WE are assembled, my friends, not to celebrate the birth day of a monarch, a despot, a scourge to mankind; nor, with insanity, to rush into intoxication and madness, to the dis­grace of humanity; but for the laudable purpose, of commemorating, with rational joy and rejoicing, the birth-day of our Nation; to enjoy the luxury, of reflecting upon the great achievements of the sons of America, and the signal delivery, and boun­ty of Providence, granted by the establishment of our Independence: to meditate upon all, that hath been done for us, as a nation and a people, and, with a prophetic zeal, to anticipate the con­tinuance, and increase of our National glory, hon­or, and Independence, until all earthly glory shall cease.

ON such a momentous occasion, the mind seems to be lost and overwhelmed in the magnitude of the subject! A succession of remarkable events, glorious achievement: and Providential deliverances, [Page 4] rush upon the mind! and we would fain, at once, take a view of all things, present, past, and to come; consider the rise and progress of all na­tions, that have been, that are, or shall be; and the natural and moral causes of their rise and fall, their glory or disgrace. But on this theme, the philosophic and devout mind might dwell, with de­light, through its whole existence: And at this time, nothing more than a few hints, on the rise, progress, and state of our own country can be ex­pected. And although nothing new, or original should be offered on a subject, so often the theme of the most learned and eloquent; yet a bare re­petition of the remarkable events and providenc­es, respecting our nation, may tend to inspire us with a love of virtue, our neighbour and our Coun­try: and a reverence for "the author of every good and perfect gift."

TWO centuries have not yet passed away, since this whole country, these now united, flourishing States, were an entire wilderness. Where now moves the lofty steed, and roll the carriage wheels, were, then, no more than wild beast's range, or Indian paths. Where now are erected stately domes and magnificent edifices, were then no more than haunts for beasts, or Indian wig-warms. Where, now are settled the sons and daughters of reason, virtue and science, were then no more than beasts of prey, or savages, more fe­rocious than those beasts. Where now are many worshipers of the true God, were then only be­ings, who paid a mock homage to the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, or other inferior supposed divin­ities. [Page 5] Where, are now heard, with rapture, the improved band of bold, enlivening, martial music, and the softer notes of sacred, social harmony; was then nought but bestial howl, or Indian yell. And what was then an uncultivated wilderness, is now converted to pleasant fields and delightful gardens. And where were then no laws, no gov­erning, or directing principle, are now formed constitutions, laws and principles of virtue and morality, which outvie the Nations of the World. And the causes and means, which have led to this amazing difference, are worthy of consideration, and at this time, to advert to some of the princi­ples, may not be improper.

THAT rage for uniformity of Religion, which prevailed in the reign of James the first, and the severe laws made against nonconformist, were the immediate causes of the first emigration to Ameri­ca. Our ancestors, the first settlers of this coun­try, fired with indignation, at the severe restraints laid on them by unconscionable laws; and that they might escape persecution, and establish a pure church, resolved at all hazards, to quit their native country, and attempt a settlement, in the then wilderness of America: Their ardent love for civ­il and religious liberty, inspired them, with more than Roman magnanimity and heroism; and they cheerfully committed themselves to the "rude mercy of the winds and the waves," rely­ing upon the rectitude of their intentions, and put­ting their trust in him, who commands the sea and the tempest.

TO attempt to paint, in true colours, the hard­ships, [Page 6] dangers and distresses, our forefathers indured, by reason of want, sickness, and Indian barbarity, would be too painful a task for this joyful occa­sion. Suffice it now, to say, that supported, and encouraged, by their love for civil and religious liberty, and a reliance on providential aid, they en­dured, with transport, all fatigues and sufferings; they persevered, they were providentially preserv­ed: and from them have descended a people of the first rank among the nations of the earth.

THE strength, wealth, population and resour­ces of the colonies were not, however, generally known in Great-Britain, until the commencement of the war of seventeen hundred and fifty five. This country being, in a great measure, the seat of that war, the military genius and abilities of the people began to be displayed. And altho' it was thought, the war terminated gloriously for Great-Britain, yet the nation was thereby loaded with an immense debt. Hence originated that iniquitous system of American taxation, which was madly en­tered upon, and continued with a black catalogue of oppressive measures, from the era of the stampt act, to the final disunion of the Colonies from the Mother Country.

