their voices declared, in strains of manly elo- who had served abroad, yet the veterans were quence, the source from whence those fatal streams routed by the apprentices. originate, which, like the destroying pestilence, have depopulated kingdoms and laid waste the fairest empires.

In prosecution of the subject, I presume I shall not offend a respectable part of my audience, I mean the gentlemen of the American patriot army*. -an army whose glory and virtues have been long since recorded in the temple of fame-her trumpet has sounded their praises to distant nations-her wing shall bear them to latest ages.

Rome advanced on the zenith of glory and greatness, and conquered all nations in the times of the republic, while her army was an unpaid militia.

The Grecians carried on their wars against Persia by means of their militia; and at last beat the aumerous mercenary armies, and subdued the vast empire of Persia.

The deeds of valor performed by my own countrymen, and in our day, are numerous and recent, and point out, as with a sun-beam, that the militia

When the daring spirit of ambition, or the bound-is to a free country a lasting security. less lust of domination, has prompted men to invade

You will now permit me to consider the condition the natural peaceful state of society, it is among and consequences of a standing army. the first emotions of the heart, to repel the bold invader. Men, assembled from such motives, having expelled the enemy from their borders, reassuming the pruning hook and the spade, for the sword and the spear, have, in all ages, bean called the saviours of their country.

Men who enlist themselves for life soon lose the feelings of citizens. To command and be commanded, excites an idea of servitude and dependence, which degrades the mind, and in a social view, destroys the character of a free agent.*

They who follow the profession of arms conceive A militia is the most natural defence of a free themselves exempted from the useful occupations state, from invasion and tyranny: they who compose of life, and thence contract a habit of dissipation; the militia, are the proprietors of the soil; and who are so likely to defend it, as they who have receiv. soldiers inured to exercise and labor in their duty, ed it from their ancestors-acquired it by their at leisure to roam, will not be wholly inactive in a labor-or obtained it by their valor? every free city, where the means of gratification abound; man has within his breast the great essentials of Pursuing the objects of pleasure, with the same zeal with which they engaged in the toils and a soldier, and having made the use of arms familiar, is ever ready for the field. And where is the enterprises of the field, whole armies have too late, tyrant who has not reason to dread an army of free-found themselves destroyed by the dissolving power

men?

In the battle of Naseby, in the days of Cromwell, the number of forces was equal on both sides; and all circumstances equal. In the parliament's army only nine officers had ever seen actual service and most of the soldiers were London apprentices, drawn out of the city two months before. In the king's army there were about a thousand officers

*I should not have neglected so favorable an opening to have shewn my poor respects to the character of the commander in chief of the American army, but from a consciousness of inability to add to a name, more durable than marble, which will outlive the assaults of envy and the ravages

of time.

The natural state of nations with respect to each other, is certainly that of society and peace. Such is the natural and primitive state of one man with respect to another; and whatever alteration mankind may have made in regard to their original state, they cannot, without violating their duty, break in upon that state of peace and society, in which nature has placed them, and which, by her laws, she has strongly recommended to their observance. Purlamaqui, Part 4. Chap. 1. Sec. 4. +Vid. political disquisitions.

of luxury.

We have a remarkable instance of this, my fellow-citizens, in the army of Hannibal, which, having withstood the greatest hardships, and which the most dreadful dangers had never been able to discourage, in winter quarters, at Capua, was entirely conquered by plenty and pleasures.†

The effects of luxury, though productive of the greatest misfortunes to an army stationed in a city, are by no means confined to that class of men.

*Moore, in his view of society and manners in Europe, observes-"As to the common soldiers, the leading idea of the discipline is, to reduce them in many respects, to the nature of machines; that they may have no volition of their own, but be actuated solely by that of their officers; that they may have such a superlative dread of their officers, as annihilates all fear of the enemy; that they may move forward when ordered, without deeper res soning or more concern than the firelocks they carry along with them."

Vid. Livy's Roman history for an account of the battles, sufferings, and almost incredible march and destruction of the renowned Carthagenian general and his army.

