Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1839-07-09

he Anniversary Of our independence at Bran
10. Wine Springs, where they were furnished
by the Proprietor with an excellent rePast, and
the day was spent in social festivity and enjoy
ment
BENJAMIN G. Weir, Esq. was unanimously
chosen president, II. NJ. Thompson, Esq. vice
president w. II. Gibbs, Esq. secretary; DR..
+. r. Watkins was selected to read the De-
claration Of Independence and report the pro-
ceedings Of the day, and NJ M. Brigham, Esq.
unanimously requested to deliver an address
to the assembly, which duty he promptly dis
charged to the highest satisfaction Of all pre-
sent. AS it was unprecedented, it is imPos-
sible to do justice to it, by attempting to fur
nisb even sketch of the speech, which he de-
lvered on the occasion.
After the cloth was removed, b. G. Weir,
ESQ. president, addressed the meeting as fol-
lows:
Speech Of M. Weir, on taking die Chair.
Geutlemen-It affords me great pleasure to
preside over this assembly. You are as Jolly
a looking crew as have met with since | left
old Kentucky, that land so renowned above all
others for free hearts and handsome women.
We congregated here, gentlemen, If | am not
greatly mistaken, [and II am mistaken your
charity viii make due allowance for peculiar
circumstances to catch fish and celebrate the
18th OF July In the first, we have made sig
n4lfailure. Ten experiments have been made,
and without success. have known political
fishermen as unlucky as ourselves, with water
hauls equal in number. But the 4th of July
the ever glorious 4fh THAT we can celebrate
under The widespread branches of the majestic
oaks, which SUR ound us; and they bear their
lofty heads so CALAMITY that we might well I'M
agine that they too felt portion of the enthu-
siastic and enkindling spirit which inspires US,
1'd thank the Secretary TO hand me glass Of
Monongahela.) When | survey the sturdy
oak of the forest which droops not under the
fiery glances of the sun, nor bows its majestic
head to the thunder cloud, it reminds me of
those daring wings of the revolution, whom
neither the frowns or the denunclations of the
British crown, could divert from their high and
holy purposes. If have one wish dearer t.
my heart than another, 1T is that we NAV ever
emulate, IN this respect, the spirit of our ances-
tors, and war and battle without ceasing
against tyranny and corruption wherever they
may show their heads. A tase spirit will al
ways show itself by trucking to power, even
at the price of self respect, and the loss of the
esteem of honorable men but a truly noble
soul will rather court the storms of adversely
than give one approving smile to corruption
and miSrule, though that smile would bring
with it a fortune or palace.
Gentlemen, | trust we shall have merry
day. Gloom does not become us. Our mirth
should flow as free as that gushing fountain, so
appropriately named Brandy Wine Springs.
Have we not the uherewih? Can any one
doubt it /! Look around you the CON field
the potatoe patches-the hog drivers of Ken
tucky-the distant Monongahela-the plains
of France, and the far off Isles of the Ocean,
have all beautifully contributed to our cheer
nought has been parsimonious save the Tom
bgbee-that sluggish, stingy stream which
yields nothing for our repast. 1t is fit only for
hiding the rascaly fish in It's dark Bosom.
Ibeg leave to give you a toast:
BY the President. Nav the Wings of the
present day be as firm at the ballot-box, as the
Wings of the Revolution were immoveable on
the field Of battle.
Speech Of Hugh NJ Thompson.
Gentiemen-I feel IN my element; and |
always ieel IN my element when am dragging
SEINE up 10 my neck in the water. You
have all heard of old Isaac Walton. the fisher
man and tbep poet. Li<eseIl ffsfIrrrnen, he had
genus for poetry. While join with YOU in
celebrating the 18th of July, forget not that I
am at the same time celebrating the birthday
Of that illustrious fisherman and kinsman.-
There are several more. of his descendants in
this part of Mississippi, and while they show
of I LII.
poetical genius has been greatly cramped bv
their financial studies. (Boy take those on
ions, red peppers, and frying-pan litslefur;ber
from that horses heels.) Our patriotic Presi-
dent remarked truly that we had failed in oet-
ting fish. What can be the cause ofsuch had
luck Is 1t because we have abandoned the
hook and hne so long revered by the bonored
Isaac Walton, and relied upon entrappinu the
fisr by seine Has the ghost of that vener-
able knight of the hook and line lowered over
us this the day Of his birth, and for vengeance
upon us for our departure from the ancient Gus
tom, driven the fish into the deep and snarred
holes.of the Tombigby! That we have been
interchangeable none viii deny and although we
have not caught fish enough to do honor TO the
birth day of Isaac Walton, we have that. ave
that and those, &c. &c. wherewith, with Glad
some hearts and over-fowing tongues TO re-
lolce over the birth day of our independence.
1t is day dear to every American heart-thc
grand jubilee of freemen-ever areverenced
and ever honored be the Wings oftbe Revolu.
ton. May no one here ever become so de-
generate as to forget that he is an American
treeman-and as 1t is his birth-right, so Is #
high and holy duty to oppose tyranny, misrule,
and corruption.
By the Vice President. The Experiment
the Golden Humbug has proved to be ragged
bugbear.
BY tn Secretary. The State of Tennessee
will never be forgotten by Mississippi for her
fine supply of some of the best gifts Of nature
May she furnish at her next election as unex-
ceptonable an example for us to follow in poll
tics.
By VIM. B. Lightfoot. Democracv-It IS
last crunbhng and must give way, under the
sound and lrrefutable doctrines of the oreat
Wing party Of the United States.
BY Capt. Crusoe. The Constitution. alias
old lronsides-May her decks, now soiled bv
corruption and bribery, be cleansed in 1910 by
the holy-stone of Whigism.
By DIR. E. F. Watkins. Democracv-Tt is
composed OF such Heterogeneous. compounds Of
demagoguisnl, that it is impossible it can flour
lsh long IN this age ofintellectual Improvement.
by NJ N. Brigham, orator of the day. The
Franklin Aeadelny-A noble institution, if pro-
perry eanducted- Education, science. morals,
and philosophy can be nursed in it, and there
the young idea can be taught to shoot
BY Henry L. Hampton. The Currency o.
urotaee, the offspring of Democracy--A mon.
ster most hldeous IN its appearance, from
! whose nesfrls there issues flame, DESTROYING
tie independence and liberty bequeathed us ~
]