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Tic TarborcP Press,
BY GEORGE HOWARD.
Is published weekly at Two Dollars petyear
jfnaid ft advanceor, Two Dollars and hm
i;Nts at the expiration of the subscription year.
Advertisements not exceeding a square will bo
inserted at OneDollar the first insertion, and 25
Cents for every succeeding one. Longer ones at
that'rate per square. Court Orders and Judicial
advertisements 25 per cent, higher.
jJHSCELIjANY.
FOR THE T RBORO PUESS.
CORRESPONDENCE.
Tarboroughy July 5th, IS51.
Dear Sir: By a resolution unanimous
ly adopted by the "Edgecombe Division
of the Sons of Temperance," we were
constituted a committee to express to you
the pleasure and gratification, they expe
rienced during the delivery of your Ad
dress on yesterday, and are authorised by
them to request a copy of the same for
publication which we now do.
Agreeing in sentiment with our Divi
sion in regard to the merits of your Ad
dress, we beg leave to add our personal so
licitation?, and hope that you will comply
with our request.
With sentiments of very high esteem
we are yours in 4,L. P. FV
L. D Pender, )
F M Pmker, V Committee.
R.H.lVinborne,)
Wm II. Johnston Esq ,
Tarboro', N. C.
TarboroJuhj Slh, 1S51.
Gentlemen: Your note of the fifth, re
questing in behalf of the Division a copy
of my Address for publication, was duly
received.
Although I feel that the Division has'
o
pbced ar too ng ian cs i.natc upon t iejSelljC(j New England, were of lhat stemlccr of becoming victims of arbitrary now-'
m . . . J. .
expressed it to be their desire to have it
ru ' r . .
diem whenever I can conveniently do m,
11,331 . .
Please present tothe Division my "ear -
tythanksfor the high honor they have
,t .1: 1
done me, and accept for yourselves the
expression of my highest consideration.
Yours in L. P. & F.
Wm. H. Johnston.
Messrs. L. D. Pender, F. M. Parker,
R. H. Winborne.
ADDRESS.
Ladies and Gentlemen: It is good
lhat we have met here to-day. It is good
that laying aside the cares of ordinary
business, we have assembled to celebrate
the seventy-fifth anniversary of the fourth an inhospitable shore, the residence of j lives, their fortunes and their sacred hon-i lure, which concerned merely the corn
day of July 1776. When I see around barbarians and brutes, where they could . ors. And through seven years of danger mon Interests of the nation, while it shoufd
me so many come together to do honor to reasonably but expect to encounter perils: and toil and hardships, with a moral hero-; reserve to the States all which regarded
the memory of those illustrious men who and hardships, evinces the native stern ' ism unsurpassed in the history of the their merely local afT.irs. The States had
subscribed their names to the immortal determination and independence of their j world, they succeeded in making that . too long exercised the power of self-gov-Declaralion
which we have just heard, I characters. The d ingers which they declaration good. j crnment to be willing to yield all icgisla-
feel thai the same noble spirit which hero encountered, the labors and suffer- In all the events of that momentous pe-; live powers to Congress. It is certain
burned in the hearts of the heroes of 576 ings which they underwent, the unceis- riod we discern the pure and exalted pal-j that this Government thus constituted is
transmitted through two generations, still ing vigilance and activity which were ne- j riotism and consummate wisdom of the j in theory the most perfect one in the
glows with the same intensity in the souls cessarily called into exercise against the; American statesmen. They saw that u-j world, I may say, that ever was devised
of their descendants. Especially when I ' insidious arts and the midnight attacks of nion among the States was essential to j by man, and if the balance could only be
see the ladies, whose mothers in the darkjtheir Indian loes and the depredations of the success of their cause. In order to preserved in practice between the powers
and ntir'ilmie iimp nf tlifl rpvnlni mnnrv"-i.t toCi t w phnmctpr increased secure such union, an efficient General conceded to it .and those reserved to Ihe
struggle, with a generous devotion to their j
country's cause, and a proud defiance of
their country's foes, ever encouraged their
fathers, their brothers, their husbands and'iCise of practical liberty. During their en-
their lovers to risk their lives, their for
tunes, their all in defence of their coun
try's rights, animating by their presence
on this occasion, those who are here as
sembled to celebrate their fathers' and
their mothers' patriotism, I feel that
lhat ardent love of liberty which then
neither oppression could tame or power
subdue, can never become extinct in the
kosom9 of Americans.
Well may" we honor their memory.
