A NATj
[No. 122
AN ORATIO N,
Pronr>unred July 4t'i, 1793, at the reqneft of
tae Inhabitants of the Town of Roston,
ill coouncinoratiiM) of re A n-n verfjgry
of American Independence.
By JOHN QUINCY ADAMS.
O NOMEN DULCE IIBERTATIs! Cic.
YEJhaiu oj ancient,hcroc 1' Yt vko toil'd,
7~hrpttgh longr fiiciejfivt aget to buildup
ji labouring plan qJ JUu ; behold at rtnrtf
The wonder done ! Thomson
At a .meeting of the Freeholders and other
Inhabitants of the Town of Js>fton, duly
qua ified and legally warned, in ptibli©
Town-Meeting, aflembled St
on Thttrfday the 4th of futv, A. D. 1 /05 :
•VOTE I), ' "
THAT the S?leftmen be and hereby *ne
appointed a Committee to wsit.an w JoHN
Syixcx Adams, E r q. aijd in the ilxnf* of tins
Town to tharfk him for the eff
gant <)*ATron, tliii Tiav deliWieil tiy Mm, at
tnc ut tie I s up->ti Annivcjaty
*f the biic[tndcn'.t vf At O*xit4 Swei tf Amtrka,
}n which, according "to the Inftitiititrn of the
Town, he considered the Jeelmgs, niaruiecs;-
*ndprinciples which led to that great National
Event—and to request of him a Copy thereof
for the Press.
Atufi,
WILLIAM COOPER, Tewn-CUrk
GENTLEMEN,
IN compliance with the polite Requefl cf
my Fellow Citizen-, the Oration ytfleiday
•delivered, again folieits the Indulgence of the
public. I am, Gentlemen,
With sincere Refpeft,
Your very humble Servant,
JOHN Q. ADAMS.
$oJlm, J%ly $th, 1793.
AN ORATION.
IT has been a custom, fan&ioned by the uni
versal pa ft ice of civilized Nations, to ce
lebrate with anniversary solemnities, the re-
by events the mod important to the happiness
<?f the people. In co.unt. ies where the natu
ral dignity of mankind has been degraded by
the weakness of bigotry, or debaled by the
miseries of dsfpotifm, this cuflomary celebra
tion has degenerated into a servile mockery
of feftivity upon tbe birth-day of a fceptered
tyrant, or ha: dwindled to an unmeaning re
vel, in honour of some canonized fanatic, of
whim nothing now remains but the name, in
the calendar of antiquated superstition. In
those more fortunate regions of the earth
where Liberty has eon del tended to reticle,
t!>e cheerful gratitude.of her favored people
to innocent gaiety and i.fcful re
laxation from the toils of virtuous industry,
the periodical revolution of those days which
fcave been rendered iiiuftrious by the triumphs
of freedom.
AMERICANS ! Such is the nature of the in
stitution which again caJIV yoijr attention to
celebrate the establishment of your national
Independence. And fin ely fihee the creation
of the heavenly or§ which fepa rated the (lay
from the night, amid the unnumbered events
which have diverfified the hiltory of the hu
man race, none has ever occurred mure high
ly defer ving of celebration by every species of
ceremonial, t'lat can teftify a lerife of grati
tude to the Pmty, and of happiness, derived
from his rranfeendent favours.
It is a wife and f'aiutary institution, which
forcibly recalls to the memory of freeflwn,
the principles uppn wheh they originally
founded their labouring plan of state. It is a
facrifice at the a tar of Liberty berfe'f*
renewal of homage to the Sovereign, who
alone is worthy of our veneration a pro
fcfUon of political fidelity, expreflive of our
adherence to those maxims of liberal submis
sion and obedient freedom, which in these fa
voirecl clime*, have harmonized the long
eontending claims of liberty and law. By a
frequent recurrence to those fentisrieMts and
$&ions upon which the glory and felicity of
the nation reft Purported, \ve are enabled to
renew the moments of biifs which we are not
permitted to retain ; we secure a permanen
cy to the exaltation which the Constitution cf
has rendered fleeting, and a perennial
fxiftente to enjoyment? which the lot of hu
manity has made tranlitory,
The 44 feelings, marr.Cis avd principles"
which led to the Ind pendente of our Coun
try ; such, m> friends and fellow citizens, is
the theme of » nr present commemoration
The fir Id i« extensive ; it it fruitful t but the
eppiom treasures of its fragrance have alrea
dy gathered by the hands of genius; and
now reinav:s for the gleaning of mental
Indigence, nought but the tbinly Scattered
sweets wh eh have e leaped the vigilance of
thfi induftrv.
