Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

rism obscured its very ruins, that mighty continent may not emerge from the horizon, to rule for its time sovereign of the ascendant!

CONCLUSION of the foregoing Speech.

SUCH, sir, is the natural progress of human operations, and such the unsubstantial mockery of human pride. But I should, perhaps, apologize for this digression. The tombs are at best a sad, although an instructive subject. At all events, they are ill suited to such an hour as this. I shall endeavour to atone for it, by turning to a theme which tombs cannot inurn, nor revolutions alter.

2. It is the custom of your board—and a noble one it is-to deck the cup of the gay with the garland of the great. Allow me to add one flower to the chaplet, which, though it sprang in America, is no exotick: virtue planted it, and it is naturalized every where.

3. I see you concur with me, that it matters very little what immediate spot may be the birth-place of such a man as WASHINGTON. No people can claim, no country can appro priate him. The boon of Providence to the human race, his fame is eternity, and his residence creation.

4. Though it was the defeat of our arms, and the disgrace of our policy, I almost bless the convulsion in which he had his origin. In the production of WASHINGTON, it does really appear as if nature was endeavouring to improve upon herself, and that all the virtues of the ancient world were but so many studies preparatory to the patriot of the new.

5. Individual instances no doubt there were; splendid examples of some single qualification. Cæsar was merciful; Scipio was continent; Hannibal was patient; but it was reserved for WASHINGTON to blend them all in one, and, like the lovely master-piece of the Grecian artist, to exhibit in one glow of associated beauty the pride of every model, and the perfection of every master.

6. As a general, he marshalled the peasant into a veteran, and supplied by discipline the absence of experience. As a statesman, he enlarged the policy of the cabinet into the most comprehensive system of general advantage; and such was

the wisdom of his views, and the philosophy of his counsels, that to the soldier and the statesman he almost added the character of the sage.

7. A conqueror, he was untainted with the crime of blood; a revolutionist, he was free from any stain of treason, for aggression commenced the contest, and his country called him to the command. Liberty unsheathed his sword, necessity. stained, victory returned it.

8. If he had paused here, history might have doubted what station to assign him, whether at the head of her citizens or soldiers, her heroes or her pa'triots. But the last glorious act crowns his career and banishes all hesitation. Who, like WASHINGTON, after having emancipated a hemisphere, resigned its crown, and preferred the retirement of domestick life to the adoration of a land he might be almost said to have created!

9. How shall we rank thee upon glory's page,
Thou more than soldier, and just less than sage ?
All thou hast been reflects less fame on thee,
Far less, than all thou hast forborne to be.

10. Such, sir, is the testimony of one not to be accused of partiality in his estimate of America. Happy, proud America! The lightnings of heaven yielded to your philosophy; the temptations of earth could not seduce your pa'triotism. -I have the honour, sir, of proposing to you as a toast, The immortal memory of GEORGE WASHINGTON.

EXAMPLE OF JUSTICE AND MAGNANIMITY.

"AMONG the several virtues of Aristi'des, that for which he was most renowned was justice; because this virtue is of most general use, its benefits extending to a great number of persons, as it is the foundation, and, in a manner, the soul of every publick office and employment.

2. Themistocles, having conceived the design of supplanting the Lacedemonians, and of taking the government of Greece out of their hands, in order to put it into those of the Athenians, kept his eye and his thoughts continually fixed upon that great project; and, as he was not very nice or scrupulous in the choice of his measures, whatever tended

towards accomplishing the end he had in view, he looked upon as just and lawful.

3. On a certain day, he declared, in a full assembly of the people, that he had a very important design to propose; but that he could not communicate it to the people, because its success required it should be carried on with the greatest secrecy; he, therefore, desired they would appoint a person to whom he might explain himself upon the matter in question

4. Aristi'des was unanimously fixed upon by the whole assembly, who referred themselves entirely to his opinion of the affair; so great a confidence had they both in his probity and prudence.

5. Themistocles, therefore, having taken him aside, told him, the design which he had conceived was to burn the fleet belonging to the rest of the Grecian states, which then lay in a neighbouring port; and by this mean Athens would certainly become mistress of all Greece.

6. Aristi'des hereupon returned to the assembly, and only declared to them, that, indeed, nothing could be more advan tageous to the commonwealth than Themis'tocles' project; but, at the same time, nothing in the world could be more unjust. All the people unanimously ordained that Themistocles should entirely desist from his project.