1

lictors, or peace officers, as a guard of the decemviri Such an army was dangerous, they said, to li berty. These politic people knew the prevailing propensity in all mankind to power. The history

The great body of the people, smote by the charms their country, at the sight of one hundred and fifty and blandishments of a life of ease and pleasure, fall easy victims to its fascinations. The city, reared by the forming hand of industry, soon feels the symptoms of dissolution-the busy merchant now no more extends his commerce; the mechanic of later times has abundantly justified the wisdom throws aside his chissel; the voice of riot succeeds to the sound of the hammer, and the midnight revel to the vigils of labor.

of their jealousies. All parts of Europe which have been enslaved, have been enslaved by armies. No nation can be said to enjoy internal liberty When a large respectable standing army has which admits them in a time of peace. When a been stationed in a city, commanded by officers of government has a body of standing troops at comknown patriotism, who have taught those under mand, it is easy to form pretensions for the distheir orders to interchange the kind and friendly tribution of them, so as to effect their own puroffices of life; citizens, conceiving themselves poses; when. a favorite point is to be carried, a thousand soldiers may convey irresistible argument, secured from domestic broils and the danger of invasion from abroad, imperceptibly relax in their and compel men to act against their feelings, inattention to military exercises, and may thus be terest, and country. exposed as a tempting bait to an aspiring despot; besides, a people who have made themselves respectable by their personal attention to their own defence, neglecting their militia, may be insulted by those neighbors who had formerly been accustomed to revere their power.

When communities have so far mistaken their interest as to commit the defence of every thing valuable in life to a standing army, the love of ease will scarcely permit them to re-assume the unpleasing task of defending themselves.

At the conclusion of a long and bloody war, the liberties of a people are in real danger from the admission of troops into a free city. When an army has suffered every hardship to which the life of a soldier is peculiarly incident, and has returned crowned with the well-earned laurels of the field, they justly expect to be received into the open arms, and with the applauses of those for whom they have fought, and in whose cause they have bled; in a situation like this, whole communities, in transport of gratitude, have weakly sacrificed at the shrine of a deliverer, every thing for which their armies have fought, or their heroes bled.

Nations, the most renowned among the ancients for their wisdom and their policy, have viewed the army with an eye of attentive jealousy; the Romans, characterised for personal bravery,* trembled for

In the battles fought in our age, every single soldier has very little security and confidence except in the multitude; but among the Romans, every individual, more robust and of greater ex perience in war, as well as more inured to the fatigues of it, than the enemy, relied upon himself sly. He was naturally endued with courage, or nother words, with that virtue which a sensibility of our own strength inspires.

-8.

Such were the arguments employed by Philip the second, of Spain, to persuade the inhabitants of the Netherlands to relinquish their liberties, their property, and their religion; the progress of these dreadful measures produced scenes of massacre and devastation, the recital of which must excite exquisite horror in the most savage breast.

One of the commanders of the army under the duke of Alva, demanding a pass through the city of Rotterdam, was at first refused, but assuring the magistrates that he meant only to lead his troops through the town, and not to lodge them in it, they consented to suffer the companies to pass through one by one: no sooner had the first company entered the city, than the officer, without regard to his engagements, ordered them to keep the gates open until the other companies should arrive: one of the citizens, endeavoring to shut the gate, was killed by his own hand; his troops, eager to follow his example, drew their swords, and, giving a-loose to their fury, spread themselves over the town, and butchered more than three hundred of

the inhabitants.

This was among the first events of that war which rendered the Netherlands a scene of horror and devastation for more than thirty years; but which, whilst it proved the source, on many occasions, of extreme distress to the people, called forth an exertion of virtue, spirit, and intrepidity, which seldom occurs in the annals of history.-Never was there a more unequal contest, than be. tween the inhabitants of the Low-Countries and the Spanish monarch; and never was the issue of

*The whole affair is related at length in Watson's hist. of the Low Countries, to which the reader Montesquieu. is referred.

any dispute more contrary to what the parties had similar considerations, even wise politicians have reason to expect.

defended the propriety of the establishment; but let their motives be ever so pure the ambitious and the aspiring have views extensive and ruinous; they have felt the charms and experienced the utility of this engine, and are not wanting in their exertions to support its existence.

