ay/i^ . U^iA^c:£i UC-vx^ i>^ayi<^t Class Z 2%h Rnnk Olb M^ AN DELIVERED AT SALEM, *** ON MONDAY, JULY 5, 18», ▲T THE SCaUBST OF THS ASSOCMTIOJV OF THE ESSEX READmO ROOMi r iff CBLJCBRATIOIf 09 BY ANDREW DUNLAP, ESq. ^artj spint is the madness of many, fbr the gain of a/eiv.'l^ Second Edition. PRINTED BY WARWICK PALFRAY, #vy. 1819. • • I • Salbm, July 6, 1819. TO fejVDi?Err BV^hAV, ES^ SIR — The Committee of Arrangements in behalf of the Asso- ciation of the Essex Reading Room, return you thanks for your ex- cellent and appropriate ORATION, delivered in commemoration of American Independence, and respectfully request a copy of the same fer the press. Wo remain, Sir, yours, &c. JOHN W. OSGOOD, HENRY PRINCE, jr. JOHN WINN, jr. N. W. NEALL, {. Committee THOMAS COOPER, CHARLES TREADWELL, M. J. L. BESSELL, Salem, July 6, 1819. gEJTTLEMEJY, In acquiescence with your polite request, and in compliance with custom, I submit to your disposal the Oration, which I had the honour to deliver, with the single remark, that a hasty performance, prepared at a short notice, and under the influence of other engage- ments, has some claim upon public candour. With sentiments of friendship for yourselves, and the Association you represent, I am, very respectfully, Your humble servant, ANDREW DUNLAP. JOHN W. OSGOOD, HENRY PRINCE, jr. JOHN WINN, jr. N. W. NEALL, J- Committee, THOMAS COOPER, CHARLES TREADWELL, M. J, L. BESSELL, fir WHERE are the glories of the ancieut Republics ? They exist but iu the recoUectious of the lovers of freedom. They are to be found only in the records of genius and virtue. The land, once the birth-place of libeity, heroism, philosophy, poetry aud eloquence, is uow pressed by the foot-step of the slave or the tyrant. Ignorance has erected her altar ou the spot, where genius and learning once Ijad their seats, and the city, that gave laws to the world, has been the prey of savage conquests, and at length the fountaio of the mosl degrading superstitions. Is then liberty, so dear to the heart of man ; a sentiment to be cher- ished only in the breast of the sage, and to form the basis of Utopian systems of governraeat, suited solely to beings of purer elements and nobler mould ? Is the felicity past, as the glory of former times, nev- er to return ; or is it, like the hope of human perfection, always in prospect, but never to be realized ? If we look to the modern Re- publics of Italy, the seats of intrigue ; to the mountains of Helvetia, once happy and free ; to Poland, where the brave Kosciusko bled iu defence of expiring freedom ; to the cumbrous Confederacy of Ger- many ; to Holland, ruined by iis avarice, and jealousy of the great men, who would have wielded its destinies, and elevated its charac- ter ; to France, where taste, science nod chivalry were drowned i3 the blood of patriots; we are compelled to believe, that Liberty has quitted her ancient dominions, and sought, in this new world, a retreat from the political vices and persecutions of the old. Here are her only temples, and here her worshippers. Her last habita- tions, her chosen abode, her new regions, are more fertile and fixteo* sive than her former possessions, and while they reach from the St> Lawrence to the Gulf of Mexico, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and embrace every variety of soil and climate, they are holdeu by a bold, intelligent and free people, who possess the same character, io' terests and feelings, and on this glorious day, in every part of tlip great American Republic, unite their hearts id the same joj and ex- ultation. America, now in the innocence of her youth, and disengaged from the polhition of European con ties ions, is the pride and the promise of the world. The ejes of all, attached to the cause of freedom, are turned upon this infant people, and anxiously anait the success of this last experiment, to learn whether man can be virtuous and hap py, while he is free. Nearly half a century has elapsed since «e became a nation, and for the success of the experiment, we may cite as proofs, the prospeiity which has attended our com.i}erce, the flou- rishing state of the arts, the a.