This speech by the Rev. George Washington Bethune, delivered in 1835, is a passionate defense of the freedoms enshrined in the US Constitution. Bethune discusses the ways in which these freedoms are threatened by political corruption and apathy, and he makes the case for renewed civic engagement. The speech is an inspiring call to action for all those who care about preserving American democracy. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.