The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1840-06-23

under my Own direction, and of no other, as ma
ny who now hear know. Whether every
movement would or would not pass the criticism
of Bonaparte or Wellington, | know not; but
whether they would induce applause or eensure:
! upon myself it must fall.
But. fellow-citizens, still another motive In
duced me to accept the invitation which had
| been SO kindly extended to me. knew that here
should meet with many who had taught and
| bled under my command-that should have the
pleasure of taking them by the hand, and recur-
ring, with them, TO the scenes of the past. ex-
pectcd, too, to meet with few of the great and
| good men yet surviving, by whose efforts our
freedom was achieved. This pleasure alone
would have been sufficient TO induce my visit
to this interesting spot upon this equally inter
esting occasion. | see my old companions here,
and | see not a few of the revolutionary veter-
ans around me- Would to God that it had ever
been in my power to have made them comforta-
bic and happy-that their might go down in
pcace But, fellow-citizens, they remain unpro-
vided for-monuments of the ingratitude of my
country 1t was with the greatest difficulty that
the existing pension act passed through
Congress. But why was it restricted? Why
were the brave soldiers who fought under Wayne
Observation-Disclosures who suffered far more than
they who fought in the revolution proper. The
revolution, in fact, did not terminate until 1884
Until the battle was fought upon the battle
ground upon which my eye now rests. (hliami)
w ar continued WIN IneIl from Ihe cOuihcuCe-
lnent of the revolution until the victory of
Wayne, to which have Just alluded
The great highway to the west was the scene
Of unceasing slaughter. Then why this unjust
discrimination, Why arc the soldiers who ter
minated the war of the revolution, in fact, ex-
cluded, while those by whom it was begun, or
portion of them, are rewarded? l viii tell
you why. The poor remnant of Wayne's army
had but few advocates, while those who had
served in the revolution proper, had plenty OF
| friends. Scattered, they were, over all parts
of the Union, and in large numbers, they could
exert an influence at the ballot-box. They could
whisper thus in the ears OF those who sought
their influence at the polls; "Take care, for
have waited long enough for what has been
promised The former plea of poverty can no
longer be made. The treasury is now FULL
Take care, YOU seat is in danger" ooh! yes,
every thing that has been promised shall be at
/ tended to il you will give me your votes" In
this way, iellow-citzens tardy, but partial, JUS
tice done to the soldiers of the revolution
They made friends by their influence at the bal
| lot box. Bat. it was diherer& with General
Wayne's soldiers They were but few in num-
Der, and they had but one or two humble advo-
Gates to speak for them in Congress. The result
| has been, Justice has been withheld.
have said that the soldiers under Wayne ex-
| perienced greater hardships even than the sol
diers of the revolution. This is so. Every one
|
and regular war. When wounded in battle,
the soldier must have warmth and shelter before
| he can recover. This could always be secured
| by the soldier of the revolution. In those days,
| the latch string of no door was pulled in. When
wounded, he was sure to find shelter and very
many OF those comforts which are so essential
TO the sick, but which the soldiers in an Indian
war cannot procure. Instead of shelter and
warmth, lie is exposed to the Thousand ills Incl
| dent to Indian warfare. Yet no relief was ex-
| tended to those who had thus suffered!
! After the war closed under Wayne, ! retired:
| and when | saw man poorer than all others,
wandering about the land, decriped and decayed
| by intemperance, it was unnecessary to inquire
whether he had ever belonged to Wayne's army.
| His condition was a guarantee of that-was
a sufficient assurance that he had wasted his en-
ergies among the unwholesome swamps OF the
West, in the defence of the rights of his fellow
citizens, and for the maintenance of the honor
and glory of his country.
Well, fellow-citiZens, can only say, that II
it should ever be in my power to pay the deb
wlish is due these brave but neglected men,t thai
debt shall first of all be paid. And / vera
well satisfied that the government can AFFORD 1T
provided the latch-string of the treasury shall
ever be more carefully pulled III. Perhaps yor
viii ask iae for some proof of my friendship iol
old soldiers. If so, give it you from the
records of Congress. When the fifteen hundred
dollar law repealed, opposed it, as l op
posed changing the pay of members OF Congress
from six to Gig mt dollars, until had done jus
tice to, and provided for, these soldiers. You
will find my votes upon this question, among
the records of Congress, and my speech upon it,
in the public debates OF the same.
1 VIII now, my fellow-ctizens, give you my
reasons for having refused to give pledges anC
opinions more freely than have done since m,
, nomination to the Presidency Many of th
statements published upon this subject, are byn
means corrcct but it is that it is true my opnoi
that no pledge should DC made by an individual
when in nomination for any Office if the gift o
the gift of the people. And why? Once adop
it, and the battle will longer be 10 the stron
| to the virtuous-or to the sincere lover of hi
country but to him who his prepared to tell tn
greatest number Of lies, and to pro6er the larges
number of pledges which he never intends to car
ny out suppose that the best guarantee which
| an American citizen could have of the correct
ness of the conduct of an individual in the future
, would be his conduct in the past, when he had
no temptation bt fore him, to practice deceit.
Now, fellow-citizens, l have not alte
gether grown grey under tine helmet Of my coun
try, although have worn it for some time. 4
large portion of my life has been passed in tn
, civil departments Of government Examine m,
conduct there, and the most tenacious dcmocra
= l use the word in its proper sense meal
not to eonfine it to parties, for there good il
both-may, doubtless, discover faults, but he viii
find single act calculated to derogate from thu
rights of the people.
However, to prove the reverse of this, have
!. been called federalist. Here was aloud cry o
g the charge is Liza base lie. You are nj
!, federalist."] Well, what is federalista / re
collect what the word formerly signifed, ant
there many others present who recollect it
former Specification also. They know that thu
federal party were accused of design tc
strengthen the hands of the general government
at the expense of the separate States. That ac
cusation could not nor cannot apply to me.
was brought up after the strictest manner of Vir
ginian anti-federalism- st. Paul himself wa
not a greater devotce to the doctrines of the Pha
risees, than was |, by inclination and father
precepts and example, to anti-federalism wa
taught to believe, that sooner later, that fata
catastrophe to human liberty would take place
j that the general government would swallow up