"I will not keep you any longer in distraint; but I cannot finish without saying a few words to the lovely gathering of our fair countrywomen, which has complemented me this day with their smiles.
"Your sex too, gentle hearers! had a helping hand in this glorious revolution. Your foremothers was industriously employed at home for your forefathers, while they was fighting for their country, their wives and their offstrings. With such lovely being as I see now gathered around me, this happy country need never fear of being in want of warriors. (Cheers.) Sweet lasses! may heaven send down upon you such partners as will make my prophecy come to pass."
The peal of applause which ensued and continued for some minutes, rung through the woods and welkin, and resounded from hill to hill, until lost in the distance, after which the orator proceeded to the reading of the Declaration of Independence. When he had read that part in these words--"To secure these rights governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the _consent_ of the _governed_. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the RIGHT of the PEOPLE to _alter_ or _abolish_ it, and to institute new governments,"[1] &c. in which his feelings were deeply enlisted, he concluded the clause by giving vent to them in the following fervid comments: "_Behold_ Americans!" cried he, "_behold_ the _whole_ of _your_ rights explained. Do you not _see_ the figure which EVERY _one_ of you cuts?! Out of you _the power_ comes, and _nothing_ can be done _without_ you. Don't this prove what I said in my extompere address, '_that their heads cannot work without you_?'" (Here a voice was heard to cry, "By jingo, Jack, clap on your hat; ding it, do as I do!")
[Footnote 1: In the extract the words are in italics and small capitals on which much stress was given by the reader.]
The reading ended, the assemblage broke up and dispersed, leaving the military to honor the day and orator in the manner already intimated, during which many national and sentimental toasts were drunk; after which they returned into the village in the military order they had left it for the purpose of parading.