T'icv weie the fame feeiing", manners »rd
principle*, which ciiiuluficd «nr venerable
£or<£sj troui tUc flimtj of up
'BMSHKD WEDNESDAYS ANI) SATORDA
01. IV.]
p"C.TSo;? ; • .J |bem with the ftib •
lims purpose of c-.; >verting the forefts #»fj? a
wilderne<s inf~» the favourite nianfion of Li
»?rty; of f*fa*ncw world,
i a refuge for the vi'&im*; of perfctufion in
lie; old. The ieeiings />f injured freedom, the
manners of social equal ty, and the principles
of fteriMl justice.
Had the Sovereigns of England purfiiec? the
policy prefenbed by their interest, had tr-ey
not p ovoked fire hostilities of their Colonics
against the foebie fort re fs of their authority,
they might perhaps, have- retained to tivs Ha>
an Snip}ie which would have been but th<
more rlurab'e, for reiting only upon the.ioun
d ition of immemorial custom, and nation#
affection.
Incumbered however with the
glorv of a fuceef.ful war, which ha:i enriched
the pride of Britain, with the fpoiis oi 1e v owp
opulence, and replenished the arrogance in
proportion 39 it had eKhaufted rf e resources
of the nation; an adventurous miuiftry, catch
ing at every desperate expedient to fnpport
the ponderous burden of flic national dignify,
a*',d n.ijnu'a*6d by the perfidious mitigations
of thi\r dependent" ; ; ' s.
the profitable commercial policy of their pre
d?ceflors, and fu/)era<!ded to the lucrative
system of monopoly, which we had always to- !
lerated us the price of their_ protection, a sys
tem of internal taxation from which they
hoped to derive a fond for future corruption,
and a upply for future extravagance.
The nation eagei I.y grasped at the proposal.
The situation, the the Sentiments
of-tbe colonies, were futjefts upon which the
people of Britain were divided between igno
rance and erro'-. The endearing ties of con
sanguinity, which had connected their ancef
tori, with those of the Americans, had been
gradually loqjened to the verge of di/Tolution,
by the ilow but ceaseless hand of" time. Jfa
ftead of returning the Sentiments of f aternal
afFection, which animated-the Americans, they
indulged their vanity with prepoilerous opi
nions of in*ulting superiority : they considered
us, not as fellow-fubje.cts equally entitled with
themselves to every privilege of' Englishmen ;
but as wretched outcalfa, upon whom they
might fafely load the burden, while they re
national grandeur, it has been observed, that
the nations the most highly favoured with
freedom, have not always been the most
friendly to the liberty of others. The people
of Britain, expected to feel none of the op
pression which a parliamentary tyranny might
impose upon the Americans; on the contrary,
they expelled au alleviation of their buulen,
from the accumulation of ours, and vainly
hoped that by the ftvipes inflicted upon us,
their wounds would be healed.
The King—Need it be fa id, that he adopt
as the atfVjirtug of hi* own affe&ions, a plan
f<? favorable to the natural propensity of roy
alty towards arbitrary power. Depending
upon the prostituted valour of his mercenary
legions, he was deaf to the complaints, he
was inexorable to tiie remnnftrances of vio
lated freedom. Born and educated tp the
ufuaj prejudices of hereditary dominion, and
habitually accustomed to the syren-song of
adulation, he was ready tp believe what the
courtly tribe about his throne did not fail to
afhire hini; that complaint was nothing more
than the mm mur of {edition,and reiponftrance
the clamour of rebellion.
