Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 7.djvu/290

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Afia have fince thrown their diadems, was com- pelled to fubmit to the fword of our father

WASHINGTON. The great drama is now

completed — our Independence is now acknow- ledged ; and the hopes of our enemies are blafl-

ed forever ! Columbia is now feated in the

forum of nations, and the empires of the world are loft in the bright effulgence of her glory !

Thus, friends and citizens, did the kind hand of over-ruling ' Providence conduct us, through toils, fatigues and dangers, to Independence and Peace. If piety be the rational exercife of the human foul, if religion be not a chimera, and if the vefliges of heavenly affiftance are clearly traced in thofe events, which mark the annals of our nation, it becomes us, on this day, in conlide- ration of the great things, which the Lord has done for us, to render the tribute of unfeigned thanks, to that God, who fuperintends the Uni- verfe, and holds aloft the fcale, that weighs the deftinies of nations.

The conclufion of the revolutionary war did not conclude the great achievements of our countrymen. Their military chara6ler was then, indeed, fufficiently eftablifhed ; but the time was coming, which should prove their po- litical fagacity.

No fooner was peace reftored with England, the firft orrand article of which was the acknow- ledgment of our Independence, than the old fyf- tem of confederation, di6lated, at firft, by necef- fity, and adopted for the purpofes of the moment, was found inadequate to the government of an extenfive empire. Under a full convi6lion of this, we then faw the people of thefe States, en- gaged in a tranfa(5tion, which is, undoubtedly, the

greateft

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