim. No sute is blessed with a better
constitution. There is no atstt where
tha laws, tempeied with mercy, art ad
ministered with mora ability, juttiee and
impartiality; where licentioutneta ia more
detested aod avoided t and whert tha
peoplo better nnderatand and praclict
upon tht principle, that true liberty
conaiats in n willinc obedience to jutt
and equal lawt and realricifone impoaed
by themselves. In short, no state, thst
has jutter and higher pretensions to all
the attributes thst dignify and ennoble n
moral, religious end law-abiding peo
ple. Fellow-Citizena : Wa have derived a
grateful joy in the contemplation of the
event we have thia day brought to our re
membrance: shall we not alao learn wis
dom from tht tame eourcef Wt should
never suffer occaaioos like tht preatnt
10 pstt unimproved. History is phi
losophy, lesching by example:" - It it
good policy often to recur to purer and
better timet. Let oa, then, imiuto tha
example, and emulate tha virtues of our
socestors. We msy never be compelled
lo makt another declaration of indepen
dence under similar circumataneea. That
is an epoch that can happen but once in
lha life of a republic Yet atill we have
dutiea to perform. Wt bavt need to
guard the gift, and improve the legaey
bequeathed to ua by the blood and virtu
ous intrepidity of our forefathers. Liber
ty is to bs preserved, only by tha prac
tice of the virtues by which it waa ob
tained. Our forefathere were watchful
of the firat invaaion of their rights, wtre
prompt, bold, disinterested, and perse
vering in ihe execution of tha great trust
committed to their keeping, and in re
sisting the tyranny of unconstitutional
oppreaaion. , Let us, also, imitate their
vigilance, their promptitude, their diein
tereated patriotism, their boldnets and
conauncy in preserving, improving, aod
transmitting, unadulterated, to after times,
the blessings, civil and religioua, . they
have bestowed upon us.
They also understood the nature of
their rights, aa well aa exhibited the cour
age to defend them: They felt that vir
tue aod intelligence art proverbially the
pillars of a republic : and that vice and
degeneracy are the offspring of ignorance.
Let us, too, cherish a virtuous . love of
country, and let knowledge reach every
home. These art the foundationa of
our greatness; these tba grounds of our
hopes. k
But thert waa one peculiar character
iatie of the timee of the revolution.
hich it would bo criminal to omit to
notice, on this iutereating occaaion. I
allude to me epirtl ol reliance on Divine
Providence for protection aad success,
which pervaded the public acta of that
eventful period. That apirit is seen il
luminating tha pagea of tha declaration
wa have thia day celebrated, and msy
be witnessed, shedding its benign ia?
fluence, in most of tha public records
and documents of our revolutionary time.
From the illustrious Father of bit coun
try, down to tba common soldier in tha
ranks, they fell and acknowledged tht
force of the inspired truth, " righteous
ness exilteth a nation, bat sin is a re-
i.
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