AT this age, and in this country, where politi­cal knowledge is so generally diffused, and the rights of man so well understood, it is unnecessary, it would be impertinent, to bring a single argu­ment, to waste a breath of time, in showing, that these oppressive measures towards America, were, in every point of view, unreasonable and unjustifi­able; that they were the offspring of tyranny [Page 7] oppression, and madness; and that the Americans had they tamely submitted, to such encroachments, on their rights and privileges, would have been lost to all sense of liberty, and the rights of man: they would have disgraced themselves and their worthy ancestors, whose spirits must have risen, and justly accused them of baseness and timidity, and bestowed upon them the vile epithet of content­ed slaves; posterity would have cursed them; and they would have become the scorn and deri­sion of the World. But Americans could not thus disgrace themselves, their ancestors, and their posterity. Their cause for resistance was just: and with one mind, "they resolved to die freemen, rather than live slaves."

HUMBLE petitions and remonstrances for re­dress of grievances were at first, prefer'd to the crown, and continued, to no effect, together with some military, defensive operations, to the ever memorable day of July, seventeen hundred seven­ty six: when the Congress of these States, as if directed by unerring wisdom, pronounced that glorious, solemn, sublime Declaration of Indepen­dence, which gave birth to our Nation! Nations listened, with astonishment to the sound; and Heaven approved the deed!

TO give a history of the Revolutionary War, at this time, cannot be expected; and is not ne­cessary. We may, however at one view, see, that it was by the wisdom of our councils; by the vir­tue and firmness of the people; by the bravery and good conduct of our soldiers; by the assistance of a foreign Nation, whom we then considered our [Page 8] friend; by the judgment and prudence of our Leader and more especially by the blessing, and the mighty arm of the Lord, that we were brought to Peace, Independence and Glory: that we burst the bands of slavery, and became an Independent Nation, to the astonishment of the world! though at the expense of much blood and suffering. Well then, may our country be dear to us; for it was purchased, by the services, sufferings, toils, and dangers of our greatest and best citizens: It was bought, by the blood of WARREN, MER­CER, MONTGOMERY, and many other distinguish­ed heroes, in the cause of Freedom.

At the happy conclusion of the war, for a while, all was joy and rejoicing in our Land: But it was not long, before murmerings and dis­contents arose among the people; and those very men, who resisted, with firmness, the foreign invad­ers of their rights and privileges, manifested a dis­position to encroach upon the rights of each other, and destroy the peace and happiness of society in America. As soon as the pressures of the war were over, and that kind of enthusiasm for liberty had abated, which for a while produced a patriot­ism and unanimity, which answered the purposes of energetic laws; the old confederation was found too weak and insufficient, to preserve our nation in a state of tranquillity. Discord and confusion began to prevail in our land, and the demon, insur­rection, with her envenomed wings, sat brooding over the offspring of our National Destruction. The passions and prejudices of the people were stronger than armies, and more dangerous to the [Page 9] Independence and good government of America. The friends of virtue, of civil and religious liber­ty were alarmed; and at lenth, roused from their lethargy, procured the adoption of the Federal Constitution, which immediately reestablished order and public credit in our nation; and to this day stands the administration of the political World. It was form'd by the collected wisdom of America, upon the experience of ages; and its excellence has been uniformly acknowledged, by the friends of virtue, good government, and order, through­out the world.

