designed to be inhabited by a nobler race of men, possessing a superior form of government, superior patriotism, superior talents, and superior virtues.  Let then the nations of the East vainly waste their strength in destroying each other.  Let them aspire at conquest, and contend for dominion, till their continent is deluged in blood.  But let none, however elated by victory, however proud of triumphs, ever presume to intrude on the neutral station assumed by our country.

Britain, twice humbled for her aggressions, has at length been taught to respect us.  But France, once our ally, has dared to insult us! she has violated her obligations; she has depredated our commerce—­she has abused our government, and riveted the chains of bondage on our unhappy fellow citizens!  Not content with ravaging and depopulating the fairest countries of Europe, not yet satiated with the contortions of expiring republics, the convulsive agonies of subjugated nations, and the groans of her own slaughtered citizens, she has spouted her fury across the Atlantic; and the stars and stripes of Independence have almost been attacked in our harbours!  When we have demanded reparation, she has told us, “give us your money, and we will give you peace.”—­Mighty Nation!  Magnanimous Republic!—­Let her fill her coffers from those towns and cities, which she has plundered; and grant peace, if she can, to the shades of those millions, whose death she has caused.

But Columbia stoops not to tyrants; her sons will never cringe to France; neither a supercilious, five-headed Directory, nor the gasconading pilgrim of Egypt will ever dictate terms to sovereign America.  The thunder of our cannon shall insure the performance of our treaties, and fulminate destruction on Frenchmen, till old ocean is crimsoned with blood, and gorged with pirates!

It becomes us, on whom the defence of our country will ere long devolve, this day, most seriously to reflect on the duties incumbent upon us.  Our ancestors bravely snached expiring liberty from the grasp of Britain, whose touch is poison; shall we now consign it to France, whose embrace is death?  We have seen our fathers, in the days of Columbia’s trouble, assume the rough habiliments of war, and seek the hostile field.  Too full of sorrow to speak, we have seen them wave a last farewel to a disconsolate, a woe-stung family!  We have seen them return, worn down with fatigue, and scarred with wounds; or we have seen them, perhaps, no more!—­For us they fought! for us they bled! for us they conquered!  Shall we, their descendants, now basely disgrace our lineage, and pusilanimously disclaim the legacy bequeathed us?  Shall we pronounce the sad valediction to freedom, and immolate liberty on the altars our fathers have raised to her?  NO! The response of a nation is, “NO!” Let it be registered in the archives of Heaven!—­Ere the religion we profess, and the privileges we enjoy are sacrificed