the Nations of the Earth; it must be acknowledged; respected; and, in all cases whatsoever, treated as what it is, the Actual Signal of a Sovereign Empire. The Spirit of Magnanimity, that Spirit which never ceases to feel that it is acting the part of a Sovereign over a Free People, who Governs by Authority within the State, and holds up his head with an ascendant address amongst his Equals, other Sovereigns of the Earth, is another constituent part of this character. A temper of invariable universal Benevolence, which circumscribes all the rest, and binds the Character into perfect System, is the crown of these (I will call them) political virtues. Being thus planted in a New System in a New Country; growing up under such principles of Truth and Nature; established in such a Constitution of Government; having in so short a period been brought forward to Independence, and become Sovereigns acknowledged so by the Sovereigns of Europe; all this coming into Event by Something beyond the ordinary course of Events in human affairs, THE UNITED States and CITIZENS OF AMERICA may say, "it is the Lord's doings." But let them remember, that enjoying a System of police that gives activity to their powers; that inhabiting a New World, a land of plenty and liberty; a country which hath so many sources of enjoyments which it offers to the Old World— let them remember the obligations which Heaven hath thus laid on them, and the returns which this Goodness reclaims of them; that They respect the rights and liberties of Mankind; that by a free commerce they diffuse to the World at large the surplus portion of these good things which they must be continually creating in their own World; that they consider themselves as the means in the hands of Providence, of extending the Civilization of human Society; and the Teachers, by their example, of those Political Truths, which are meant, not to enslave, but to render men more free and happy under Government.— If they take up this Character within themselves, and hold out its operations and effect to the Old World, they will become a Nation to whom all Nations will come; a Power whom all the Powers of Europe will court to Civil and Commercial Alliances; a People to whom the Remnants of all ruined People will fly, whom all the oppressed and injured of every nation will seek to for refuge. The riches of the Sea will pour in upon them; the wealth of Nations must flow in upon them; and they must be a populous and Rich People. Thomas Pownall, A Memorial Addressed to the Sovereigns of America (London, 1783), 128-138 passim. 16. Eloquence of the Revolution By RUFUS CHOATE A lawyer distinguished for his skill with juries. One of the best speakers on patriotic topics. AND then and thus come the orators of that time, kindling with their fire; sympathizing with that great beating heart; penetrated, not subdued; lifted up rather by a sublime and rare moment of history made real to his consciousness; charged with the very mission of life, yet unassured whether they will hear or will forbear; transcendent good within their grasp, yet a possibility that the fatal and critical opportunity of salvation will be wasted; the last evil of nations and men overhanging, yet the siren song of peace - peace when there is no peace - chanted madly by some voice of sloth or fear,-there and thus the orators of revolutions come to work their work! And what then is demanded, and how it is to be done, you all see; and that in some of the characteristics of their eloquence they must all be alike. Actions, not law or policy, whose growth and fruits are to be slowly evolved by time and calm; actions daring, doubtful but instant; the new things of a new world, these are what the speaker counsels; large, elementary, gorgeous ideas of right, of equality, of independence, of liberty, of progress through convulsion, —these are the principles from which he reasons, when he reasons, these are the pinions of the thought on which he soars and stays; and then the primeval and indestructible sentiments of the breast of man, his sense of right, his estimation of himself, his sense of honor, his love of fame, his triumph and his joy in the dear name of country, the trophies that tell of the past, the hopes that gild and herald her dawn,— these are the springs of action to which he appeals, these are the chords his fingers sweep, and from which he draws out the troubled music, "solemn as death, serene as the undying confidence of patriotism," to which he would have the battalions of the people march! Men heard that eloquence in 1776, in that manifold and mighty appeal by the genius and wisdom of that new America, to persuade the people to take on the name of nation, and begin its life. By how many pens and tongues that great pleading was conducted; through how many months, before the date of the actual Declaration, it went on, day after day; in how many forms, before how many assemblies, from the village newspaper, the more careful pamphlet, the private conversation, the town-meeting, the legislative bodies of particular colonies, up to the Hall of the immortal old Congress, and the master intelligences of lion heart and eagle eye, that ennobled it,—all this you know. But the leader in that great argument was John Adams, of Massachusetts. He, by concession of all men, was the orator of that revolution,-the revolution in which a nation was born. Other and renowned names, by written or spoken eloquence, coöperated effectively, splendidly, to the grand result, Samuel Adams, Samuel Chase, Jefferson, Henry, James Otis in an earlier stage. Each of these, and a hundred more, sent forth, scattering broadcast, the seed of life in the ready, virgin soil. Of that series of spoken eloquence all is perished; not one reported sentence has come down to us. The voice through which the rising spirit of a young nation sounded out its dream of life is hushed. And yet, of those lost words is not our whole America one immortal record and reporter? Do ye not read them, deep cut, defying the tooth of time, on all the marble of our greatness? How they blaze on the pillars of our Union! How is their deep sense unfolded and interpreted by every passing hour! how do they come to life, and grow audible, as it were, in the brightening rays of the light he foresaw, as the fabled invisible harp gave out its music to the morning! Yes, in one sense, they are perished. No |