Vandalia Whig and Illinois intelligencer. [volume] (Vandalia, Ill.) 1832-183?, 1833-07-24
ADDRESS


dents reply. -,
Mr.. PREsIDENT-J AdVe peeh difeoteu
the committee Of arrangements, on De-
If of themselves, of their fellow citizens,
of tbe vast multitude here assembled,
hid Won welcome to the ancient town OF
,arlestown and its famous heights.
The inhabitants of small and frugal
immunity, we cannot, like our brethren
the metropolis and of other great cities,
rough which you have passed, receive
hi in snlendid mansions and halls otstate:
/ 1t here, sir, upon the precious SOIL once
oistened with the best blood OF New
holland: with nothing above us but the
4 ,cR of Heaven, we tender you the united,
spectful. and cordial .salutations OF our
4 lcient town.
There are many interesting historical
Acollections. connected with this lmme-
late neighborhood, which will not take
n vour time in recounting. Twill only sly
hat on yonder gentle elevation, the hrst
ompany of the settlers of this common
7ealth. little more than two centuries
90. laid the foundations of the ancient
FiaIony of Massachusetts; and upon the hill
IN which we are assembled, upon the very
DOT on which we stand, on the l|ths OF
Mime, l775. beneath the thunder OF the bat
9Eeries from the opposite heights OF Boston:
rom the vessels of war on the hay beneath
Is. and from the bead of the columns OF
|he advancing army of five thousand cho'
en- British troops; (while the entire town
|nf Cha rlostown was wrapped in flames,
Ind every steeple, roof, and hill top of the
surrounding country was crowded with
anxious SPECTATORS of the dreadful drama,)
Prescott, Putnam, Stark, and their gal
ant associates bravely fought, and War
rem. with his heroic comrades, nobly fell,
In the cause of American independence.
You, Mr.. secretary Cas-, may well cherish
the memory of that day, for your father
more his share in its perils and its glory.
Stark's regiment, where he fought, was
stationed not very far from the spot where
you stand. T.,
I We bid you, Mr.. President, who like
those our fathers, have exposed your llie
in the cause of your country, and more IA
yored than they, have been permitted to
eniov the fruit of your tolls and dangers
we bid you welcome to the precious spot.
Most of those who have preceded you In
the chief Observation-Disclosures Adj
ans. Monroe, and your immediate prede-
cessor. have trod it before you:-and but
p few wears since, the nations guest, the
great and good Lafayette, made his pill
grimage also, to the same venerable pre-
oincts. To you, sir, who independence
conducted the banners of the country to
victory, in the last great struggle of Amer
lean arms, it must be peculiarly grateful
10 stand upon the spot, immortalized as the
scene of the first momentous conflict.
We have thought it might not be I'M
welcome to you, to possess some JOINT me-
mortal of these two eventful days, and such
an one now hold in my hands; "a grape
shot dug up from the sod beneath our feet,
and cannon ball from the battle field OF
New Orleans, brought from the enclosure
within which your headquarters were estab-
lished. They are preserved inone casket:
and on behalf of the citizens OF Charles
town, now present them to you, In the
hope that they will perpetuate in your
mind, an acceptable association of the 18th
oil June, lIIC, anu Tic Gun VI ""h'i } ,
l8l5;-the dates of the first and last great
battles fought under the American STAN
dard.
To designate, in all coming time, the
place of the first of these eventful contests,
the gratitude of this generation is rearing
a majestic monument to the sacred spot.
We invite you, sir, to ascend it, and behold
from its elevation lovely scene of town
and country;-a specimen not unfavora-
BILE of this portion of the great republic,
whose interests have been conided to your
care, as chief magistrate of the United
States. We rejoice that you have taken
an opportunity of acquiring a personal
knowledge of its character. Less fertile
than some other portions of the Union, its
wealth is in its population, its institutions,
its pursuits;-its schools and its churches.
We doubt not you will find in your extern
sive journey, that the great springs of its
prosperity, are in harmony with the inter-
ests and welfare of every other part OF our
common country.