The National Intelligencer And Washington Advertiser

A source doubtless takes pleasure in
Presenting to your readers specimens
Of American talent and patriotism,
Particularly when the occasions that call
Them forth are highly interesting.
We are not so loath to publish the
Following extracts from a historical
And argumentative oration delivered at
The request of a committee of arrangement
By C. P. Van Ness, Esq. of
Middlebury in the state of Vermont,
On the 4th of July last, at Jericho, in
That state, to a numerous collection of
Republicans. The author, in the late
disgraceful scenes which were acted
And attempted in that section of the
Union, during the existence of the em-
Bargo, with an honorable disinterested-
Ness and a manly firmness, applied
His shoulder to the wheel of govern-
Ment, disregarding that popular odi-
Um and persecution with which the
Basest passions of the human heart for
A moment threatened him, he was on
All occasions the spirited champion of
The laws the able counselor and in-
Trepid advocate of their officers and
Friends. Being a professional man,
Popular, and of high standing at the
Bar, he refused repeatedly and invari-
Ably, at a very great pecuniarily sac-
Rifice, all offers of gainful emolument
From the numerous infractions of the
Laws of his country.

The orator, after a short introduc-
Tory and prospective address, making
A transition from his more immediate
Subject, says, "But if one declaration
Of American independence has for
Thirty-three successive anniversaries
Been considered worthy of celebration
By a whole people, and the exercise of
The most exalted talents, surely the
Preservation of that independence from
The great and imminent dangers by
Which it has recently been assailed, is
Almost equally important and deserv-
Ing of your consideration on this day.
Impressed with these sentiments, I
Shall on this occasion take a short re-
View of our late political troubles, and
Submit some observations on the causes
Of their removal.

"As the motives and the conduct
Of the two political parties which have
For some time agitated our country
Will, in the course of this address, in
Some measure pass under considera-
Tion, I shall in the first place make a
Few general remarks on the several ad-
Ministrations of our government. I
Wish it, however, here to be explicitly
Understood, that whatever censure I
May impute to the proceedings of the
Federalists, as they are called, or the
Present opposers of our government,
It is not by any means intended to ap-
Ply to the federal party generally.
Those only are alluded to who are
Styled the leaders of the federal party,
And whose whole strength has for se-
Veral years been exerted to weaken
And destroy the confidence of the peo-
Ple in their rulers, that they might suc-
Ceec to their places; and who have
Uniformly been in favor of a war with
France, and an alliance with England.
The great body of the American peo-
Ple, including both federalists and re-
Publicans, are sincere friends to the
Welfare of their country. They are
Willing, if reasonably required, to
Expend their last cent, with the last drop
Of their heart's blood to maintain those
Precious rights which were purchased
At the price of so much labor, toil and
Suffering. It is true they often differ
In sentiment as to the means
Of effecting certain objects, for which
All are equally anxious; but that arises
From a variety of causes, which in a
Government like ours, cannot be con-
Trolled. Having premised thus much
To prevent any mis-understanding of
My sentiments or intentions, I shall
Proceed."