But they knew net the people with whom
they had to contend. A people, sagacious and
enlightened to discern, cool and deliberate to
difi ufs, firm and resolute to maintain their
rights. From the fit® appearance of the
system of parliamentary opprefflon under the
fo-m of a stamp ast, it wps met, by the de
termined opposition of the whole American
Continent. The annals of other nations have
produced instances of fuccefsful struggles to
break a yoke previously imposed ; but the
records of Hiftoi y did not perhaps furnifli an
example of a people whole penetration had
anticipated the operations of tyranny, and
whose spirit hud diltiained to fuffer an experi
ment upon the ( ir liberties. The ministerial
partizens had flattered themselves with the
expectation that the A& would execute it
feJf; that before the hards of Freedom could
be raised to repel the they would
be loaded with fetters; that the American
Samp Ton would be shorn of his locks while
asleep ; and when thus bereaved of his ftrengjb,
might be made their f'port with impunity,—
Vain illusion !—I; ftantarec us and forcel ; b
as an ejeftrip spark, the fervid spirit of re
finance pervaded every part of the country ;
aijd at the moment, when the operation of
the system was intended to commerce, it
was indignantly rpje&ed, by three millions of
men ; high mil ded men, determined to fa
crifice their exigence, rather than refjgn the
Liberty, front whigb, all its eijoyments \vere
derived.
It in unn:ce(Tary to pursue the detail of ob
stinacy and cryeltv on the one part ; of per
severance and fortitude on the other, until
the period when every chord which hod bound
the two countries l.igether, was deftoyed by
the violence of reciprocal huftilitiei, and tie
Wednesday, July 51, 1795. [Whole No. 444/,
484-
*
... 4 w-p -
- • *« •■'—-- -
5 BY JOHN
j -cpre'entarives of adopted the
I measure, which was already dictated by the
S wifhe<; of their conftitucnts ; they declared
| the United Colonies free, sovereign and iuue-
J pendent States.
An\ericans ! let us pnu/e for a mojnent to
consider the fitnation of our country, at that
eventful day when our national exigence
commenced. In the lull pofTeffion mid en
j joymrnt of all those prerogatives for which
I you then dared to adventure upon 4i ail the
[ varieties of untried betysL't the calm andiet
i tTed moderation of the mind, is scarcely com
j peret)t to conceive the tone of heroism, to
which "the fouls of freemen were exalted in
tliat .hour of perilous magnanimity. Seven
teen times has the fun, in the progress of his
3nn.ua 1 revolutions, diffused his prolific radi
ance over'the plains of Independent America.
Millions of heats which then palpitated' with
the rapturous glow off patriotism, have al
ready been translated t.o brighter worlds ; to
the abodes of m >te tlian mortal freedom.
Other millions have arisen to receive from
t'leir pa-etits and the :neftrma
bie ■r<- , compen'e of their archil vements. A
ne-volence is at this moment Kfteinng to the
speaker of the day, like him were at that 1 pe
riod too little advanced beyond the threshold
of life to partake of the divine enthusiasm
which inspired the American bosom ; which
prompted her voi-ce to proclaim defiance !
to the thunders of Britain ; which confccra
ted the banners of the armies ; and finally
ereftfd the holy temple «»f American Liberty.,
over the tomb of departed tyrapuy. Jt is
f 'om thoG? who have already pasTed the meri
dian of life ; it is from yon, ve vene able af
ferters of the rights of mankind, that we
are to be informed, what were the feelings
which swayed within your breads and impel
led you to action, when, like the {tripling of
IfneaJ, with scarce a weapon to attack, and
without a shield for your defence, you met,
and undismayed, engaged with the gigantic
greatness of the Britifli power. Untutored
in the difgraceful science of human butchery ,;
deftituteof the fatal materials which tfoe in
genuity of man has combined, to sharpen the
fcyth? of death ; unfnpported bv the arm of
-TV,*--'. J } ► ~ L V
nf ten on reletting ebe~
mfj you did not hesitate at that moment,
when your coasts vc/c infefi.ed by,a formida
ble fleet, when your territories were invaded
by a numerous ?nd veteran army, to pro
nounce the sentence of eternal feparatinn
from Britain, and to throw the gauntlet at a
power the terror of who'e recent triumphs
was almofi: co extenGve with the earth—The
Interested and felfifli propensities which in
times of prosperous tranquility have such
powerful.dominion over the heart, were all
expelled, and in their {lead, the public vir»
tnes, the spirit of perfwnal devotion to the
common cause. a contempt of every danger
in comparison with the subserviency of the
country, had aflumed an unlimited controul.
