were acting however upon a resolu- and educated man. Every thing was tion not to be changed. With what- civilized but the physical world. Inever stifled regrets, with whatever stitutions containing in substance all occasional hesitation, with whatever that ages had done for human goappalling apprehensions, which might vernment, were established in a fosometimes arise with force to shake rest. Cultivated mind was to act on the firmest purpose, they had yet uncultivated nature; and, more than committed themselves to heaven and all, a government, and a country, the elements; and a thousand leagues were to commence with the very first of water soon interposed to separate foundations laid under the divine them for ever from the region which light of the christian religion. Hapgave them birth. A new existence py auspices of a happy futurity! awaited them here; and when they Who would wish, that his country's saw these shores, rough, cold, barba-existence had otherwise begun ?rous, and barren as then they were, Who would desire the power of gothey beheld their country. That ing back to the ages of fable ?—Who mixed and strong feeling, which we would wish for an origin, obscured call love of country, and which is, in in the darkness of antiquity ?—Who general, never extinguished in the would wish for other emblazoning of heart of man, grasped and embraced his country's heraldry, or other ornaits proper object here. Whatever ments of her genealogy, than to be constitutes country, except the earth able to say, that her first existence and the sun, all the moral causes of was with intelligence; her first breath affection and attachment, which ope- the inspirations of liberty; her first rate upon the heart, they had brought principle the truth of divine reliwith them to their new abode. Here gion? were now their families and friends; Local attachments and sympathies their homes, and their property. Be- would ere long spring up in the fore they reached the shore, they had breasts of our ancestors, endearing established the elements of a social to them the place of their refuge. system, and at a much earlier pe- Whatever natural objects are associriod had settled their forms of reli- ated with interesting scenes and high gious worship. At the moment of efforts, obtain a hold on human feeltheir landing, therefore, they possessing, and demand from the heart a sort ed institutions of government, and of recognition and regard. This institutions of religion; and friends Rock soon became hallowed in the and families, and social and religious esteem of the Pilgrims, and these institutions, established by consent, hills grateful to their sight. Neither founded on choice and preference, they nor their children were again to how nearly do these fill up our whole till the soil of England, nor again to idea of country! The morning that traverse the seas which surrounded beamed on the first night of their re- her. But here was a new sea now open pose, saw the Pilgrims already estab- to their enterprise, and a new soil, lished in their country. There were which had not failed to respond gratepolitical institutions, and civil liberty, fully to their laborious industry, and and religious worship. Poetry has which was already assuming a robe fancied nothing, in the wanderings of verdure. Hardly had they providof heroes, so distinct and character- ed shelter for the living, ere they istic. Here was man, indeed, unpro- were summoned to erect sepulchres tected, and unprovided for, on the for the dead. The ground had beshore of a rude and fearful wilder- come sacred, by enclosing the reness; but it was politic, intelligent mains of some of their companions VOL. II. Nos. 27 & 28. and connexions. A parent, a child, the disgrace of the Christian name a husband or a wife, had gone the and character, new efforts are makway of all flesh, and mingled with ing for the extension of this trade, by the dust of New-England. We na- subjects and citizens of Christian turally look with strong emotions to states, in whose hearts no sentiment the spot, though it be a wilderness, of humanity or justice inhabits, and where the ashes of those we have over whom neither the fear of God loved repose. Where the heart has nor the fear of man exercises a conlaid down what it loved most, it is trol. In the sight of our law, the desirous of laying itself down. No African slave trader is a pirate and a sculptured marble, no enduring mo- felon; and in the sight of heaven, an nument, no honourable inscription, offender far beyond the ordinary depth no ever-burning taper that would of human guilt. There is no brightdrive away the darkness of death, er part of our history, than that can soften our sense of the reality of which records the measures which mortality, and hallow to our feelings have been adopted by the governthe ground which is to cover us, like ment, at an early day, and at differthe consciousness that we shall sleep ent times since, for the suppression dust to dust with the objects of our of this traffic; and I would call on affections. all the true sons of New-England, to In a short time other causes sprung co-operate with the laws of man, and up to bind the Pilgrims with new the justice of heaven. If there be, cords to their chosen land. Chil- within the extent of our knowledge dren were born, and the hopes of fu- or influence, any participation in this ture generations arose, in the spot of traffic, let us pledge ourselves here, their new habitation. The second upon the Rock of Plymouth, to exgeneration found this the land of tirpate and destroy it. It is not fit, their nativity, and saw that they were that the land of the Pilgrims should bound to its fortunes. They beheld bear the shame longer. I hear the their fathers' graves around them, sound of the hammer, I see the and while they read the memorials of smoke of the furnaces where manatheir toils