After having taken a review of the
Promised features of the successive
Administrations of our government
From its commencement, as well as a
Number of interesting events under
Them, and particularly our intercourse
With foreign nations, he, after ably discussing, and reprehending
the conduct of the belligerents toward
Us, he adds boldly and truly "But
the most disgraceful scenes, with sor-
Row do I speak it, were reserved to be
Acted by some of our own citizens. In
Proportion as the difficulties in our
Foreign relations increased, did the
Hopes of the opposition to overturn
Our government also increase. It was
Well known by the federal leaders that
The success of their nefarious schemes
Was wholly dependent on the misfor-
Tunes of their country. For it was ad-
Mitted by all candid and upright men
Of both parties, that if the measures
Of our government should eventually
Succeed in effecting an honorable set-
Tlement of our differences without a
Resort to war, the administration would
Be entitled to the best support of the
Nation. To prevent such an issue,
Therefore, was the great object of the
Opposition. Every breeze which wafted
A favorable tidings across the Atlantic
Was to the enemies of our government
As the approach of death is to
The hardened sinner whose heart knows
No repentance. Every possible exer-
Tion was made to prevent the execution
Of the laws. Every embarrassment
Was thrown in the way of government.
The seeds of discord and disunion
Were everywhere sown. No tale
Which the united power of art and falsehood
Could invent to excite jealousy
And distrust against the government,
Was left untold. In some places ac-
Tual rebellion was carried on under
The color of the state laws. With this
Drag chain of opposition about its
Neck, our government was contending
With two of the most powerful nations
In the world, for rights involving our
Sovereignty and our independence.
The struggle was an arduous and in-
Teresting one. The government itself
Was threatened with inevitable destruc-
Tion. The very foundation of the
Temple of liberty shook. The mo-
Ment seemed about to arrive when the
Finest fabric ever raised by human
Hands was to be demolished by the rude
Shocks of faction. The "sole depo-
Sitory of human liberty, the last hope
Of man in this mortal world" was about
To be destroyed. Our rulers, a-
Midst all the portentous indications,
Stood firm and unmoved at their posts.
With the constitution for their coat of
Arms, and truth and justice for their
Weapons, they repelled with noble
Fortitude every assault, and pursued
With undeviating firmness a system of
Policy which has thus far been suc-
Cessful, and which will in all probabi-
Lity lead to a happy termination of all
Our difficulties with both France and
England."

Then after showing clearly, in op-
Position to a current federal doctrine,
That the terms obtained by our govern-
Ment in the late arrangement with
Mr. Erskine had never before been of-
Fered to us; and that they were even
More honorable to us than those we
Had heretofore proposed, &c. he con-
Cludes, "The disappointed leaders of
The opposition are now attempting to
Work a belief upon the minds of the
People, that England has not submitted
To us, but that our government has been
Humbled by that of Great Britain.
To what a wretched and degraded si-
Tuation are those men reduced. If
They admit the measures of our govern-
Ment, which they have opposed with
So much violence, have in the end
Turned out well, they fear that they
Not only acknowledge the wickedness
Of their own conduct, but blast every
Prospect of future success in their
Ambitious schemes to obtain office and
Power. They can only therefore at-
Tempt to find refuge from disgrace, by
Exciting every effort in their power
To degrade their own government and
To exalt that of a foreign nation. They
Pretend that the violent opposition
Which the embargo and non-inter-
Course laws met with in some of the
Eastern states, as well as from the mi-
Nority in Congress generally, drove
Our government to a change of mea-
Sures, from which proceeded the late
Settlement with England. If this is
True- the change in our situation is
Really owing to the first abandonment
Of measures on our part, when did
That abandonment take place? Why
Was it not discovered before the Pre-
Sident's proclamation made its appear-
Ance? If the opposers of the govern-
Ment themselves are deserving of the
First share of credit, there certainly
Had been no change except for the
Worse: for they declared the non-inter-
Course to be four fold more inju-
Rious to ourselves, and hostile to Eng-
Land, than any measure which had then
Been adopted. How long then are the
People of the United States to be tri-
Dled with in this manner? How long
Will they suffer such imposition?
Will they not henceforth withdraw all
Confidence from a set of men who have
Done all in their power to excite
Them to insurrection and rebellion a-
Gainst that government, which, by its
Wisdom and firmness, averted the
Storm that had gathered, and was rea-
Dy to burst over our heads, and laid,
To all appearances, a sure founda-
Tion for peace, prosperity and happi-
Ness."

"Our commerce will now soon be
Restored to its wonted activity, and all
Other branches will flourish as usual.
The American people will be con-
VInced of the wisdom and integrity of
The government; party animosities will
Cease to inflame the minds of neighbor
And friend against each other; and
Quarrels and tumults will be no longer
Heard."

"On this day then we have dou-
Ble cause of rejoicing. The princi-
Ples which called forth the declara-
Tion of our independence, have since
The last anniversary of that event,
Gained a victory, which will estab-
Lish them on a surer and more last-
Ing foundation than ever. Let us do
All in our power to hand them pure
And uncorrupted to our posterity. Let
Us rally round the altars on which
They are deposited, and there de-
Fend them to the last moment of our
Lives."