The paliion for the public, had -absorbed all
the reft ; as the .glorious Iwminary of heaven
extingu'fbes in a flood of refulgence the twink
ling fpJendo'r of every inferior planet. Thole
of you my countrymen who weie altars ill
those interesting scenes, will bed know, how
feeble, and impotent is the language of this
description to exorefs the impaflioned emo
tions of the foul, with which you wert then
agitated: yet it were injuilice to conclude
from thence, or from the greater prevalence
of private and motives in these days
of calm serenity, that your sons have dege
nerated from the virtues of their fathers.
Let It rather be a fubje6t of pleasing reflexion
to you, that the generous a»d, disinterested
energies, which you were summoned to dis
play, are permitted by the bountiful indul
gence of Heaven to remain latent in the bo
soms of your children. Fro;fl the prefect
prosperous appearance of our public affairs,
Wf may admit a rational hope that our coun
try will have no oecafion to require of us
those exraordinary and heroic exertions which
it was your fortune to exhibit. Eut from
the common versatility of all human destiny,
fliould the profpeft hereafter dofken, and the
clouds of public misfortune thicken to 2 lem
peft ; ibould the voice of our country's ca
lamityever call us to her relief, w swear
by Ihe precious memory of the (ages who
toiled, and of the heroes who bled in her de
fence, that we will prove onrfelves not un
jrbkt&y of the prize, which they so <lea»!y pur
chased • rliat we will ast as the faithful dis
ciples of those who so magnanimously taught
us the inflru&jye leflpn of republican virtue.
Seven years of incfieftual hcftility, an hun
dred millions of treasure frnitlefsly expended,
and uncounted thonfands of human lives fa>
crifjeed to no purpose, at length taught tie
dreadful lesson of v ifdom to tie 13ritifh Go
vernment, and compelled them to relinquish
a which they had long since l>een unab e
to maintain. The pride of Britain, tvlu*_h
fhc.nld have been humbled, was only mortified.
Willi fallen impotence, she yielded to tie
pressure «,f accumulated calamity, &».d closed
with reluctance an inglorious war. in whici)
?, No. 34, NOPTH FIFTH-STREET, PHILADELPHIA.
>
;} 4S,
I <V had often tho objefl-, a-;! rxxly the
a&or of a tviiimpli.
The various ocru-rc-ces M" onr national
hiftorv, finte that period, are u irhin the re
collec'ritw of«s myhes • e-r, Tn* relaxation
and (lability <>l tTie political body, which 'iic
ceeded the violent potion* it barf made du
ring the- war : the total metfic.uv of fke're
commcndatorvfedera! system, which had Ue.i
formed -a the hofbm of coiit? ntitfn } the
peaceable and deliberate adoption of a mors
effectual national Cefrfl-.tiitign by the people of
the union, and the proFperfHj', administration
of that government, which has lepaired the
(hattered fabric of public confidence, which
has ftren;;thened the salutary bands of nation
al union, and restored the bloom and vigour
of lHijMrtial jultice,to the public countenance,
afford a fohj-ft of pleasing contemplation to
tie patriotic mind. "The repeated unanimi
tv of/he nation l,a<! placed at the head of the
American councils, rhe heroic leade , whose
prudence and valoor condnfted to victory the
arm es of freedom ; and tlie two fi'-ft otiice*
of rW< Commonwealth, (li;i exhibit the vir
tue'; and employ the talent* of the vrt'e'aWe
prir-ots, wliofe fi'-ro a d diftiiffetefted devr
fion to the cau r e of Llbe- ry, wai rewarded
bv the honorable drftinftion of a Br'nTh -p'o
cription. Am?) 'tans ! the voice of grates ul
freedom is a ftran er to the language ofadu
lation. While we' w 1(1) tbefc- iljnftfftm* sa
ges to lx? alTu ed that Hie memory of (heir ser
vices is imprejfed upon id] our hearts, in
clraiafters, indelible to the latest pe i<,d of
tiine, we trul that the rn .ft acceptable tr .