^tonishing progress of our settlement^ the unexampled inciease of our population, the harmony of public sentiment, anfl the unbounded confidence of the people in the wis- dom and staliiliiy of our political institutions. In all ages, the attetnion of meti has been deeply interested in the political history, character, and establishments of their country. The mind of the historian, and the fancy of the poet, has been alike em- plo) td ou this subject. Tlie song of the shepherd has told of the simplicil} and innocence of the Patriarclial institutions, where age, experience and wisdom, alone gave pre-eminence ; and when, in the natural progress of eveuis. the increasing wants, intercourse and num- bers of society, dissolved the leagne of kindred, and formed associa- tions of dissimilar views and interests, the lyre of the Poet has re- sonnded the triumphs o\ conquest, or the sorrows of defeat. The Bard uf Greece has perpeli.al'^d in immortal song the glories of the Grecian name, and the desirnction of the splendid Capital of Asia. And the genius of the Poet of the Latins has raised fiom its ashes the Phoenix of the Western world. Even in the days of "modern de- generacy.' when the light o! literature was almost extinguished, the arts forgotten amidst the occupations of war, and poetry and eloquence, chilled in the damp of the cloister, or silenced in the tumult of feudal hostilities, the harp of the minstrel has immortalized the valour of the chieftain, and the fidelity of his clan. The great Republics of antiquity resorted to the superstitions of the times, to mark their in* fancy with incidents of admiration. In Athens, we find the Mg\s ol Wisdom guarding ilie hopes of science, and in Rome, the Chariot of 9 war Ifidiiig their legions to victory. And to this day, etery oatioa !n Europe has its tutelar Saint to watch over iis prosperity. But we build not our hopes ou idle superstitionti. Upon ihe rock of reason we I ave foundeii our governiiieol, and the basis ol our ex- peciatioiis of future greatness, is the strength ot the character ol our couDtr} Qiei). - The 01 igio of our nation was t oew era iu the hisiory of maH. He then, lor the first time since the days ol ancient virtue and liber- ty, knew his rights, and determined o assert iheni. And their de- fence haslcued a crisis, which arresied the atleution of the world, gave a new tone (o public sentiment, and finally reared the mighty Republic of the West. This is thf great event, which every citizen rejoices to celebrate. We are prauJ of our independence, the pre- cious gift of our fathers, and the best inheritance tor posterity. Nor ■was it the operation of a few causes, which produced an effect so as- tonishing, 60 cheering in the annals of liberty. The stamp act, though founded upo'i the odious principle ot taxation without repre* sentaiion, couid not have kindled the flame, which emblazoned the Atlantic, had there not existed in the breasts of our fathers thespaik of heedom. This had lor generations created opposition to the inroads of oppression, and when oppression became systematic and uinversal, inspired the design of independence; for the Pilgrims brought ^vith them to the aik o( their refuge, the best principles of liberty in- herent in the English Cousiituiiou, and left behind iheni the tyranny which the civil dissentioos, the pride, and the vices of men, had en- grafted on the native stock of British liberty. The severance of a mighty Empire, an event grand in its character aud consequences, could not have occasioned a general sorrow ; for our ancestors con- sidered themselves as exiles Irom their country, and martvrsto their devotion to civil and leligious liberty ; in infancy, the objects of con- tempi ; in youth, of oppression. Aversion therefore, on one side, aud a determined spirit of resisi aoce, on the other, long secretly opera- ting, at length burst forth into a war, and, ou the great day, we com- memorate, lost to Britain her colonies, aud made those colonies free, sovereigo, aud indtpendent Stales. Boldness and perseverance marked the character of the colonistj, and these qualities must convince us, that, even in the days of depen- dence, the power of a master would be acKuoAFledged with reluc- tance, and resolutions would suonbe fomied,thal ihe charter of their eivi! and religious liberties, elionld be founded, not on the license of Kings, but the rights of nmu ; for Auieiica, with her increasing resour- ces and population, her thousand might) rivers, and her vast extent of fertile territory, could not long have submitted to the dominion of a mete speck on the ocean. Happil} for the cause of freedom, happi- ly for the prosperity of the people, the folly of the British King, and the imprudence of his counsellors, disregarding the warning voice of the patriotic statesmen of the mother country, who knew the strength of the colonial character, and the value of their resources, and saw, that with