and labours, they rejoiced cles and fetters are still forged for in the inheritance which they found human limbs. I see the visages of bequeathed to them. 118. The Slave Trade. those who by stealth, and at midWebster. night, labour in this work of hell, foul and dark, as may become the artificers of such instruments of misery and torture. Let that spot be purified, or let it cease to be of NewI deem it my duty on this occa- England. Let it be purified, or let sion to suggest, that the land is not it be set aside from the Christian wholly free from the contamination world; let it be put out of the circle of a traffic, at which every feeling of of human sympathies and human rehumanity must for ever revolt-I gards, and let civilized man hencemean the African slave trade. Nei-forth have no communion with it. ther public sentiment, nor the law, I would invoke those who fill the has hitherto been able entirely to put seats of justice, and all who minister an end to this odious and abomina- at her altar, that they execute the ble trade. At the moment when wholesome and necessary severity of God, in his mercy, has blessed the the law. I invoke the ministers of Christian world with an universal our religion, that they proclaim its peace, there is reason to fear, that to denunciation of these crimes, and add its solemn sanctions to the au- concurrence with us in our sentithority of human laws. If the pul-ments of deep regard for our common pit be silent, whenever, or wherever, ancestors. We would anticipate and there may be a sinner bloody with partake the pleasure with which they this guilt, within the hearing of its will then recount the steps of Newvoice, the pulpit is false to its trust. England's advancement. On the I call on the fair merchant, who has morning of that day, although it will reaped his harvest upon the seas, that not disturb us in our repose, the voice he assist in scourging from those of acclamation and gratitude, comseas the worst pirates which ever in- mencing on the Rock of Plymouth, fested them. That ocean which shall be transmitted through millions seems to wave with a gentle magnifi- of the sons of the Pilgrims, till it cence to waft the burdens of an ho- lose itself in the murmurs of the Panest commerce, and to roll along its cific seas. treasures with a conscious pride; We would leave for the considerthat ocean, which hardy industry re- ation of those who shall then occupy gards, even when the winds have ruf- our places, some proof that we hold fled its surface, as a field of grateful the blessings transmitted from our toil; what is it to the victim of this fathers in just estimation; some proof oppression, when he is brought to its of our attachment to the cause of good shores, and looks forth upon it, for government, and of civil and religious the first time, from beneath chains, liberty; some proof of a sincere and and bleeding with stripes? What is ardent desire to promote every thing it to him, but a wide spread prospect which may enlarge the understandof suffering, anguish, and death? ings and improve the hearts of men. Nor do the skies smile longer, nor is And when, from the long distance of the air longer fragrant to him. The a hundred years, they shall look sun is cast down from heaven. An back upon us, they shall know, at inhuman and accursed traffic has cut least, that we possessed affections, him off in his manhood, or in his which running backward, and warmyouth, from every enjoyment belong- ing with gratitude for what our aning to his being, and every blessing|cestors have done for our happiness, which his Creator intended for him. run forward also to our posterity, and Webster. meet them with cordial salutation, ere yet they have arrived on the shore of Being. 119. Conclusion of Mr. WEBSTER'S Speech at Plymouth. Advance, then, ye future generations! We would hail you, as you rise in your long succession, to fill The hours of this day are rapidly the places which we now fill, and to flying, and this occasion will soon be taste the blessings of existence, where passed. Neither we nor our chil- we are passing, and soon shall have dren can expect to behold its return. passed, our own human duration They are in the distant regions of We bid you welcome to this pleasant futurity, they exist only in the all-land of the Fathers. We bid you creating power of God, who shall welcome to the healthful skies, and stand here, a hundred years hence, the verdant fields of New-England. to trace, through us, their descent We greet your accession to the great from the Pilgrims, and to survey, as inheritance which we have enjoyed. we have now surveyed, the progress We welcome you to the blessings of of their country, during the lapse of good government, and religious libera century. We would anticipate their ty. We welcome you to the trea sures of science, and the delights of Russia at Verona, in which that aulearning. We welcome you to the gust sovereign uttered sentiments transcendent sweets of domestic life, which appeared to him so precious, to the happiness of kindred, and pa- that he immediately hastened home, rents, and children. We welcome and wrote them down while yet fresh you to the immeasurable blessings of in his recollection. "The Emperor rational existence, the immortal hope declared," said he, "that there can of Christianity, and the light of everlasting Truth! no longer be such a thing as an English, French, Russian, Prussian, or Austrian policy: there is henceforth but one policy, which, for the safety 120. Part of Mr. WEBSTER's of all, should be adopted both by Speech on the Greek Question, people and kings. It was for me 1824-On the Policy of the Holy first to show myself convinced of the Alliance. principles upon which I founded the alliance; an occasion offered itself; The ultimate effect of this alliance the rising in Greece. Nothing cerof sovereigns, for objects