The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-11-06
o R A ON
October Is, 1910.

We have met here. Fellow Citizens, TO
commemorate day. which though little no
decd in the annals of American history, yet
is not less important to the American people.
A day that will ever be held mournfully
dear by many Of my hearers who were then
bereaved of a tender Father, an affectionats
Brother, or an esteemed Friend.
II was on Kings Mountain. this day thir
ty years, that the precious blood OF many OF
the citizens of this part OF the country flow.
ed freely in defence of Liberty & the Rights
of Man. The bones of the EDMIS TONS,
the BROWNS, the M'CULLOCKS, and o
Their brave heroes are moulderIng into dust
on that ever memorable Hill-Let us then
unite in paying tribute of respect 10 The
names OF those deceased WARRIORS who
fell in defence of our common country as
also to those grey headed Survivors that have
honored us with their presence to day.
To behold that grnupe of hoary headed sires,
aged ands infirm bending downwards to
the grave, with mangied limbs and mutila
ted bodies received in defence of Liberty, is
indeed feast to the Philanthrophist and
ii is wonderful to me, that to such meeting
there could be an objection that there is
man the country whose heart is so cold
as 20 forbid his presence on an occasion which
Excites such sympathetic, such noble feelings.
The comhlemoration of that battle, and the
welding trihnte of respect to those Uene
yabke men does not detract from the merit
of many we'll fought battle during our gio
TlouS revolution or blight in the smallest
degvee, the well earned laurels of the war
worn soldier who sustained the dangers and
pfivations of seven years war---far from
st----every tongue here would join in giving
yespect to'such characters. But because
this affair was peculiarly interesting TO this
county, it being achieved principally by its
inhabitants, and because so little justice has
been done IL in the history of those times, il
was deemed proper to risque it from o6G
Jion by thus huSiefy celebrating it--aDd,
at the same time to perform those duties we
owe our country, in devoting a portion of
our time to the requirement of military in
formation.
Perhaps it is more to be regretted that
we are from necessity to give any part OF
our time to exercises of this kind 1t is
iamentabe indeed, that Man, when society
has arrived at that high degree of civilisa
tion in which it is at present, should have
occasion to devote any part of their preci-
Gus time to acquire the means of destroy
ing one another with more facility. Yes
fellow men. ir is an awful reflection. But
from the depravity of our natures, we find
it necessary that the overrulng feelings OF
ambition and domination. should be correct
ed by those means which are adopted for
their snppott---that the virtuous--the in
Docent-----dhd the weak be pro
tected from the vicious, the oppressive and
the strong Hence it becomes a duty tc
prepare the instruments of Death, and tc
learn their use to check these vicious pro
penSities, in wicked men and wicked natl
oDs.
Let Us then, fellow soldiers, be not behind
IN military discipline, and let US not only
tSa he art M mir Ilu k,,t tr.nt.
tiOn of that heroic spirit from the aged
WORTHLESS before us, that actuated them to the
noble deed which we commemorate this
day. The day may not be far distant. when
we shall have occasion To use the instru
menis Of death we now bear with US eve
~ information we obtain of our foreign re
lations, either from news papers, circular
letters from men in authority. or private cor
dependencies, we learn OF depredations
committed on our neutral rights. that are
alarming indeed to the peace and ndepen
dence of this happy country We are iold
that ~ conformity to the DEGREES OF. the
French government, orr trading vessels are
captured and burnt on the high seas, our
sailors dragged TO their dreary dungeons,
where they are languishing in sickness and
disease, separated from their dearest friends
We are told that the British government
carry their e&cesses even to a greater
length that they not only seize our seamen,
but actually force them TO aid, ~ commit.
ting depredations on their own country -
that they have murdered our people ON our
own shores, and attacked national vessel,
dismam'led il. murdered and took Oh ;aany
OF its sailors. These outrages on our rights
as a nation cau'ion us, fellow citizens that
we shat not hong remain in peace. and en-
JOY ~ sc rights which cur forefathers fought
ssd sIss for. Ecsf halt century az !,