Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1829-07-09
GRAFTON,
Delivered IN ST. Paul's Church, on the
Fourth Of Jaly, 1929, at the request
Of the LynchbWg Artitlery, BIZ john
A. WHARTON, Esq.

y He LyhCHOVS iFtlueTY, on JOHN
A. WHARTON, Esq.
Why, on this day, does gratitude swell in er
cry bosom, andjny oeam from every eve, Why
on this day. does a uaton resi- from her tolls
and her ansieIies, and forget her cares and her
s'rfes III the pomp, aud parade ana Gil cum.
| stance OF reloicng WY are the thunders of
| artillery hear from he III Is, AID why does he
star'spahgled bauneT' wave IN triumph from
The sea-shoe to The mountains Fathers.
friends ard coanrymen America Is free -
Zach ball, where virtue and Science and liberty
delight 10 dwell each wild surge that f,sms
against the sea-heatcn shore each lofty noun
tain that mingles lis spires with the clouds -
trumpet. tongued' proclalms, America is free ,
Your hills and your values re.echo, America is
free
On each return Of this hallowed day, the
crimson glow OF youth aud the Ehlfened locks
| of age shall meet around the altar OF Liberty
| and renew to each other the solemn pledge of
" their lives. their fortunes md their sacred
honor" On each return of this hallow, d day
the hearts of the young shall leap for JOY the
warm fall glow shall return again to the W u.
cred veins OF age; aud 'he hero who " barred
his breast 10 the mighty storm oil war" shall,
feel again the " shiverug transports of other
days, as he recounts the lofty leeds OF his
youth. On this day, let age forget its inirm-
Ties; let aflction forego its pangs and lei
| trouble remember its sorrows no more For
we have strung our Ha,ps to the sound of Lib.
erty. and each heart beats in unison ach
voice swcls The note of praise When the
story OF our county trials.-0ur countrY's glo.
ry, shall fall upon the mattsatipe ear--whnn
the memory of the b" times that tired men S
souls" shall fail to expand in eacn bosom. with
| olal r.
the Lamp of Lib"tly will flicker in the socket
and the last fond hope Of man will begin to fade
forever
Fathers, Friends. and Coun,tymen Fo the
sake ofconscience, our Fathers left their home
their kindred, heir fren1s. they broke the
,enderest les that Irvine around the human
heart, aud committing the nse YES TO the dark,
broad ocean, landed on the Wild shores oil A.
merlca They settled IN a strange land, m.
trotden save by the foot OF the savage No
friends embrace, no brothers voice babe them
| welcome to the boundl'ss foresI The LOT v
cedar, and the sha io"y elan alone hailed their
approach By day, tn mourntui strains oil
the dove were heard among he stately pines
by night, the deaiening vel Of the savage. and
the dismal howl fthe beast, of tue desert fell
in fsightful lscord upon their ears
But they 10 lrished, aud grew, like "the
green hay tree, planted by side Of the still
waters" refreshed By the sweet dews Of the
morning spreading is branches over the law
lands, and casting It's shadows TO the mounta us
d" The feds waved with plenty" ." the desert
blossomed as The rose the husba ndman sm.
ell forjoy Pround cities raised their fronts
along the rivers, and the land rePosed under
the soft mantle of peac"
England was not indifferent 10 our prosper
T ty But hers was not the anxious soliclinde oil
a mother, for the welfare OF her daughter. She
rel iced not in our happlness-she wep, not
in the day of our visitalnni She beheld our
pro- peIily, and was lrouhled! Envy was the
scorpien's sting, thai poured its poison through
every avenue OF the soul The current OF her
tender feelings was turned a@ty-the sluces
OF her affection were closed forever !! She
de ermined 10 blight our glowing prospects,
aud dissppon: the high destiny Heaven had
reserved for US. The hand OF oppression bore
heavily upon nus America appealed 10 The
jas,ce--to the msgnsnimity of England But
she heard not the story OF our complaints. She
listened not 20 the voice OF our suppllcatIons
A dreadsfaality sat heavy on her councils, and
urged her on, mad as the wild wave she claims
as her home Wrongs were heaPed upon
us, with a step as steady, and as irm as the
march oil time The spirit OF the eagle was
reused America rose in her strength.
The tongue OF Henry told thunders from the
South The voice Of Adams re-echoed the
sound from the North The standard OF free
dom was spread along the sea shore-the ban
ners of Liberty waved from the hills Z! Inc
council of the wise met They met on a Nrand
dashed by the pillows The Goddess OF LIB
erty gazed in trembling eXpectation--ihe hopes
of mankind lowered in fond anllcpations a
round them The ties, which bound them
o the land Of Sydney were notyet entirely dis'
solved The recollection OF tha sea gr' lsie
OF their fathers, the friends OF thrp yauih'
the pleasing scenes of their childhood, consecra'
ted in fancy's slight visions, returned upon '''a
soul with all its pleasing all It's MELANCHOLY as
socIations Blu; they had bfen at ach>h III
their own native land" The destiny Of an EN-
pire was suspended on their decision, and on
the issue Of a day hung the fate OF millions !!
Their enemies had come--as thunder shower
from the balls, they came, as a black cloud rom
| the face OF the deco they darkened the lahd
The wide sweep of desolation passed IN Jury
| over the plains The curse Of curses was
upon them The voice of the bondman was
| heard in our land Ii was enough! lhey
swore TO be free The cry of liberty, or death
resoundsd thro' the vaies, aud rung along the
mountains ,
Fathers. Friends, and Conntrymen This
| was not the spasm OF desparatlon--lt was nor
the last sad resolution Of despair This eio,
queut record spoke nations wrongs, declared
IA nations will, declared the resolution OF men
who had hIowu their bosrss on freedoms las
dyke, and resolved to pour out their LIES blood
iii il ran with the stream Ii was the strife
of death But fearless, and mighty, they went
forth 10 he battle On many hammered held
they met their enemies as # 'wo clouds 10 eth
err rushed with hostile thunders The bpH"'
of the brave lie low IN the 'ail'es--anu many
a tout heart beat its last npon The hills : Inc
bones of,he mighty, VINO sank on the battle
field, are yet bleaching on the plains Inc
blood of the southron crimsoned the plains OF
Ros,on-the brave son ol the north fell upon
the heights of Yorktown! They were few
but they were valiant Supported by that be,
ing, who rules the DIES iuies of naiions--Sup
ported by that Being, who was to them pr
lar Of cloud by day, and q pillar of FIRE by
;h.p they went fearless thro' the darh