PERMIT me to address you, on this twentieth anniversary of American liberty and independence. An epoch of national dignity; the regeneration of liberty from the ruins of despotism; the emancipation of a large por­tion of mankind from oppression and slavery. These are some of the leading features of that memorable event, which guarantied to Ame­rica her political salvation. An event, which, whilst it engages the wonder and admiration of distant nations, cannot fail to interest the particular attention of the citizens of these United States.

WE are, at this time, called upon, neither to celebrate the birth day, nor the coronation of a hereditary tyrant. Neither are we com­manded to join the procession of a conqueror; to perpetuate his acts of infamy and disgrace.

No; 'tis the birth day of liberty, rational liberty, and the unalienable rights of man, which we celebrate. Let rigid economy, for a moment, resign the empire of reason to in­nocent [Page 4] mirth and festivity. Let joyful glad­ness beam on every countenance. We are, this day, assembled in commemoration of ex­alted deeds; deeds meriting the highest eulo­gium. Let us join United America, in the grand chorus of praise. Let us proclaim to the world the glad tidings of liberty, estab­lished on the broad basis of national glory.

AMERICA has not, as at the present, always enjoyed the rich blessings of peace and plenty. War, once, deluged our country in blood. Our verdant fields were crimsoned with hu­man gore. Many of our bravest and best citi­zens fell devoted victims to its ravages. Long was the conflict, and doubtful the issue; till, at length, virtue and patriotism completely triumphed over veteran discipline, to the sal­vation of our country.

THE numerous circumstances, attending the late revolution in America, as recorded in history, are both singular and interesting. They hold out to the world "the tremendous uncertainty of all human grandeur." They afford to kings and tyrants a striking lesson of their own weakness and folly. They demon­strate to the despot, that the rod of terror will not always insure blind adoration to him who wields it;—that a government, built on any other foundation than reason and the af­fections of the citizens, will never be able to withstand the floodtide of opposition.

OUR forefathers, persecuted in their native country, fled to America. Surrounded, on [Page 5] every side, by the most imminent dangers, they patiently endured every hardship and cruelty, but death, in pursuit of liberty. They presumptuously hoped, that a distance of more than three thousand miles from their unnatu­ral parent, would effectually screen them from her cruelties. Neglected, in their infant state, they must have perished, had not their own unparallelled vigilance, wisdom, and economy, raised them to opulence and power. 'Twas now, they experienced, afresh, the same una­bated system of oppression, exercised towards them in America, which had driven them into the wilderness. Their sudden and unexpected opulence drew on them the united envy and jealousy of Great-Britain. Laws were enact­ed for the sole purpose of oppressing and im­poverishing the then colonies. The Americans beheld the injustice, in silent despair: till, at length, a righteous indignation roused them into action. The heavenly spark was, at last, by repeated and reiterated exertions, blown into a blaze; and with its bright effulgence illumined this western world.

THE Angel of liberty, descending from his bright abode, unfurled the sacred standard. The shrill trump of war was blown: A war, on our part, founded on the eternal principles of self-preservation, could not fail, ultimately, to be successful.

IF we take a retrospective view of the criti­cal situation of our country, when hostilities commenced; the inhabitants thinly scatter­ed [Page 6] over an extensive territory; unacquaint­ed with the intricate science of war; and, what was still more embarrassing, entirely des­titute of the means of regular defence; the issue, in the eye of impartial reason, at best, on the part of America, was doubtful. But des­perate cases require daring remedies. The opposition was already begun. To shrink back and fail, would have been revolt and treason. Every effort was made, every nerve was strained: And the result is well known, as being highly favourable to liberty and the rights of man.

THE war, at first, on the part of America, was a war of redress. But it was soon discov­ered, that the object was unequal to the mag­nitude of the contest. Nothing less than the independence of America could reward the manly exertions of her brave citizens. The new object of contention was, boldly, pro­claimed to the astonished world. The glorious tidings encouraged the firm; confirmed the wavering; and reanimated the drooping. From this moment, the enemy beheld the un­expected opposition with astonishment. Con­sternation painted, in their guilty imaginations, all the horrors of an unsuccessful war. After a seven years' contention, in fruitless efforts to conquer America, Great-Britain, at length, exhausted in men and money, gave up what she could no longer retain. Peace was, once more, restored to our long desolated country. But prosperity had deserted our borders. [Page 7] Government was prostrated, and every thing appeared, rapidly, tending towards anarchy and confusion. At this awful crisis of affairs, a new government was contemplated. To form a constitution, calculated to reduce into union and harmony the opposite and clashing interests of thirteen discordant states, required the utmost stretch of human wisdom. The grand experiment was, at length, made; and it succeeded beyond the most sanguine expect­ations. It produced a constitution, the legiti­mate offspring of great and exalted abilities. And do we exaggerate, when we pronounce it, a model of political perfection?