Well
may wc thus testify our joy and
latitude, that counting all things else,
Cvcn their lives and fortunes, light in corn
Prison with liberty, they far its sake en
countered the dangers and endured the
toils and privations of a long and almost
kpeles3 war. For they have left us as a
h'tage a land more blessed than any the
ever shone on. Whether we regard
jls vast extent, its immense resources by
and and water, its mighty rivers, its large
,n'and seas, its productive soil, its mineral
hh, its numerous and growing popula
ll0a the fame of whose indomitable en-
Tarborotigh, Etlgecombc Count Saturday,
ergy and industry is co-extensive with
the earth's limits, its wonderful progress
and skill in science, in art, in commerce,
agriculture, manufactures, in a word in
every thing which can contribute to ren
der a nation powerful and prosperous, and
above all its political institutions, founded
on the broad basis of liberty and equality,
from which flow the almost perfect
freedom and happiness which its citizens
enjoy, it presents on every side and in
every view, with one important excep
tion an aspect of beauty and felicity which
must be a source of honest pride and sin
cere gratification to every patriotic citi
zen. And this is productive not only of joy
and pride, but also of admiration, of won
der when we reflect that two hundred ami
fifty j?cars ago this country great as we
now see it, was a vast wilderness, inhabit
ed only by savage men and wild beasts.
Nought but the fierce yell of Ihe Indian
as he engaged in deadly contest with his
foe; or the wild cry of the brute tenant of
the woods could be heard throughout its
unbounded forests. Those Indi ans, those
forests and beasts of prey have almost to
tally disappeared before the rapidlyad
vancing match of civilized men.
But it has cost gieat labors and priva
tions, as it does to accomplish every thing
that is really grand and noble, to bring
this country to its present lolly height of
powei and prosperity. To describe how
it has been dQne. with the prospects of its
still further advancement and the obsta
cles in the way thereto, will be the sub
ject of the present discourse.
The first settlers of this country were
induced to emigrate hither Irom various principle of the British Constitution, they ; many ol them are dissatisfied, and consid
motives Some were mere adventurers! paid, that (here should be no taxation j er themselves aggrieved, -ct acquiesce in
m search of wealth: others fled
Irom ro
ll nd here
I ligious persecution, hoping to
1 ir ItfVtrtiie CrooA r ni IMiu f 5
nril.ins whn.
and rugged sect, which, in the civil war in
EngJand of 1G 10, subdued the power of :
Charles 1st and brought htm to the .ecaf-
fo,( Tle mos, of h , ri
lain. Britain was then the most free and ,
cnlighlcned naljononcarlh. They brought j
... . . institutions, the most
vaIuablc of nhich was tiC
common law, !
,
i not then freed, it is true, from the slavish j
trammels of the feudal system, but indeed
more deeply imbued with the spirit of real
liberty, than any other sjstem of law in
the world. All therefore of liberty and j
enlightenment which the civilized world
possessed they introduced and established
in the wilds of America. The mere fact
too of their giving up alt the comforts and
endearing associations of home, where
many of them were living in affluence for'
tone and vinor.
Thus from the time of their first settle-
ment thev were accustomed tothe exer-
tire existence as Colonies, although they
.1 :.! tlm iKnt? u.'oi'o rrsnm t tnrn ft .
cies of the British Crown, and the British
Government claimed over them supreme
authority, they enjoyed all the rights andjlution was fought, thaUthcy were ratified
immunities of free mpn, at least so far as
regarded their merely local affairs. It
was fortunate for them that in their infan
cy, although England claimed the right
of regulating their domestic concerns, and
especially of taxing them with or without
their consent, she never endeavored to
exert it. Then in their weakness they
might have submitted, and wc this day
instead of being citizens of the most free
and one of the most poverful and enlight
ened nations on earth, might have been
degraded subjects of the British Crown.
But the British Government only requir
ed that the laws enacted " by the colonial
Legislatures shouldVot be repugnant to
the laws and customs of England. The
revenue which might then' have been de
rived Jrom ithe Colonies was too ? small
in comparison with the sum which they,
if they had been taxed, might have justly
demanded for defence against their ene
mies, and the Government was quite con
tent to allow them the power of self-government
in consideration of being free
from the expense of protecting them.
Thus all circumstances were favorable to
the growth and permanent establishment of
a spirit of genuine liberty among iheAmer
icans. The independent character of the
original settlers, the motives from which
many of them came hither, the hardy lives
they led after their settlement here, the
fact that they came from England, bring
ing with them her free institutions and a
bove all the fact that they always actually
governed themselves, were all calculated
io plant and foster in their bosoms that
lofty independence of spirit, and that un
quenchable love of liberty which blazed
forth with so intense a brightness in the
revolutionary struggle
Accordingly when after the French
war, the British Parliament, thinking that
as the Colonies had now become quite
prosperous, they could yield a considcrn-
ble revenue, passed the famous or rather
infamous stamp act, imposing a duty on
all paper that might be used for certain
purposes in the Colonies, a spirit of uni
versal indignation was aroused. They
protested against it as being a wanton vi
olation of the rights which they held un
der the British Constitution. They were
free-born subjects of the British Crown.