Our fortunate alliances in Europe have secured us from any danger of invasion from thence; this security is derived from considerations of the best policy and true interest of the allied powers.

Under similar circumstances, my fellow-citizens, a standing army was introduced and stationed in this city; which produced the scene we now commemorate, and which I know you cannot all remember; but let the stranger hear and let the listening youth be told that on the evening of the fifth of March, seventeen hundred and seventy, under the orders of a mercenary officer, murder, with her polluted weapons, stood trampling in the blood of our slaughtered countrymen; imagination cannot well conceive what mingling passions then convulsed the soul and agonized the heart!—those pangs were sharp indeed, which ushered into life a nation!-dom, so nearly resemble our own,* affords a happy like Hercules she rose brawny from the cradle, the snakes of Britain yet hung hissing round her horrible, and fell!-at her infant voice they hasted--at the dread of her rising arm they fled away.

America, separated from the nations of Europe by the mighty ocean, and from Britain by the mightier hand of heaven, is acknowledged an independent nation; she has now to maintain her dignity and importance among the kingdoms of the earth. May she never be seduced from her true interest, by subtle intrigue, mistaken policy, or misguided ambition! but, considering her own condition, may she follow the maxims of wisdom, which are better than the weapons of war!

a

It has become fashionable in Europe, to keep Jarge standing army in times of peace. The peo ple of Great Britain have professed their aversion to the establishment, yet have suffered it to gain ground, upon the idea of preserving the balance of pawer. This custom is so deeply rooted and so firmly established, that nothing short of annihilation of the governments where they have been so long tolerated can abolish the institution.

From the situation and vicinity of the nations of Europe with respect to each other, the different extent of territory rendering it more difficult to repel an invasion from some countries than others, for the celerity of defence and the more complete security of extensive countries; from these and

The new and glorious treaty concluded, since the last anniversary, with the states of Holland, whose manners, laws, religion, and bloody contest for free

*If there was ever among nations a natural alliance, one may be formed between the two republics. The first planters of the four northern states found in this country an asylum from persecution, and resided here from the year one thousand six hundred and eight, to the year one thousand six hundred and twenty, twelve years preceding their migration. They ever entertained and have transmitted to posterity, a grateful remembrance of that protection and hospitality, and especially of that religious liberty they found here, having sought it in vain in England.

"The first inhabitants of two other states, Newfrom this nation, and have transmitted their religion, York and New-Jersey, were immediate emigrants language, customs, manners and character: and America in general, until her connexions with the house of Bourbon, has ever considered this nation as her first friend in Europe, whose bistory, and the great character it exhibits, in the various arts of peace, as well as achievements of war by sea and land, have been particularly studied, admired, and imitated in every state.

deemed so essential in this as in former ages, to "A similitude of religion, although it is not the alliance of nations, is still as it ever will be thought, a desirable circumstance. Now it may whose worship, doctrine and discipline, are more be said with truth, that there are no two nations, alike than those of the two republics. In this particular, therefore, as far as it is of weight, an alliance would be perfectly natural.

"A similarity in the forms of government, is renders alliances natural; and although the conusually considered as another circumstance which stitutions of the two republics are not perfectly alike, there is yet analogy enough between them to make a connexion easy in this respect.

"The originals of the two republics are so much alike, that the history of one seems but a transcript from that of the other: so that every Dutchman, Hercules is represented, when very young, instructed in the subject, must pronounce the Ameengaged in the most courageous and dangerous rican revolution just and necessary, or pass a cenenterprizes-such as encountering lions, squeezing sure upon the greatest actions of his immortal anthem to death against his own breast, or tearing jcestors: actions which have been approved and their jaws asunder; sometimes, when an infant, applauded by mankind, and justified by the decision grasping serpents with a little smile upon his of heaven. cheek, as if he was pleased with their fine colors and their motions, and killing them by his strong gripe with so much ease, that he scarce deigns to look upon them.

