Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1837-03-09

ongin' We nave out little antiquity to
claim. We speak not in derogatiou Of
Free Masonry. or Odd Fellowship;
they no doubt can trace their history
to the earliest periods; but let us re-
member, my brethren. and hearers ge-
nerslly. that antiquity or age alone.
can never consecrate system. What
matters 1t. if this very day on which
we have assembled gave birth to us as
4 society-if our objec: is good, our
ends just and virtuous. shall We not
have the cooperation Of all good and
wise men in our work Of charity and
lover Surely our recent formation
can abstract nothing from the cause
that we propose to effect. Though. for
origin. we can point TO the romantic
country OF heroic Wallace and illus
trious Bruce. There we shall find,
when this beautiful. though unhappy
country. was divided in herself, at the
time Of the struggle for the crown Of
that kingdom, by the Brunswick and
Steuart iamiiy-one par, asserting the
claims Of Brunswick, while the other
preferred aud defended the rights Of
Steuart. commonly called the Preten-
der. In this period Of conflict and Of
trouble, ii is not surprising that the
weaker party, finding il necessary TO
guard against deception and ucachery
from the stronger. should have formed
themselves into societies, for the pur-
pose ofmutual protection; and by adopt
ing emblems of their faith and signs
OF recognition. by this means be
able at all times to detect an enemy
from friend. Though We do not pre-
tend that our institution is precisely
the same. as was the Clan Of Scotland,
whose name we bear. We have ra-
Their selected the principal rules by
which they were governed, and added
such as the difference Of time and our
country seemed to require; IN the adop-
ton OF which, the claims Of our coun-
: try upon US as Americans. and the
! rights that society has over us as ciii-
zens, have not bee n forgotten. Allow me
! to congratulate you. my companions
, and brethren, on the success that has
. hitherto crowned our efforts. MANY.
indeed. have enlisted under our ban
ner, Of whom we have just reason TO
J be proud-anI many have become
, enlisted in spirit. that have not yet
. given US their names. Well, then.
may the benign influences Of hope
} expand each faculty Of our minds.
while honest EMULATION is filing our
souls. Never. never, let us despair.
) What though opposition be steady and
strong, let US stand firmly and resolu,e
: ly-let the ardour and zeal with which
we act. be commensurate with the no.
bic object that We have in view. We
{ may expect to have opposition. yea.
) and even persecution too, for. however
{ humiliating it may be TO human pride,
{ II is nevertheless true: We can scarce
I ly point 10 single instance, where an
enterprise, having for lis object the i'm
provement Of our condition as rational
/, creatures, or any system Of advantage
J which has not met with the most de-
: termined opposition. even from those
J very individuals whose good IL design.
/ ed. Columbus. who opened to the en-
; raptured gaze the beauty Of the new
: and magnificent world. who added il
TO his masters domains. was by that
} very master, sentenced to punishment
: the most unjust, and ignominious. But
I tbs useless 10 enumerate; all history
: bears me out in the assertion, that op-
position 10 an enterprise is in fact a
strong commentator Of il. But, in
. addition TO the objections urged against
. societies Of our nature, we will be told
; that zoe, the originatorS of this institu-
I ton, are men who labor daily for sub
, sistence, and are, so far as intellectual
celebrity Is concerned. Of small stand
: ing among our fellow beings; that il i,
= rather improbable that we should strike
: upon a system lraught with so much
; good. when those who have surpassed
as IN experience and learning, have
= never discovered it-so 10th are man
; kind TO believe any thing protesting
, their good, unless It be clothed in the
! gorgeousness fpower.-IIow truly ha,
= u been said that We are the dupes oil
7 our senses. But 10 the argument:-
7 All history. both sacred and profane. Is
} pregnant with feluts,iuns Let an in.
. stance or two from the records Of our
: own country suffice Who would have
lhought tnat inc printers BOY OF hos
, ton, could have risen 30 The eminence
? OF the FIRST Statesman IN the world, a,
7 well as % en- unparalleled height ~
the difficult and absiruse science al
! Philosophy And yet. such was our il.
. luSrious Franklin who would have
: thought that the youth Of nineteen
q the poor and almost unletieTed Virgin.
q ian, could have risen ~ intellectua
requirements. until the lofty aspiration,
Of his mind. and the eloquence Of be-
D tongue. have equalled. IL not surpassed
= the most renowned Of all Europe p
{ And yet such was
Henry. the forest born Demosthenss.
2 Whose thunder shook the Philip q NE seas =
. And look 10 the many stars. that nov
2 Illumine the Western hemisphere
2 Where and what were they In thei
= earlier days. Generally speaking ihel
Z were humble Citizens treading ~