Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1828-06-19
Trtbute OF Reapeet.

A Pu0Hc Dinner was gwen On ucs-
day the 10th inst. at Leesburg. to the
Hon. Charles Fsnion Mercer, as testi-
mony Of high respect for his indefstiga'
BILE and able management OF the great
enterprise of the Chesapeake and Ohio
Canal. About sixty gentlemen satdown
10 samptuous entertainment Richard
III. Henderson, Esq presided, assisted
by John NJ McCaEty, and Sldnor Baily,
Esqrs. Upon the removal of the cloth,
the following toasts were drank, amid
The greatest harmony and good feeling,
which prevailed throughout the evening:
/. The memory of Washington.
Q. The memory of Adams and Jeffer-
son.
8 The presidentof the U. States.
4. Our distinguished fellow citizens
Madison, Monroe, and Marshall
s The union of the eastern and wes-
tern waters:--Tbe father Of bis country
willed 1.-THE members OF the goth con
gress are bis faithful executors.
g. Our esteemed representative in
eongress:-True to bis high trust, his
constituents and bis country are about
10 gather the fruits Of bis untiring en-
ergies, and enlightened patriotism.
After drinking this toast, which was
followed by the cheering Of the compa-
ny, Mr.. MERCER rose, aud said
MIR. President, and Gentlemen,
In compliance with a custom
sanctioned by general usage, ! rise, TO
express the feelings Of a heart warmed
by your kindness To assure you OF
my sensibility TO the high honour you
have this day conferred on me, would
but ina1equately convey to you my fer
vent gratitude, for the friendly counte.
nance, and steady support, that have
at all times, received from the county Of
Loudoun.
II any reward be due, gentlemen, to
my humble, though devoted service OF
our common country, ii belongs, under
. Gracious Providence, not to me, but
to yourselves. To you, who have &C.
eompanied me, with confding affection,
through evil as well as good report; in.
diligently bearing with my infrmities,
and cheering. with continued favour,
my imperfect efforts to elevate our de-
pressed commonwe alth, and to uphold
the authority and dignity of the federal
government
Trust me, my friends, when ! say
that no man can serve you, effectually
IN your public councils, who is not sus
tanned by your confidence. Without it,
be can enter upon no new measure with
Jealous hope, nor conduct il TO pros
porous issue If this be true, as affirm,
bow essential, then, to his success, must
be your support; if however cherished
at home, be is abroad the selected vic
tim of unrelenting injustice, the more
because unfounded, If it be attempted
TO make him the sacrifice of Reconciliation
TO public favour Forgive this painful
allusion,-I seek by it, TO exalt the
force OF my present obligations to you,
and to account for the emotion of a
heart, oyerflowing with gratitude.
Returning to the immediate occasion
Of your festivity, allow me to congratu-
late you on the near approach of better
days than we have recently experien-
ced + The spirit of internal Improvement
is, once more, abroad in our common
wealth. 1t smooths the rough current
of our majestic river, and promises TO
unlock for our enjoy ment, both the
treasures Of nature and the inventions OF
art To augment, not only our wealth
and comfort, by opening new avenues of
commerce, but thesecurity of our free
dom, by perpetaating our happy and
glorious union.
Is this language extravagants-r do
but feebly re echo the accents of voice,
still sounding in my ear, when predict
that the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal,
will become the strongest bond offriend.
ly intercourse between the east and the
west Such was the opinion of Wash
ingtou, when the Indian canoe had but
just disappeared from the bosom Of "the
River OF Swans"' He but glanced with
a patriots eye, through dim futurity, to
that 4tb of July, which has been ap-
pointed by public anticipation, for COM
mencing the greatest enterprise that ev'
sr enobled the labour of man. And If
the father Of bis country SO thought,
long before the possibility had been
conceived, Of uniting the waters Of the
Ohio with the tide of the Potomac, by
one line of unbroken navigation, what