A Sermon Preached at King's Chapel, Boston, September 9, 1813, the Day of the National Feast.

Original publisher's beige paper pamphlet. Text printed in black ink. 5" x 8 1/4." Twenty pages, complete. Pages are clean and intact except for some darkening and a few faint stains on front and back, light age toning throughout, occasional small spots of foxing or discoloration, and a former owner's brief numerical inscriptions in black ink in top margin on front. A Very Good copy. This is a sermon that was originally given by Samuel Cary at King's Chapel in Boston on September 9, 1813. King's Chapel was built in 1754 and is still in existence to this day as a Unitarian, Congregationalist, and Anglican church. Samuel Cary (?-1815) served as minister of King's Chapel from 1809-1815. In his sermon, Cary begins with one of the verses from the Book of Psalms. He connects this verse with the main subject of the sermon, patriotism, which he also refers to as "public spirit" or "political virtue." Cary warns of the consequences should patriotism fail. He portrays a progression of the fall of society in which, when patriotism is absent, the individual is elevated over the group, civic leaders only look for personal gain at the expense of the nation, actions of said leaders are guided by their own interests and uncontrolled emotions, and tyranny eventually comes forth and subsequently results in the fall of a republic. Cary says, "But the struggles of contending and inflamed factions are deadly; and the community having lost the power of governing itself, and distracted by internal animosities, throws itself into the hands of the conqueror and holds its privileges at his mercy." He refers to ancient Rome as a cautionary example. He says of the ancient Romans, "[T]he people had become corrupted by too much prosperity, and suffered themselves to be guided by profligate leaders, and cheerfully sold themselves and their votes to the highest bidder." Cary believes that a "decay of patriotism" marks the "decline of a republic." He then proceeds to argue what he believes are the causes of the fall of republic. First, Cary contends that a country covering too large of a territory will only result in sectionalism and groups that are wholly distinct from one another. He fears that too much diversity will only give way to tribalist factions who, while being in harmony within their group, will not be in agreement with other groups. He says that the people of a nation should be in unity and experience collective grief and joy. Cary believes another reason for the fall of republic is corruption of political leaders and the ensuing public distrust of the government that leads them. He says that when corrupt leaders become the norm, the public becomes indifferent to or despairs at the way politics are run, and thus becomes apathetic to the decline of the republic. Cary's third reason for why a republic falls is that it becomes a "national disgrace." Cary says that when the constituent people of a nation no longer feel any source of joy or pride toward their nation and that nation is already in decline, they are "prepared to be slaves." Cary ultimately says that collective patriotism or political virtue is required for upholding a republic.…