orations-第3章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



for　the　Constitution；　a　mere　revival　of　the　Articles　of

Confederation；　with　a　grant　of　additional　powers　to　the

Congress。　　Their　plan　was　respectfully　and　thoroughly

discussed；　but　the　want　of　a　government　and　of　the　sanction　of

the　people　to　the　delegation　of　powers　happily　prevailed。　　A

constitution　for　the　people；　and　the　distribution　of　legislative；

executive；　and　judicial　powers　was　prepared。　　It　announced

itself　as　the　work　of　the　people　themselves；　and　as　this　was

unquestionably　a　power　assumed　by　the　Convention；　not

delegated　to　them　by　the　people；　they　religiously　confined　it　to

a　simple　power　to　propose；　and　carefully　provided　that　it　should

be　no　more　than　a　proposal　until　sanctioned　by　the

Confederation　Congress；　by　the　State　Legislatures；　and　by　the

people　of　the　several　States；　in　conventions　specially

assembled；　by　authority　of　their　Legislatures；　for　the　single

purpose　of　examining　and　passing　upon　it。



And　thus　was　consummated　the　work　commenced　by　the

Declaration　of　Independencea　work　in　which　the　people　of　the

North　American　Union；　acting　under　the　deepest　sense　of

responsibility　to　the　Supreme　Ruler　of　the　universe；　had

achieved　the　most　transcendent　act　of　power　that　social　man　in

his　mortal　condition　can　performeven　that　of　dissolving　the

ties　of　allegiance　by　which　he　is　bound　to　his　country；　of

renouncing　that　country　itself；　of　demolishing　its　government；

of　instituting　another　government；　and　of　making　for　himself

another　country　in　its　stead。



And　on　that　day；　of　which　you　now　commemorate　the　fiftieth

anniversaryon　that　thirtieth　day　of　April；　1789was　this

mighty　revolution；　not　only　in　the　affairs　of　our　own　country；

but　in　the　principles　of　government　over　civilized　man；

accomplished。



The　Revolution　itself　was　a　work　of　thirteen　yearsand　had

never　been　completed　until　that　day。　　The　Declaration　of

Independence　and　the　Constitution　of　the　United　States　are

parts　of　one　consistent　whole；　founded　upon　one　and　the　same

theory　of　government；　then　new　in　practice；　though　not　as　a

theory；　for　it　had　been　working　itself　into　the　mind　of　man　for

many　ages；　and　had　been　especially　expounded　in　the　writings

of　Locke；　though　it　had　never　before　been　adopted　by　a　great

nation　in　practice。



There　are　yet；　even　at　this　day；　many　speculative　objections　to

this　theory。　　Even　in　our　own　country　there　are　still

philosophers　who　deny　the　principles　asserted　in　the

Declaration；　as　self…evident　truthswho　deny　the　natural

equality　and　inalienable　rights　of　manwho　deny　that　the

people　are　the　only　legitimate　source　of　powerwho　deny　that

all　just　powers　of　government　are　derived　from　the　consent　of

the　governed。　　Neither　your　time；　nor　perhaps　the　cheerful

nature　of　this　occasion；　permit　me　here　to　enter　upon　the

examination　of　this　anti…revolutionary　theory；　which　arrays

State　sovereignty　against　the　constituent　sovereignty　of　the

people；　and　distorts　the　Constitution　of　the　United　States　into　a

league　of　friendship　between　confederate　corporations。　　I　speak

to　matters　of　fact。　　There　is　the　Declaration　of　Independence；

and　there　is　the　Constitution　of　the　United　Stateslet　them

speak　for　themselves。　　The　grossly　immoral　and　dishonest

doctrine　of　despotic　State　sovereignty；　the　exclusive　judge　of　its

own　obligations；　and　responsible　to　no　power　on　earth　or　in

heaven；　for　the　violation　of　them；　is　not　there。　　The　Declaration

says；　it　is　not　in　me。　　The　Constitution　says；　it　is　not　in　me。







〃Oration　at　Plymouth；　December　22；　1802；　in　Commemoration

of　the　Landing　of　the　Pilgrims。〃





Among　the　sentiments　of　most　powerful　operation　upon　the

human　heart；　and　most　highly　honorable　to　the　human

character；　are　those　of　veneration　for　our　forefathers；　and　of

love　for　our　posterity。　　They　form　the　connecting　links　between

the　selfish　and　the　social　passions。　　By　the　fundamental

principle　of　Christianity；　the　happiness　of　the　individual　is

