orations-第7部分

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affections　as　citizens　embrace　the　whole　extent　of　the　Union；

and　the　names　of　Raleigh；　Smith；　Winthrop；　Calvert；　Penn　and

Oglethorpe　excite　in　our　minds　recollections　equally　pleasing

and　gratitude　equally　fervent　with　those　of　Carver　and

Bradford。　　Two　centuries　have　not　yet　elapsed　since　the　first

European　foot　touched　the　soil　which　now　constitutes　the

American　Union。　　Two　centuries　more　and　our　numbers　must

exceed　those　of　Europe　itself。　　The　destinies　of　their　empire；　as

they　appear　in　prospect　before　us；　disdain　the　powers　of　human

calculation。　　Yet；　as　the　original　founder　of　the　Roman　State　is

said　once　to　have　lifted　upon　his　shoulders　the　fame　and

fortunes　of　all　his　posterity；　so　let　us　never　forget　that　the　glory

and　greatness　of　all　our　descendants　is　in　our　hands。　　Preserve

in　all　their　purity；　refine；　if　possible；　from　all　their　alloy；　those

virtues　which　we　this　day　commemorate　as　the　ornament　of

our　forefathers。　　Adhere　to　them　with　inflexible　resolution；　as

to　the　horns　of　the　altar；　instil　them　with　unwearied

perseverance　into　the　minds　of　your　children；　bind　your　souls

and　theirs　to　the　national　Union　as　the　chords　of　life　are

centred　in　the　heart；　and　you　shall　soar　with　rapid　and　steady

wing　to　the　summit　of　human　glory。　　Nearly　a　century　ago；　one

of　those　rare　minds　to　whom　it　is　given　to　discern　future

greatness　in　its　seminal　principles；　upon　contemplating　the

situation　of　this　continent；　pronounced；　in　a　vein　of　poetic

inspiration；　〃Westward　the　star　of　empire　takes　its　way。〃　　Let

us　unite　in　ardent　supplication　to　the　Founder　of　nations　and

the　Builder　of　worlds；　that　what　then　was　prophecy　may

continue　unfolding　into　historythat　the　dearest　hopes　of　the

human　race　may　not　be　extinguished　in　disappointment；　and

that　the　last　may　prove　the　noblest　empire　of　time。











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