YET the enemies of our country, of virtue and religion, have continually made violent oppositions to this excellent government, and the just admin­istration thereof. Disappointed Ambition has ever been sowing the seeds of discord and contention in our land; and contriving every diabolical plan, that could be devised, to poison the minds of the honest, ignorant and uninformed, against the best government, and the best administration in the world! Every species of immorality, impiety, irreligion and Jacobinism, have conspired together, to undermine our happy Constitution; to bring in­to contempt the worthy administrators of our Laws; and to place in office, men, opposed to our govern­ment, and the happifying principles of religion and morality; to stir up insurrections against the general government; and to poison that fountain of virtue, by which all free governments are support­ed. And even a foreign nation has had the inso­lence, to interfere in our national concerns, to disturb our union and happiness, and to attempt to bring [Page 10] about a revolution in America. And the danger from this quarter was great, for she was a nation, for whom we had much charity and affection, on account of the services she had rendered us, in our revolution, and her fair pretentions, in the begin­ing of her own. For, having received some sparks of true liberty from this country, France began with high professions of reforming her govern­ment and religion, and establishing the rights of man in her own nation. But she soon leaped the bounds of liberty, moderation, and reason, and, without any colour of justification, invaded the rights and liberties of free and independent states; and, with satanic madness, strove to annihilate ev­ery system of religion and morality; to revolution­ize, demoralize, and Jacobinize the world.

HENCE slaughter, devastation, and horrors, spread through Europe: and threatened to cross the Atlantic. But the spirit and firmness of our government, under the smiles of a benevolent De­ity, have averted these calamities.

BUT I will not dwell on so unpleasant a sub­ject, as we hope all will be buried in oblivion, by friendly and honourable negotiation: And may that Providence, that has hitherto delivered us, ever direct, that no weapon formed against our peace and good government shall prosper!

BUT while, on this memorable day, our hearts are filled with joy and rejoicing, for the long prosperity we have enjoyed, and the blessings of Providence displayed towards our favoured land; we have this grief to mingle with our joy; that since our last anniversary, the best of men, the delight [Page 11] of his country, our political saviour, has been taken from us! Yes, our beloved WASHINGTON, after having led us through a long and glorious war, to peace and independence; after having presided in our councils, and conducted our gov­ernment with distinguished honour and reputation; after having become an example of all that is ami­ble, virtuous, and magnanimous in man, rests from his labours! It would be in vain to attempt, to and new applause to his memory; for there is not a breath of air in America that is not perfumed with his praise, that has not vibrated his worth! Let us then, silently acquiesce in the will of Prov­idence, and leave him to his rest. Peace be to thy name, O! WASHINGTON! "May the green sod lay light upon thy breast, and sweet thy slumbers be in the house appointed for all the liv­ing!"

BUT duly to notice past events, is not the on­ly business of man. The present state of things, and the future prospect, demand still higher atten­tion. And a wise and virtuous people, while they reflect, with gratitude, upon the blessings they have enjoyed, and the evils, from which they have been delivered, will consider also their present priv­ileges; strive to remedy existing evils; prevent future; merit further good; and attend to their advantages in comparison with other nations.

LET us then, for a moment, consider our own situation and privileges, and see, if we have not reason to love our country, and be attached to our government: For if we trace the histories of all nations, in all ages of the world; where shall we [Page 12] find a single nation, possessing the advantages for happiness and prosperity, which we have in our country.

THE greater part of mankind, who are, in any degree civilized, are under governments, which they had no voice in forming; and their laws are administered by men, whom they never chose for that purpose. But we have established a govern­ment of our own choice; our laws are, in fact, made by ourselves; and administered by men of our own appointment. We are free from the horrors and devastations of European wars—We are separated, by an extensive ocean, from every powerful, contentious nation. Civil and religious science, and useful information, are more general­ly diffused among the people, than in any other country: Our commerce is in a flourishing state, although it has been, unjustly, and ignominiously insulted by foreign nations. Our land is in a state of high cultivation, producing in great abundance, all the necessaries, and enough of the luxuries of life. Even the poor and unfortunate, have ample pro­vision made for their necessary support. And Providence seems to have with-held no good thing from us.