HISTORY unfolds a new era in the science of government. The reign of liberty and prosperity over this western world; order and firmness restored to a tottering state; national faith and honor built on the everlasting found­ation of justice.

WE claim not the liberty of nature. We glory in the possession of rational liberty; we glory in submitting to the mild government of laws; laws calculated to promote the great­est general good of community. 'Tis the un­civilized man who exults in the liberty of nature. A liberty wholly inconsistent with a civilized life. Man, united in society, no longer remains the man of the wilderness. He is obliged to resign a certain share of his free­dom to that society, which, in return for the sacrifice he makes, guaranties to him the quiet and unmolested enjoyment of the resi­due. [Page 8] Hence we have the origin of true gov­ernment: A voluntary association, or com­pact, entered into betwixt individuals, mutually relinquishing a part of their liberty, with a view, the more effectually, to enjoy the re­mainder. A government built on any other foundation, or having any other object in view, does not answer the designs of govern­ment: 'Tis evidently oppression, which con­tinually, from the first moments of its exist­ence, tends to dissolution.

THE ancients received for a maxim, that a great and powerful nation could never prosper and flourish under a Republican Government. This error grew out of their ignorance of the genuine principles of Republicanism. Instead of meeting in council, by their representatives, men chosen from their own body, men who had signalized themselves by their wisdom, or their talents, they rushed together in one in­discriminate mass. Assembled, in this man­ner, in the heat and paroxysm of party, they proceeded to the discussion of topics, which re­quired the closest investigation of cool reason and unbiassed judgment. The national legis­lature, formed thus, of the unprincipled and ignorant, was a fit tool, in the hands of pow­erful individuals, to accomplish their wicked purposes. We may hence account for the frequent revolutions and conspiracies, which so often prostrated the sacred rights of hu­manity at the accursed shrine of despotism.

AMERICA enjoys the advantages, possessed [Page 9] by ancient republics, without being exposed to their dangers and imperfections. No pow­erful individual riots on our liberties. The rulers, as well as the ruled, are strictly amena­ble to the laws of their country. The Consti­tution sets the grand arbitress of unlimited power. Her righteous decisions no human arm can withstand. A glorious system of checks and balances forms an effectual barrier to unprincipled ambition.

WASHINGTON stands at the political helm. The Ship of State, under his auspices, will have a safe and prosperous voyage. No pirate shall ever rob him of his prize. Amidst contending storms, WASHINGTON moves in native dignity towards the haven of safety. Durst any one question the ability or the in­tegrity of the "tried Patriot"? The Ameri­can Hero stands aloof, unaffected by base in­gratitude. Her malignant shafts can, never, reach his exalted soul. Should foreign powers, ever, ungenerously attempt to influence our politics, their attempts must prove abortive. Our citizens are too much enlightened, and too far initiated into their own interest, to credit base and groundless insinuations.

OUR Constitution is the grand palladium of our liberties. Whilst that remains unvio­lated, we are in little danger of being deprived of our freedom. England may boast of her Magna Charta, of her Bill of Rights, extorted from tyrants. America boasts of a CONSTI­TUTION, founded on the united suffrages of a [Page 10] free, enlightened, and independent people; a Constitution boldly held up to the view of the world; a mirror, in which every citizen may read his own political character.

IF we contrast our own happy situation with that of the European world, involved in all the complicated horrors of a desolating war, we, certainly, have additional inducements to rejoice on this day. No field of battle, heap­ed with the slain, presents itself to our view. No village, wrapt in flames, terrifies the af­frightened inhabitants. No arbitrary exac­tions rob the poor man of his scanty pittance. Here, the virtuous citizen can set, under his own vine and figtree, and feast, unmolested, upon the abundant fruits of his own industry. Our commerce extends over the broad swell­ing ocean. Our flag flies unfurled in every sea. The same enterprizing spirit which so eminently characterized our pious ancestors, is still a prominent feature of their offspring. Wherever prospects of gain rise into view, there you will behold the American counte­nance. Since the establishment of our federal government, our commerce has increased be­yond every rational calculation; and with some few exceptions, and those, in a great measure, owing to the unavoidable calamities of a war uncommonly destructive, has been uniformly successful. Wealth and opulence flow in upon our country from every quarter of the globe. Our national resources are rap­idly increasing, and bid fair, in a short time, [Page 11] to become as extensive as our territory. The arts and sciences increase and flourish, under the patronage of a generous public. Their salutary influence is felt and acknowledged by a virtuous people. The dark cloud of igno­rance and superstition no longer veils our land. The vivifying rays of knowledge have darted athwart the human mind; and by their ge­nial influence, at once, transformed the citizen into an enlightened politician.