but-• of refpeft winch can-be offered ro 'heir
vrtnes, is found in the confidence of their
countrymen. From the fervent rrfinii,-t-ion
ol luture ages, when the hiflorir.ns of Ame
rica, lb all -trace from their examples the
splendid pattern of public virtue, th. ir me its
will receive a recompense of much mo it pre
cious estimation than can be conferrcif fr the
mod flattering teftinionials of ion tempo ra
neoii* applauTc.
Tlw itoajn'rhut? ni'fl importance (»f the
great event which we derives
a vast t acccifeon.fruru its influence upon the
affairs al t!>e wprjc!, and its operation upon
fh" h 'Vrr r»<;-r ffll "Vi l |4 It has already teen
volution beai's a different from that
of any civtl C<Wtt?ff, thai had ever ari
sen among men. It was not the convuHive
ftrnggle of tlairftry to throw off the bu»den of
accumulated opprefTion but the deliberate,
though enei petic effort of freemen, to repel
the insidious approaches of tyranny. It was
a contest involving the elementary principles
of government, a question of right between
the sovereign and the f'uhjeft which in its pr«>-
greflj had a tendency to introduce a:iux: £ the
civilized nations of Europe, the difcu£an of
a topic the firft in magnitude, which c<:ti at
tract the attention of mankind, but which for
many ctnturie-, the gloorhy (hade-; of defpot
i'm had overspread with impenetrable d.vik*
ness. The French nation cheerfully Uipport
ed an alliance with the Uni ed Stares aid a
war with during the courle of yi.icb
a large body of troops ai d confidtrablc fleets
xveiefer.t hy the French government, to a£t in
conjunction with their new allies. The un on
which had at firft been formed by the coa:ef
cence of a common enmity, was soon si en tb
ened by the bond* of a friendly intercourse,
and the inhjefts of an arbitrary prince, in
fighting the battles of freedom, soon learnt
to cherilh the catife of Liberty itfelf. By a
natural and eafv application to tbetiifelves of
the principles upon which the Americans »f
---ferted thejuftice of their warfare, they were
led to inqui-e intothe nature of the obligation
which prescribed their fiibnvflTon to their own
sovereign ; and when they discovered that
the consent of the people is the only legiti
mate sou ce of ?utho iry, they neceifaril/
drew tlie conclusion that their own obedience
was no more than the compujfive acqu'ef
cenre of fervitnde, and they waited only for
a favorable opportunity to recover the pbf
Jeflion of rhofe enjoyments, to which they had
neve? forfeited t;ie right. Sentiments of a
si lilar nature, by a gradual and impercep*
tible progre.s, fecretiv undermined all .the
foundatio- ft of their government ; and when
the neceffit-ies of the sovereign reduced li m
to the inevitable expedient of appealing to
the bene vol. nee of the peop'e, the magic taliP
man of despotism was broken, Hhe fpeli of
prefcrjptive tyranny was diflolved, and the
pompous pageant of their monarchy;, instan
taneously c turn bled to aronis.
The fub'equent European events winch
have let flip the dogS of war, to prey upon the
vitals cf humanity ; which have poured the
torment of over thefaireft harveflj
of European fertility.; which have unbound
the pinions of desolation* ai d Pent her forth to
feat tec peftiiente and death among the na
tions : the I caffold, smoking with the Wood of
a fallen monarch; the corpse-covered freid,
sphere agonizing nature flruggles with the
pangs fct' dilloTtftion; pe nric me my lappy
countrymen, to throw a pall over ohje&sl ke
fhete, which could only spread a gloom upon
the face of our Let us rather in r
V
y-. 'v -f