YET notwithstanding all these advantages, we have enemies to encounter, and evils to endure. The ungoverned passions, and unreasonable preju­dices of the people, will always disturb their peace and happiness, and destroy their Govern­ment unless the friends of virtue and order, exert every nerve for their support. The prevalence of irreligion, immorality, and dissoluteness of man­ners, [Page 13] poison the public mind, and give the ene­mies of our country, at least, some hopes of excit­ing disaffection in the people to their righteous government. And all the engines, which disap­pointed ambition can invent, are brought into op­eration, to prejudice the people against their Con­stitution, their Laws and their Rulers. The most gross falshoods and slanders are propagated against our legislators, and most virtuous men in office. And all the arts of sophistry are exerted, by de­signing men, to make the people believe, that laws, made to restrain such destructive conduct, are unreasonable, unjust, and unconstitutional: That our legislators, men of our own choice, are en­deavouring to sacrifice our liberties, and enslave our country!—That duly restraining the press from the most abominable licentiousness and abuse, is destroying its just freedom:—And that the people are deprived of their darling rights and privileges, if they are not legally authorised, to vilify their government, and defame its administrators. It would be an insult upon the good sense of my audience, were I to waste a moment, in proving the inconsist­ance, and absurdity of such conduct. It is clear as the sun that now blazes upon us: and yet it is evident that evils of this nature actually exist; and that too much mischief and discontent have there­by been effected. But is there no remedy? Yes, wisdom, time, and discreet conduct may provide one.

Let the citizens of the United States, but can­didly consider, the superior advantages and priv­ileges, with which they are blest; let them ob­serve [Page 14] strict neutrality towards all nations; stand firm for their own rights, and exclude all foreign intrigue from the land; let them regulate and attend to their militia, so as to prevent the neces­sity of a Standing Army; let them become more warmly attached to their excellent government; let them uniformly place in office men of abilities and integrity, friends of virtue, patriotism, and re­ligion, and who make the Constitution their pole-star, and whose decisions are always marked with candor and firmness.

LET the people of each individual state, duly regulate their own concerns; discountenance all intrigue and undue conduct in elections; put a­way all ill grounded prejudices, party spirit and contention; establish and encourage systems of re­ligion and morality; nourish and foster seminaries of science and virtue; guard them from impiety, immorality, dissoluteness of manners, and prejudic­es against our government; plant in them the tree of liberty, which nourished by virtue and sci­ence, will produce well ordered lives: Inspire the rising generation with a love of virtue, patriotism, attachment to the Federal Constitution, and abhor­rence of all foreign influence.

LET our towns and societies be well regulated; let them promote good education, order and mo­rality in society; discountenance and discourage all falshood, slander, ill-grounded jealousy, and every species of immorality: Let them treat with disapprobation, those who oppose our government, and who imagine it a vain and wicked thing, to follow the laudable example of the most pious [Page 15] men, by duly and joyfully celebrating the anniver­sary of great events and remarkable providences; and who bury their rational powers in the dark abyss of bigotry and superstition: but let them encourage and promote every thing, that is ration­al, noble and disinterested; procure political infor­mation free from prejudice; attend to the reason of measures, rather than the clamour against them.

LET every individual in society regulate, and govern himself; throw aside his unreasonable prejudices; correct his disorderly passions; inform himself truly, before he judges. Let not the mad zealot, or flaming hot federalist, condemn a great and good man, for possible mistakes, or supposed im­proprieties: let him first possess half as much wis­dom and discernment as the man, whom he would sacrifice: Let him not imagine, that he is actuat­ed by a laudable zeal in a good cause, while he is impelled only by the mania of party spirit. Let no man affix the character of villain or rascal to his neighbour, who only honestly differs from him in opinion; but convince him if he is in an error, by candor and fairness of argument. And let no one from private interest, prejudice, disappointment, or unreasonable disgust, oppose the public good: Then will the evils, the mischiefs, that are lurk­ing in our land, for prey, gradually disappear.— Then the enemies of our country will not dare to show their faces. Then haggard envy and disap­pointed ambition may, in vain, calumniate our greatest and best citizens: And anarchy, and all the concomitants of antifederalism, in disguised patriotism, may bellow unnoticed to the people, [Page 16] that our liberties are in danger; for liberty will then be safe, for Americans will then love their country; will glory in their Constitution, and show respect to the Administrators of their laws: And then may we have some rational hopes, that "our land will be a land of liberty, the seat of virtue, the asylum of the oppressed, a name and a praise in the whole earth, until the last shock of time shall bury the empires of the world in undistinguished ruin."