SINCE knowledge is the foundation of Re­publicanism, let us be careful to render the avenues to it easy and accessible. Let us put into the hands of the poor man, as well as the rich, the means of ennobling his nature. No hereditary distinctions, no titles of nobility, will ever be suffered to trample on our equal liberties. Genius and exalted abilities will al­ways receive sufficient encouragement under a free government.

UNITED to the train of important privileges, which we enjoy, the unlimited freedom of the press claims a high and distinguished rank. 'Tis one of the grand pillars of political free­dom. It is so essential to the existence of a free government, that to abridge it, would be, wantonly, to hazard the liberties of the peo­ple. 'Tis an impartial tribunal, by which men and measures must eventually stand or fall. 'Tis the grand vehicle of national inform­ation. Hence tyrants have, uniformly, con­sidered the press as their enemy. They have waged an eternal war against it. They are [Page 12] fully sensible, that the firmness and durability of their usurped power depend on the igno­rance of mankind, that to let the light of rea­son into the minds of their subjects would be giving the last and fatal blow to their great­ness.

IN celebrating this day, let us not pass over, unnoticed, those brave men, who fell martyrs in the glorious cause of liberty and their coun­try. They nobly contended for a rich and magnificent prize. They fell victorious, and in their death sealed, with their blood, our Independence. Let us consecrate their mem­ories by administering the balm of comfort to their unfortunate and distressed friends and families. Let us, from the cheek of the or­phan, wipe the swoln tear. 'Tis a sacred debt we owe to the cause of injured humanity. Let us, this day, by our justice and liberality, demonstrate to the world, that, notwithstand­ing the base assertions to the contrary, grati­tude does dwell in the republican bosom.

THE empire of liberty is, yet, confined to a small portion of the globe. The immense re­gions of Asia and Africa present human nature debased and fallen. Doomed to perpetual chains and bondage, millions, pining unto death, drag on a miserable load of existence. Death to them is a welcome friend, a messen­ger of peace. He comes to relieve the captive of a burthen, nature can no longer support. Unfortunate man! America weeps over thy miseries, without the power to relieve or help [Page 13] thee. Ignorance has everlastingly barred the doors of thy cottage against the approach of liberty.

EUROPE presents a more pleasing prospect to the future reign of freedom, in that quarter of the world. Liberty has, already, reared her standard on the banks of the Seine. She has spread her banner over oppressed French­men; and she is, now, gently inviting the weary of the whole earth to rest under its sa­cred shadow. "Brave Frenchmen! Your cause is the cause of universal nature." Your successes shake the tottering thrones of tyrants, which will, one day, entomb their greatness. If Frenchmen, in the first stages of their revo­lution, sometimes, committed excesses and vio­lence, attribute it to necessity. Our generous allies are humane, as well as brave. We ought to contemplate France, in her critical situation, overthrowing an arbitrary government, cut­ting one of the principal links in the grand chain of oppression, externally invaded by the united powers of Europe, violently rent by in­ternal sactions, desperadoes, sacrilegiously, pros­trating every law, both human and divine. Under these circumstances, who can wonder, that France should, sometimes, let slip the reins of moderation; and give a momentary scope to provoked vengeance? Far more surprizing, had she never, once, erred from the path of justice.

AFTER contemplating the degradation and disorder which reign in the other quarters of [Page 14] the world, what exalted ideas must we enter­tain of our own happy situation. Here, hu­manity, shielded from the chilling blasts of ty­ranny, expands and blossoms, under the mild rays of freedom, producing rich fruits, to gladden the heart of the unfortunate. We are, this day, at peace with the whole creation of mankind. Safety and happiness restored to our extensive frontiers. Our brethren in sla­very soon to return into the open bosom of their country. The clouds of contention, which, lately, spread over our political horizon, portending storms and tempests, have happily subsided. Every thing has, at length, returned to its perfect level. Our CONSTITUTION rises gloriously triumphant. May its sacred princi­ciples leap the ocean, and run through univer­sal nature, enlightening and animating the ig­norant and oppressed of the whole earth.

MAY United America never forget, nor neg­lect to celebrate, this glorious anniversary. Let us hand down the hallowed lesson to pos­terity, who, in their turn, will teach the same to their prattling infants. It will be to them a rich, a valuable, bequest. As we prize and adore liberty, so let us use every righteous mean, in our power, to render its dominion universal, permanent, and lasting.