America, "England was a match for the world,'' accelera- ted an event, which the operation of natural, moral and political catises, must in time have accomplished. And, while Providence, in whose hands the rash counsels of sovereigns are ing "in pnace," amidsi t!»e blessings ol his countrymen. A nation''s tears have lamented his fall ; a nation's gratitude will era* balm bis memory. Our laud is the resting place of his bones ; but while his fame is the honor, his exa.nple is the property of mankind ; and, to the latest generations, he will be esteemed by Americans at the Father of his country, aud, by the world, as ihe brightest model of human perfectioa. Revolutionary story has been the theme of the Breside tale, has aoimaied the sinking spirit of age, and kindled, in the youthful mind, a love of country and a love of honour; but, more recent events have engaged attention, and u fear has been indulged, lest the mem. ory of former days should fade Irom familiar knowledge. Such ap- prehensions are visionary ; (or it is our pride, to dwell on the virtues and glories of our ancestors lo emulate them in eur actions, aud to transmit to posterity the accumnlaied and incorruptible iuhcritaoce of freedom As, m the Republic of Sparta, the old meu tell of the deeds of iheir day, the pride ol luauhood indulges the generous dbrnparisoQ of iho paut and ih« present age, and the hearts of the young, beat with the noble liope of excellii)g the greatness of all for- mer titnes. To reader the full tribute of praise to the events, the Patriots, and the character of the Revolution, is not within the limits of our plaQ or powers. Athens appointed her Pericles to pronounce the ora- tion on the character of her wars, and the glories of her heroes ; awd vhen, at some future period, a Pericles shall arise in our land, then, and not till then, will ample justice be done to the worthies who de- clared, and achieved, American Independence. Our civil history is no less honourable to our wisdom, than our militarT, to our valour. When the Sta>es of North America formed the present cotistitution, they created, what the world never before saw, the social compact. Whai for ages had engaged the contem- plation and wishfs of the sages of the ancient world, from the daya of Plato, to those of Harrington and Sidney, was attained v<^ithout a Struggle, by this iutant people in this newly discovered portion of the universe, a government founded on the people's will, and formed to secure their rights, and promote their happiness. On the basis of rational liberty, has been reared a structure, which surpasses by iis strength and solidity, the boasted wisdom of Greece, and by its res- ervations of power in the people, forbids that boundless ambition, which proved the downfall of the Roman greatness. A system, cal- culated to cheiish every spark of genius, by rendering the avenues to the highest ofTices. open to men of every condition ; and to secure the strict and faithful discharge of the public trust, by making all who possess authority, accountable to the people for its abuse. The strength of the whole may be employed in the advancement of the national pros- perity, and the talents of each individual, engaged in situations most favourable to their display ; for here the race of honor is open, and all, who choose it, enter. The supposed perfection of government, the long sought lor union of the energy of monarchical, the deliberative wisdom of aristocratic, and the patriotic virtue of Republican insti- tutions, is happily attained in our political constitution; and, while in the enjoyment of the blessi.)gs it secures, let us never cease to recol* JQTt with gratitude, the labors of the l»ng list of Patriots, who secured 10 iti adoption. Their oaraes will be immortalized in the civil history of their country, and ages yet to come, will reap the fruits of their frisdoin. The efficiency of a Republican Government to maintain its dignity amsng foreign nations, the glorious events of the late war sufficient* ly determine. Our Eagle soon took his flight on the ocean, and soot he returned with the laurel in liis mouth ; and a new power arose to the view of mankind, not to give, but to maintain the ocean's laws. Though the infancy of our country, and its limited resources, have cot yet furnished opportunities for the display of our naval talents, on the same grand scale, upon which the operations of Europe have been conducted ; though we have not the fleets of Holland. France or England, and cannot yet boast our Van Tromp, De Ruyter, Blake, Rodney, and