interwoven；　by　innumerable　and　imperceptible　ties；　with　that　of

his　contemporaries。　　By　the　power　of　filial　reverence　and

parental　affection；　individual　existence　is　extended　beyond　the

limits　of　individual　life；　and　the　happiness　of　every　age　is

chained　in　mutual　dependence　upon　that　of　every　other。　　

Respect　for　his　ancestors　excites；　in　the　breast　of　man；　interest

in　their　history；　attachment　to　their　characters；　concern　for

their　errors；　involuntary　pride　in　their　virtues。　　Love　for　his

posterity　spurs　him　to　exertion　for　their　support；　stimulates　him

to　virtue　for　their　example；　and　fills　him　with　the　tenderest

solicitude　for　their　welfare。　　Man；　therefore；　was　not　made　for

himself　alone。　　No；　he　was　made　for　his　country；　by　the

obligations　of　the　social　compact；　he　was　made　for　his　species；

by　the　Christian　duties　of　universal　charity；　he　was　made　for　all

ages　past；　by　the　sentiment　of　reverence　for　his　forefathers；　and

he　was　made　for　all　future　times；　by　the　impulse　of　affection　for

his　progeny。　　Under　the　influence　of　these　principles；



　　〃Existence　sees　him　spurn　her　bounded　reign。〃



They　redeem　his　nature　from　the　subjection　of　time　and

space；　he　is　no　longer　a　〃puny　insect　shivering　at　a　breeze〃；　he

is　the　glory　of　creation；　formed　to　occupy　all　time　and　all

extent；　bounded；　during　his　residence　upon　earth；　only　to　the

boundaries　of　the　world；　and　destined　to　life　and　immortality　in

brighter　regions；　when　the　fabric　of　nature　itself　shall　dissolve

and　perish。



The　voice　of　history　has　not；　in　all　its　compass；　a　note　but

answers　in　unison　with　these　sentiments。　　The　barbarian

chieftain；　who　defended　his　country　against　the　Roman

invasion；　driven　to　the　remotest　extremity　of　Britain；　and

stimulating　his　followers　to　battle　by　all　that　has　power　of

persuasion　upon　the　human　heart；　concluded　his　persuasion　by

an　appeal　to　these　irresistible　feelings：　〃Think　of　your

forefathers　and　of　your　posterity。〃　　The　Romans　themselves；　at

the　pinnacle　of　civilization；　were　actuated　by　the　same

impressions；　and　celebrated；　in　anniversary　festivals；　every

great　event　which　had　signalized　the　annals　of　their　forefathers。　

To　multiply　instances　where　it　were　impossible　to　adduce　an

exception　would　be　to　waste　your　time　and　abuse　your

patience；　but　in　the　sacred　volume；　which　contains　the

substances　of　our　firmest　faith　and　of　our　most　precious　hopes；

these　passions　not　only　maintain　their　highest　efficacy；　but　are

sanctioned　by　the　express　injunctions　of　the　Divine　Legislator

to　his　chosen　people。



The　revolutions　of　time　furnish　no　previous　example　of　a

nation　shooting　up　to　maturity　and　expanding　into　greatness

with　the　rapidity　which　has　characterized　the　growth　of　the

American　people。　　In　the　luxuriance　of　youth；　and　in　the　vigor

of　manhood；　it　is　pleasing　and　instructive　to　look　backward

upon　the　helpless　days　of　infancy；　but　in　the　continual　and

essential　changes　of　a　growing　subject；　the　transactions　of　that

early　period　would　be　soon　obliterated　from　the　memory　but

for　some　periodical　call　of　attention　to　aid　the　silent　records　of

the　historian。　　Such　celebrations　arouse　and　gratify　the　kindliest

emotions　of　the　bosom。　　They　are　faithful　pledges　of　the

respect　we　bear　to　the　memory　of　our　ancestors　and　of　the

tenderness　with　which　we　cherish　the　rising　generation。　　They

introduce　the　sages　and　heroes　of　ages　past　to　the　notice　and

emulation　of　succeeding　times；　they　are　at　once　testimonials　of

our　gratitude；　and　schools　of　virtue　to　our　children。



These　sentiments　are　wise；　they　are　honorable；　they　are

virtuous；　their　cultivation　is　not　merely　innocent　pleasure；　it　is

incumbent　duty。　　Obedient　to　their　dictates；　you；　my　fellow…

citizens；　have　instituted　and　paid　frequent　observance　to　this

annual　solemnity。　　and　what　event　of　weightier　intrinsic

importance；　or　of　more　extensive　consequences；　was　ever

selected　for　this　honorary　distinction？



In　reverting　to　the　peri