"If therefore an analogy of religion, government, original manners, and the most extensive and lasting commercial interests, can form a ground and an invitation to political connexions, the subscriber

presage of lasting security. We may add, the embraces of her pretended parent, and has set up situation of our country, with respect to other her own name among the empires. The assertions dominions, is so secured by nature, that no one can of so young a country, were at first beheld with feign pretensions sufficiently plausible to convince dubious expectation; and the world were ready to the people of America, of the propriety of support-stamp the name of rashness or enterprize according a standing army in a time of peace; whilst ing to the event.

memory retains the exploits of our brave citizens

But a manly and fortunate beginning, soon ensurin the field, who have joined the standard of free-ed the most generous assistance. The renowned dom, and successfully defended her injured altars and the ancient Gauls came early to the combatand her devoted rites. The community will be wise in council-mighty in battle! then with new assured that, upon the basis of a well-regulated fury raged the storm of war! the seas were crimsonmilitia, an army may be raised upon all future oc-ed with the richest blood of nations! America's casions sufficient to oppose the most formidable chosen legions waded to freedom through rivers, died with the mingled blood of her enemies and Here, were it pertinent, I would express a con.her citizens; through fields of carnage, and the fidence, that when the army shall be disbanded, gates of death! justice, with impartial scale, will distribute due rewards to those who have jeoparded their lives in the high places of the field.

invaders.

At length independence is ours-the halcyon day

app

s! lo from the east I see the harbinger, and from the train, 'tis peace herself; and as attendants, Every American is conscious of the effects pro-all the gentle arts of life: commerce displays her duced by the knowledge of the people in the use snow-white navies fraught with the wealth of kingof arms, and from that experience need not be exhorted to an attention to their militia.

When we consider our own prosperous condition, and view the state of that nation, of which we were once a part, we even weep over our enemy, when we reflect that she was once great; that her navies rode formidable upon the ocean; that her com merce was extended to every harbor of the globe; that her name was revered wherever it was known; that the wealth of nations was deposited in her

loms; plenty from her copious horn, pours forth her richest gifts. Heaven commands! the east and the west give up, and the north keeps not back! all nations meet! and beat their swords into plough. shares and their spears into pruning-hooks, and resolve to learn war no more.-Henceforth shall the American wilderness blossom as the rose, and every man shall sit under his vine and under his fig-tree, and none shall make him afraid.

AN ORATION,

island; and that America was her friend, but by DELIVERED AT THE KING'S-CHAPEL IN BOSTON, APRIL

means of her standing armies, an immense con tinent is separated from her kingdom, and that once-mighty empire, ready to fall an untimely victim, to her own mad policy.

Near eight full years have now rolled away, since America has been cast off from the bosom and

flatters himself, that in all these particulars, the union is so obviously natural, that there has seldom been a more distinct designation of Providence to any two distant nations to unite themselves toge. ther."

8, 1776, ON THE RE-INTERMENT OF THE REMAINS
OF THE LATE MOST WORSHIPPUL GRAND-MASTER

JOSEPH WARREN, ESQUIRE, PRESIDENT OF
THE LATE CONGRESS OF THIS COLONY, AND MAJOR
GENERAL OF THE MASSACHUSETTS FORCES, WHO WAS
SLAIN IN THE BATTLE OF BUNKER'S-HILL, JUNE 17,
1775,

BY PEREZ MORTON, M. M. Illustrious relicks!-What tidings from the grave? why hast thou left the peaceful mansions of the Extracts from the memorial to their high mighti-tomb, to visit again this troubled earth! art thou nesses, the states general of the United Provinces the welcome messenger of peace! art thou risen of the Low-Countries, by that great statesman and

19, 1781.

patriot, his excellency JOHN ADAMS, esq. minister again to exhibit thy glorious wounds, and through plenipotentiary at the Hague, dated Leyden, April them proclaim salvation to thy country! or art thou come to demand that last debt of humanity, to *A doubt may be entertained of the truth of this which your rank and merit have so justly entitled assertion; but we can hardly believe that it would have entered into the head of a minister or parlia-you-but which has been so long ungenerously ment, to collect a militia in Great Britain to enforce withheld! and art thou angry at the barbarous their acts in America; so that in our view, had the usage? be appeased, sweet ghost! for though thy army been disbanded at the end of the last war,

America and Britain at this momeat would have body has long laid undistinguished among the been parts of the same kingdom. vulgar dead, scarce privileged with earth enough

to hide it from the birds of prey; though not a reward of his merit, he was commissioned the most friendly sigh was uttered o'er thy grave; and worshipful GRAND-MASTER of all the ancient Masons, thou the execration of an impious foe, were all through North America.—And you, brethren, are thy feneral knells; yet, matchless patriot! thy living testimonies, with how much honor to himmemory has been embalmed in the affections of self, and benefit to the craft universal, he disthy grateful countrymen; who, in their breasts, charged the duties of his elevated trust; with have raised eternal monuments to thy bravery!