Nelson ; yet, when the day shall arrive, when the resources of America shall be expanded, and great occasions oc- cur, the same boldness, enterprise and skill, which our brave seamen and their gallant commanders, from our Hull, to oar Perrv and M ACDONoc M have displayed, «& which have made the Lakes, the At- lantic, the Pacitic, and the Indian oceans, the scenes of our glor y will ensure to us victories, as brilliant as those of the greatest naval powers in the world. The early operations in the Mediterranean, under the auspices of the accornplished Pheble, had formed for us a character for gallantry ; and a jealousy of our rising im- portance had been felt, althoug'i not acknowledged, by the nation, which assumed the seas as her dominion, and claimed to be the mis- tress of the Ocean ; but the astonishing success of our little navy, from the fust battle of the Constitution, to the splendid engagements on the Lake?, while it humbled the pride of an enemy heretofore invincible, raised in the estimation of other nations the Ameri- can naval character, and infused into the people a darling attachment to the value of that cliaracter. If we are to have a commerce, the spring of national wealth ; we must have a Navy to protect it: if we are to have a national character; we must have a gallant nary to support iU il Qa the land, victoiy at length crowned our efforts, and, though de feat, at the commeucemcnt of the contest, seemed to be our fate ; yet from the experience of defects, the lessons of wisdom w«re drawo. Our arrangements were perfected, and an illustrious military char* acler was* finally obtained. The en^agcraeiits of Chippewa, Bridge* water and Erie, while they shed lustre upon our Miller, Scott, Ripley, and Brown, tauglit our enemies, that the "spirit of tht fathers had descended upon the sous,'' and that American courage had not sunk to the tombs of the heroes of the revolution. But it was for the battle of New Orleans to complete the circle of the glories of A- merica, and to fill the world with the splendors of her fame. On that field we find on one side, not regular troops inured to war ; but voN unteerF of the first respectability, led by the Hannibal of our age, on an expedition, almost equal to the famed voyage of the ancient con* (jueror down the Indus, and engaging in the defence of a city, which irill be rich as Alexandria, and of a territory, as fertile as Egypt. Oo the other side, are arrayed, the flower of the British plies, the vet- erans, who had been taught in the scliool of Wellington ; who triumphed in Spain, and came to gather laurels on the banks of tbt Mississippi. But there they found their grave; and the cjpreits now waves over the ruins of one of the bravest and best appointed ar- mies of Europe, which, in a single night, sunk before the valour of American militia. This victory, the most remarkable which histoiy can record, and which gave a glorious and lasting seal to the peace, which had been concluded, let it ever be remembered, was obtain* ed by the courage and patriotism of the Yeomanry of our country. From the late war, the truth of the maxim of Washington, contain- ing a sentiment of the greatest political wisdom, has been felt, that in peace we should prepare for war ; for, if we value our independence, we should never neglect the means of its defence. Let us, then, che* rish our martial spirit and character ; it will not corrupt our virtue, nor inspire unjust designs of foreign conquest. Our territory wilF, for ages, be sufficient for our wishes ; for, on the North and the South, we own all that we desire to possess, and ou the East and the Wesfv the oceao is our only boundary. IS By our local sitnation, we are able to avoid the intrigues, jealou- sies and embarrassments incident to European policy, the trial has been made, and the lesult has been successful. Since the formation ©Four Constitution, greater civil commotions have taken place iothe ancient ef^v^rriments of Europe, than have ever before been present- ed, in the history of man. In England, their political establishments have been shaken from their foundations, by the force of popular sentiment. In France, where loyalty was a virtue and pride, the Mhirlwiiid of revolution has raged, till every thing worthy of admi- ration, science, humanity and liberty, has been prostrated by its fu- ry. An adventurer, whose fortune has been the most wonderful ; and whose cojirse, while it has been as brilliant, has been as rapid as that of a comet, seizes upon the throoe of the ancient