A DIALOGUE, SHOWING THE FOLLY AND INCONSISTENCY OF DUELLING.

Mr. Fenton. How now, Nero! why are you loading that

pistol? No mischief, I hope?

Nero. O no, Masser Fenton. I only going to fight de duel, as dey call em, with Tom.

Mr. F. Fight a duel with Tom! What has he done to you? Nero. He call me neger, neger, once, twice, three time, and I no bear him, Masser Fenton.

Mr. F. But are you not a negro, Nero?

Nero. Yes, Masser; but den who wants to be told of what one knows already?

Mr. F. You would not kill a man, however, for telling so simple a truth as that.

Nero. But den de manner, Masser Fenton, de manner; him every thing. Tom mean more him say, when he call Nero

names.

Mr. F. It is hard to judge of what a man means; but if Tom has insulted you, I have no doubt he is sorry for it.

Nero. Him say he sorry, very sorry; but what him signify when he honour gone? No, Masser; when de white man be insulted, what him do? he fight de duel. Den why de poor African no fight de duel too?

Mr. F. But do you know it is against the law to fight duels?

Nero. De white men fight, and de law no trouble himself about dem. Why den he no let de African have de same privilege? No, Masser Fenton, "Sauce for de goose, sauce for de gander.""

Mr. F. The white men contrive to evade the law, Nero, so that it cannot punish them.

Nero. Ah, Masser Fenton, de law no fair den; him let go de rogue who outwit him, and take hold of de poor African, who no know what him be.

Mr. F. It is a pity that those who know what is right do not set a better example. But, tell me, were you not always good friends before?

Nero. O yes, Masser Fenton, we always good friend, kine friend, since we boy so high, and dat make me ten time mad to be call neger, neger. O him too much for human nature

to bear!

Mr. F. But how do you expect to help the matter by fighting with Tom?

Nero. When I kill Tom, he no blackguard me more, dat sartain. And den nobody else call Nero name, I know.

Mr. F. True, Nero. But suppose Tom should kill you? Tom, you know, never misses his mark.

Nero. How? Masser Fenton. What dat you say ?

Mr. F. Suppose Tom should kill you, instead of your killing him; what would people think then? You know you are as .iable to be killed as he is.

Nero. O no, Masser Fenton, de right always kill de wrong when he fight de duel.

Mr. F. O no, Nero; the chance, at best, is but equal; and, as bad men are more used to such business, I have no doubt

that the instances in which the injured party is slain, outnumber those where the aggressor has suffered.

Nero. Nero never tink of dat before. (To himself.) Tom good marksman; I no good. Nero no kill Tom, Tom kill Nero, dat sartain. Poor Nero dead, de world say, dat good. for him; and Nero no here to contradict him. Poor Nero wife no home, no bread, no nottin now Nero gone. (Loud.) What Nero do, Masser Fenton? How him save him honour?

Mr. F. The only honourable course, Nero, is to forgive your friend, if he has wronged you, and let your future good conduct show that you did not deserve the wrong.

Nero. But what de world tink, Masser Fenton? He call Nero coward, and say he no dare fight Tom. Nero no coward, Masser Fenton.

Mr. F. You need not be ashamed of not daring to murder your friend. But it is not your courage which is called in question. It is a plain case of morality. The success of a duel must still leave it undecided, while it adds an awful crime and a tremendous accountability to the injury you have already sustained.

Nero. True, Masser Fenton, but de world no make de proper distinctions. De world no know Nero honest.

Mr. F. Nor does the world know that you are not honest. But what do you mean by the world, Nero?

Nero. Why, all de gentlemen of honour, Masser Fenton. Mr. F. You mean all the unprincipled men who happen to hear of this affair. Their number must be limited, and they are just such as you should care nothing about.

Nero. How! Masser Fenton. Dis all new to Nero.

Mr. F. The number of people who approve of duels, com pared with those who consider them deliberate murder, is very small, and amongst the enemies of duelling are always found the wise, humane and virtuous. Would you not wish to have these on your side?

Nero. O yes, Masser Fenton.

Mr. F. Well, then, think no more of duelling, for the duellist not only out'rages the laws of his country and humanity, but he incurs the censure of good men, and the vengeance of that God who has said, 66 THOU SHALT NOT KILL.

Nero. O Masser Fenton, take de pistol fore Nero shoot himself. Let de world call Nero neger, neger, neger; what

« AnteriorContinuar »