personal to tainly could occur more for my inthemselves, or respecting only the terests, for the interests of my peopermanence of their own power, ple; nothing more acceptable to my must be the destruction of all just country, than a religious war in Turfeeling, and all natural sympathy, be- key: but I have thought I perceived tween those who exercise the power in the troubles of the Morea, the sign of government and those who are of revolution, and I have held back. subject to it. The old channels of Providence has not put under my mutual regard and confidence are to command 800,000 soldiers to satisfy be dried up, or cut off. Obedience my ambition, but to protect religion, can now be expected no longer than morality, and justice, and to secure it is enforced. Instead of relying on the prevalence of those principles of the affections of the governed, sove-order on which human society rests. reigns are to rely on the affections It may well be permitted that kings and friendship of other sovereigns. may have public alliances to defend There are, in short, no longer to be themselves against secret enemies." nations. Princes and people no long- These, sir, are the words which er are to unite for interests common the French minister thought so imto them both. There is to be an end portant as that they deserved to be of all patriotism, as a distinct nation-recorded; and I too, sir, am of the al feeling. Society is to be divided same opinion. But, if it be true that horizontally; all sovereigns above, there is hereafter to be neither a and all subjects below; the former Russian policy, nor a Prussian policy, coalescing for their own security, and nor an Austrian policy, nor a French for the more certain subjection of policy, nor even, which yet I will not the undistinguished multitude be- believe, an English policy; there will neath. This, sir, is no picture drawn be, I trust in God, an American poby imagination. I have hardly used licy. If the authority of all these language stronger than that in which governments be hereafter to be mixthe authors of this new system have ed and blended, and to flow in one commented on their own work. Mr. augmented current of prerogative, Chateaubriand, in his speech in the over the face of Europe, sweeping French Chamber of Deputies, in away all resistance in its course, it February last, declared, that he had will yet remain for us to secure our a conference with the Emperor of own happiness, by the preservation of our own principles; which I hope lic law of the world. Who has auwe shall have the manliness to ex- thorized these learned doctors of press on all proper occasions, and the Troppau, to establish new articles in spirit to defend in every extremity. this code ? Whence are their diThe end and scope of this amalga- plomas? Is the whole world expectmated policy is neither more nor less ed to acquiesce in principles, which than this-to interfere, by force, for entirely subvert the independence of any government, against any people nations? On the basis of this indewho may resist it. Be the state of pendence has been reared the beauthe people what it may, they shall tiful fabric of international law. On not rise; be the government what it the principle of this independence, will, it shall not be opposed. The Europe has seen a family of nations, practical commentary has correspond- flourishing within its limits, the small ed with the plain language of the among the large, protected not altext. Look at Spain, and at Greece. ways by power, but by a principle If men may not resist the Spanish above power, by a sense of propriety inquisition, and the Turkish scimi- and justice. On this principle the tar, what is there to which humanity great commonwealth of civilized must not submit? Stronger cases states has been hitherto upheld. can never arise. Is it not proper for There have been occasional deparus, at all times-is it not our duty, at tures, or violations, and always disthis time, to come forth, and deny, astrous, as in the case of Poland; and condemn, these monstrous prin- but, in general, the harmony of the ciples. Where, but here, and in one system has been wonderfully preservother place, are they likely to be re-ed. In the production and preservasisted? They are advanced with tion of this sense of justice, this preequal coolness and boldness; and they dominating principle, the Christian are supported by immense power. religion has acted a main part. ChrisThe timid will shrink and give way; tianity and civilization have laboured and many of the brave may be com- together; it seems, indeed, to be a pelled to yield to force. Human li- law of our human condition, that berty may yet, perhaps, be obliged to they can live and flourish only togerepose its principal hopes on the in- ther. From their blended influence telligence and vigour of the Saxon has arisen that delightful spectacle of race. As far as depends on us, at the prevalence of reason and princileast, I trust those hopes will not be ple over power and interest, so well disappointed; and that, to the extent described by one who was an honour which may consist with our own to the agesettled, pacific policy, our opinions and sentiments may be brought to act on the right side, and to the right end, on an occasion which is, in truth, nothing less than a momentous question between an intelligent age, full of knowledge, thirsting for improvement, and quickened by a thousand impulses, and the most arbitrary pretensions, sustained by unprecedented power. "And sovereign Law, the world's collected O'er thrones and globes elate, ill: Smit by her sacred frown, But this vision is past. While the teachers of Laybach give the rule, This asserted right of forcible in- there will be no law but the law of tervention, in the affairs of other na- the strongest. tions, is in open violation of the pub- It may now be required of me to |