Kings of France, and by a career of successes acquires t1je ad'Tiiration of the people, and opens to their view scenes of the greatest glory. Victory leads his armies, and conquest waits on his steps. Kingdoms alone are the ob- jects of his labouis aixl ambition. Princes are his captives. The monarch of Spain is his prisoner, and obeys his will. The heir of the house of.Braganza is compelled to flee his ancient dominions, and seek a retreat, in his possessions in the oeiv world. Sweden is a military trophy to his General. Italy is his nuptial gift. The House of Austria is forced to receive hjm as a son, and he becomes allied to the family of the King of the Romans. The capital of Russia surrenders to his arms, and the great barrier (o the domina- tioi. of France, seems about to be overleaped. But (he measure of success is full ; the tide of prosperity ebbs ; and the man, who me- naced the liberties of the world, becomes a fugitive, by the light of the fires of Moscow, from tlie country, he thought he had subdued, and his pvoud armies are left to perish in the desarts of Russia. New eflTorts are made, and a new army rises, like the Phcenix, more beauti- ful, from the ruins of the ancient legions. They ate destined to car- ry desolation into other countries, but find themselves unable to de- fend iheii oAvn confines, or to preserve the power of their leader, who resigns the proudest human hopes, and exiles himself to a hum- bio leiveat. Again the regime of France is restored, and the Bour- IS hotti are seated on the throne of tbeir ancestors. But another chans;t occurs. Napoleon bursls, like Sampson, from the vilhes that boun4 bim, iovokcB the aid of his companions in arms, and, in the shod spaceof twenty days, the power of the Bourbons is annihilated, and the united wisdom of all £urope defeated, by »he overwiielming £;eniu8 of a single individual. Short is his new care«r ; hia rapid and military preparations for the support of his power, are destroyed on th« field of Waterloo. The prowess of the combiaed armies is suc- cessful, and Wellington becomes the conqueror of the cocqueror of the world.* The Cossacks are in Puis; the French Generals are in exile ; and ihelr leader is, like an Eagle — chained to a rock. These are the great changes which have convnlsed Europe du- ring the short period of the existence of the American goverimient, 'which, amidst them all, has escaped their influence, and preserved its independence. Other governments have fallen, but our's has stood firm,! for it was founded on the rock of liberty. Without an ally, we declared war ; and, though our enemy had overthrown the proudest monument of human strength, and engaged all tlie powers of the continent in her view?, we fought her undismayed, and boldly persevered to an honorable issue to the contest ; which, while it left us free from all degrading, and perplexing connections, and cemented b> the strongest ties, the friendly relations henceforth to exist be- tween England and the United States, founded, on an eternal basis, the repuiatinn of our nation for wisdom and gallantry. Of our Literary character, it may be said, though we cannot- like Germany, display our thousands of learned men ; though we cannot, like England and France, exhibit a regular order of men, devoted to the service of letters ; yet, the literary hopes of our country arecher ished with enthusiasm, by our citizens ; and it will become a ruling principle of action, with all honourable and independent men, to give power to no man, who is jealous of the influence and interests of literature. In Science, we have, within our view, our great men, ■whose works the Philosophers of Europe have honored with their applause, and whose associatioa they are proud to court ; and in *"Le vainqueur du rainquer de la terre." • i4s the 9«ver&T Professions, the progress of knowledge has been aitonislu iug. The fame ol our Physicians has extended across the Atlantic. In the science of jurisprudence, we fear no comparison ^ the learning ivhich adorns our Benches ol Judges, and the eloquence of our Bar, has never ^eell surpassed in the Courts of Westminster. Our leara> ed Diviites. claiming no dominion from secular establie^bments, but deriving all ihe power they wish, from the love and confidence of the people, are excelled in the puriij of their lives, only b.v their ardent zeal to push the freedom of enquiry to the utmost limits of human knowledge They reap t!ie fmits of )ield th« SuD of our Glory rising without a cloud — ^* That Sun, wt pray maif nntr 9#t,*'