Venerable men! You have come down to us from a former generation. Heaven
has bounteously lengthened out your lives, that you might behold this
joyous day. You are now where you stood fifty years ago this very hour,
with your brothers and your neighbors, shoulder to shoulder, in the strife
of your country. Behold, how altered! The same heavens are indeed over
your heads; the same ocean rolls at your feet; but all else, how changed!
You hear now no roar of hostile cannon, you see no mixed volumes of smoke
and flame rising from burning Charlestown. The ground strewn with the dead
and the dying; the impetuous charge; the steady and successful repulse;
the loud call to repeated assault; the summoning of all that is manly to
repeated resistance a thousand bosoms freely and fearlessly bared in an
instant to whatever of terror there may be in war and death--all these you
have witnessed, but you witness them no more.... All is peace; and God has
granted you this sight of your country's happiness, ere you slumber
forever in the grave. He has allowed you to behold and to partake the
reward of your patriotic toils; and He has allowed us, your sons and
countrymen, to meet you here, and in the name of the present generation,
in the name of your country, in the name of liberty, to thank you!--From
"_Oration on Laying the Corner-Stone of Bunker Hill Monument,_" _June 17,
1825._
* * * * *
If anything be found in the national Constitution, either by original
provision or subsequent interpretation, which ought not to be in it, the
people know how to get rid of it. If any construction be established
unacceptable to them, so as to become practically a part of the
Constitution, they will amend it at their own sovereign pleasure. But
while the people choose to maintain it as it is, while they are satisfied
with it and refuse to change it, who has given or who can give to the
State legislatures a right to alter it, either by interference,
construction, or otherwise?--_From a Speech delivered in the United States
Senate_, _January 26, 1830._
* * * * *
America has furnished to the world the character of Washington. And if our
American institutions had done nothing else, that alone would have
entitled them to the respect of mankind.--_From Speech on the Completion
of Bunker Hill Monument_, _June 17, 1843._
* * * * *
He smote the rock of the national resources, and abundant streams of
revenue gushed forth. He touched the dead corpse of Public Credit, and it
sprung upon its feet.--_Speech on Hamilton_, _March 10, 1831._
* * * * *
When tillage begins, other arts follow. The farmers therefore are the
founders of human civilization.--From "_Remarks on Agriculture,_" _January
13, 1840._
* * * * *
Labor in this country is independent and proud. It has not to ask the
patronage of capital, but capital solicits the aid of labor.--_Speech_,
_April 1824._
* * * * *
There is no refuge from confession but suicide; and suicide is
confession.--_From Argument on the Murder of Captain White_, _April 6,
1830._
* * * * *
Sink or swim, live or die, survive or perish, I give my hand and my heart
to this vote.--_Eulogy on Adams and Jefferson_, _August 2, 1826._
* * * * *
God grants liberty only to those who love it, and are always ready to
guard and defend it.--_Speech_, _June 3, 1834._
* * * * *
Whatever makes men good Christians, makes them good citizens.--_From a
Speech at Plymouth_, _December 22, 1820._
* * * * *