The charters which had been granted
them, had declared that they should have, meet it, with perfect calmness, without
and possess all the rights, franchises and ' disorder, without violence, send delegates
immunities of subjects' born within the! to 3 Convention to form a General Gov
realm of England. It was a long settled ! crnment, and after its formation, although
without representation. In this endeavor
of the British Government to tax them;
wilhnut llir-n- pnntpnf lniu riv Inn fl-r-.thf
er. They foresaw themselves and their
children slaves, their country drained of.
her resources to support the ambitious
I I
; projects of the British Government,
They resisted until the 4th of July 1776
to preserve the rights they claimed under
the Uritish Constitution: from that dav.
, j ,
seeing that England was determined to
enslave them, and could not be turned
Ifrom her resolution by fear or love, bv
forcible resistance
they struggled to
or humble petition,
become independent
States. On that day. they through their
delegates in Congress assembled, after sta -
ting the grievances which had brought
them to this step, declared themselves ab -
solved from all connection with the Bril -
i ish Government, and in sirpport of that
Declaration pledged to one another their;
j Government was necessary
According -
ly immediately after the Declaration of
j Independence they took steps to establish
such a Government. The Congress a-
. .... i r r. i ti
dopted the articles 01 ionietieranon wnicn
formed a sort ol Constitution ot uovern-
ment, but it was not until 17S1, the very
'year in which the last battle of the Revo-
by all the Stales. It was in spite of dis
traded counsels and jarring interests and
opinions, that our independence was a
chieved. It was found however that the Govern
ment thus established was exceedingly
defective. The Congress could exercise
no power which was not expressly grant
ed, however necessary other powers might
be too carry the granted powers into ef
fect. It could not enforce the laws which
it miht enact. It could pass laws, it was
left to the States to enforce them. The
Government had no Judges, no Execu
tive. Nor had it power, nor ought it to
have had power to use violent! measures
in order to compel the Stales to enforce
its laws; . : ,
This was therefore an exceedingly im
perfect Government,' liable to be driven
July
to the usurpation of powers in order to South on the subject of slavery, the Union
maintain itself, ' or to become extinct has passed safely, and has grown instal
through mere weakness After having tire and strength, until it has become the!
experienced for several years all the dis- admiration of the world: It is ; not won-
orders incident to Governments incapable dcrful therefore that the people should rc-
of enforcing their laws, the States took gard the Union with the profoundest ven-1
measures to form a more perfect Govern- eration. They would submit to many
ment. They elected delegates to a Con- sacrifices, before they could endurc lo see
vention which met in 17S7, arid, after much so fair a fabric, created by r the toils andf
excited controversy , adopted the Const'itu- sufferings and privations of the heroes of
tion under which, somewhat .modified i' the revolution, consecrated by their blood,
however since then, we now live. Several ana" endeared by the many glorious sue
times before its adoption the Convention cesses which they have met with, since its
were at the point of breaking up in des- establishment, overthrown and demolish
pair and disgust. And after its adoption, ed. That broad, national, patriotic spirit,
it met with strong opposition in the States, i which comprehends the whole Union,
when presented to them for ratification .; created, as it was, by our common griev-i
it was at first rejected by this Stale, and ances, when in a colonial stale, and our
was not finally approved until after the common labors amidst the dangers 'of ihri
Government formed under it had gone j
into actual operation. So difficult was it ;
to form the Government under which we
now live! How grateful ought we to be
to the eminent, men, by whose wisdom,
moderation and mutual concessions the
Union was established and all the evils of
intestine diseord avoided!
How noble a spectacle was here pre
sented to the view of the world. A peo-
pie of thirteen separate States just freed
from the yoke of a despotic Government,
when the love of liberty is too apt to de
generate into licentiousness, divided in
opinions and interests, distracted in coun
sels, with a heavy public debt weighing
upon them, and without a revenue to
the will of the majority without a single
art of violent resistance! We challenge
vvnrul fn qWiw ii nnnl hnr nph rvnm.
pfc of self sacrificing moderation and ex-
alted patriotism. Greece nor Rome nor
Italy nor England, boasted lands of liber
tv, can do it. France a few years after-
mf -
wards, when she subverted her m'onarchi-
cal, instead of establishing in its place a
stable Republican form, as she doubtless
intended, ran into the most cxtravacant
, o
excesses, and formed one ot the most ty
! ranical and cruel Governments that the
world has ever seen. But the Americans
j of 'S7 had learned from actual exercise in
j what true liberty really consisted, that it
i was not in the license of doing whatever
one pleases, hut in submitting to the will
of the majority, constitutionally expressed
' and they acted accordingly,
j It was the object of the Convention to
vest in the General Government only
those powers which were of a general na-
j States might long endure to bless those
under it with its benefits and the world
; with its example. Under it, and as the
wisest men of our country have believed,
through the force and energy which the
free spirit lhat pervades it, and the Union
established by it has given us as a nation,
has our country attained its present lofty
rank among the nations of the earth.