But let us leave the beloved remains, and contemplate for a moment, those virtues of the man, the exercise of which have so deservedly endeared him to the honest among the great, and the good among the humble.

In the private walks of life, he was a pattern for mankın--The tears of her, to whom the world is indebted for so much virtue, are silent heralds

what sweetened accents he courted your attention, while, with wisdom, strength, and beauty, he instructed his lodges in the secret arts of Freemasonry; what perfect order and decorum he preserv ed in the government of them; and, in all his conduct, what a bright example he set us, to live within compass, and act upon the square.

With what pleasure did he silence the wants of poor and pennyless brethren; yea, the necessitous of his filial piety; while his tender offspring, in the craft, from his benefactions, felt the happy efevery where, though ignorant of the mysteries of lisping out their father's care, proclaim his parental fects of that institution which is founded on faith, affection: and an ADAMS can witness with how much zeal he loved, where he had formed the sacred connexion of a friend:-their kindred souls were so closely twined, that both felt one joy, both one affliction. In conversation he had the happy talent of addressing his subject both to the understanding and the passions; from the one he forced conviction, from the other he stole assent.

hope and charity. And the world may cease to wonder, that he so readily offered up his life, on the main pillar of masonry is the LOVE OF MANKIND. the altar of his country, when they are told that

The fates, as though they would reveal, in the person of our GRAND-MASTER, those mysteries which have so long lain hid from the world, have suffered him, like the great master-builder in the He was blessed with a complacency of disposi- temple of old, to fall by the hands of Ruffians, and tion and equanimity of temper, which peculiarly be again raised in honor and authority: we searched endeared him to his friends, and which, added to the in the field for the murdered son of a widow, and deportment of the gentleman, commanded rever- we found him, by the turf and the twig, buried on ence and esteem even from his enemies. the brow of a hill, though not in a decent grave.— And though we must again commit his body to the he need but see distress to feel it, and contribute tomb, yet our breasts shall be the burying spot of to its relief. He was deaf to the calls of interest his masonic virtues, and there—

Such was the tender sensibility of his soul, that

even in the course of his profession: and wherever he beheld an indigent object, which claimed his healing skill, he administered it, without even the hope of any other reward than that which resulted from the reflection of having so far promoted the happiness of his fellow-men,

"An adamantine monument we'll rear,

"With this inscription," Masonry "lies here."In public life, the sole object of his ambition was, to acquire the conscience of virtuous enterprizes; conscia recti was his guide. And on this security amor patrie was the spring of his actions, and mens he was, on every occasion, ready to sacrifice his In the social departments of life, practising upon health, his interest, and his ease, to the sacred the strength of that doctrine, he used so earnestly calls of his country. When the liberties of Ameto inculcate himself, that nothing so much conduced rica were attacked, he appeared an early champion to enlighten mankind, and advance the great end of in the contest: and though his knowledge and society at large, as the frequent interchange of abilities would have insured riches and preferment sentiments, in friendly meeting; we find him con- (could he have stooped to prostitution) yet he stantly engaged in this eligible labor; but on none nobly withstood the fascinating charm, tossed did he place so high a value, as on that most honora. ble of all detached societies, THE FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS: into this fraternity he was early initiated; and after having given repeated proofs of a rapid proficiency in the arts, and after evidencing by his life, the professions of his lips-finally, as the

fortune back her plume, and pursued the inflexible purpose of his soul, in guiltless competence.

many of those publications which, in the early He sought not the airy honors of a name, eise period of our controversy, served to open the minds of the people, had not appeared anonymous. In