Through the stormy period of the French
Revolution, "and the destructive wars
which followed it, that for twenty ycarste first place or the dissolution, should U
convulsed all Europe and filled the wise!
and good of all nations with anxiety and
alarm, when, the Statesmen who controll
ed our affairs were obliged io exercise the
utmost caution and moderation 8 in order
to preserve our neutrality, through the!
last war with Britain-and the war with
Mexico,vhich wc were obliged to wage
in defence of our National rights, through
all the bitter and excited controversies
which have taken place? betweeh thedif
ferent parties, sometimes sectional of the
Un ion? as that between t he Re pu blieans
-vi IT'W.lot.inefs ftnm -f 1797 tn isni
UliU X V UIIJW w... - - -r ,
iwcen the Govern ment and South Caroli -
ba afbout twWtyVye
vvhich now existbetweenthV and
,t .x a .v.-.
Revolution, and fostered by our'.' common
Rlories since we have become an indepen-
dent nation must suffer many a rude shock
from the wrongs and indignities of an un
principled majority, before it . can be ut
terly extinguished. For the man who
can think on Bunker Hill and Yorktown,
and the many other brilliant fields of the
Revolution, of the war of 1812, and the1
Mexican war, without feeling his heart
pervaded with a palriotic glow of joy and
gratitude and honest pride and love for
the Union in whose cause so many noble
victories were achieved, is indeed .callous
to those lofty emotions .which, form tho
chief pleasure of man, and the chief orna
ment of human nature.
Bui that the administration of the : Gen?
eral Government has not been conducted
in strict accordance with the 'spirit of the
Constitution, and with a due ' regard! to
that equality of rights which subsfstfi, and
should be rigorously and sacredly observ
ed between all the members of the Con',
federacy we regard as certain. It is ne
cessary7 that the Constitution be strictly -conslrued,
otherwise it is worthless, of no;
more value than so much blank paper. f
This is necessary in order to preserve a
just equality among the States But the1
course oT Congress evinces that it is dis
posed to absorb much of the power which
the framers of the Constitution evidently
designed, should be reserved tothe States
Whether this disposition will influence ifs-j
conduct so far as to lead to a dissolution of
the Union, cannot yet be foreseen. But:
one thing is certain. The majority of the
Southern people, should so deplorable an
event occur,. cannot, if they act cosidef
ately in future, justly bear any part of the
blame of having produced it. They have
always been strict constructionists, they
have opposed all schemes which tended
to an undue enlargement'of the powers of
Congress. They have always been strong
ly attached to the Union, have always
been ready to pour out their money and
their blood like waler in its defence.
They are strongly attached to the Union ,
now as it would exist under a strict con
struction of ihe Constitution, with all
the rights guaranteed to them by; it
faithfully enforced. But if ihe K Gov
ernment or the Northern , people ha- t
bitually disregard these rights, by dis
tortion of the plain meaning! of thef
Constitution seek plausible pretexts to
violate them, as we have too good reas
ou to apprehend it will, and thus endea
vor to degrade the Southern Slates frorri
lhat position of equality which it ivas de
signed that all the States should occupy,
they cannot remain in it. YVhatcyer may.
be the issue therefore of-the present agita- -tion,
whether it subside as we hope, and
leave the Union strengthened and its cit
izens every where more disposed to mu
tual concession, or whether, it result in
dissolution, the blame of the agitation fr (
occur, cannot juslJy be atiriDuieu io the
South We contend in self defence, for .
the preservation of our Constitutional
rights. And should ever the necessity of
disunion occur, which God -avert! - tho
land of Washington, and Jefferson, and
j i,ainoun, anu jacKson, anu a nost ot om-
ers, whom the South" has produced to
serve thelUnion in the council and the .
field, will rise with one hand and ' heart
and voice to effect it. ; r ; i
But great caution should be exercised in
this matter. Too many important interests
t both rif this nmintrv and the
world, are
J a - " ' " " J
1 Stakedon this question to
a" hast v
We should patiently aud faith-
explore the whole ground -and be
t