The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1840-07-07
GEN. ESAHeEeQSeeN'S SEsEsEsGKE.
AT FORT MEIGS. >.

wishes. II has appeared to me, tI,at The
office OF President of the United States should
not be sought after by my individual; hut thar
the people should spontaneously and with their
! own free will, accord the distinguished honor IN
the man whom they believed would best per.
j form lts important duties. Entertaining these
views, should, fellow citizens, have renamed
nj nome, but Tor the pressing mud friendly nyi.
tntlon which have received from the cizens
OF Perrysb,irgh, and the earneslness with which
its accepiion was urged upon me hy friends in
whom trusted, nnh whom am now proud TO
! see around me-. IT. however, fellow citizens. L
! had no: complied with that ilfvitaiion-f had
remained AT home believe me, my friends that
my spirit would have been with you; for where,
Tin this beautiful land, is there place calculated,
as this ls, 10 REGAL long past "reminiscences, and
revive long sl'imbering, bat not wholly extin.
gushe', emotions in my bosom2
In casting my eyes around, fellow citizens,
! they rest upon the spot where the gallant WAYNE
trumphed so gloriorsy over his enemies, and
carried out those principles which it seemed his
| pleasure TO impress upon my mind. and in
which II has ever been my happiness lunby to
attempt 10 initiate him. 1t was ,here, fellow
citizens, ! saw the banner of the United States
float in triumph over The flag of the enemy.
There it was where was first laid the founda-
ton OF the prosperity Of the now wi,le spread
and beautiful West 1t there beheld the
indignant Eagle frown upon the British Lion.
Ii was there saw the youth of our land carry
out the lesson they nbbed from the gallant
WAYNE-the noblest and best an American cnn
arquire--to die for his country when ca lied to
do so in its defence.
al this moment the speakers eye fell npon
General Hedges, when he aid: General Hedg
es will you come up here? You have stood by
my side in the hour of atte, and l cannot bear
to sec you at so great distance now" I'm
mense cheering followed this consierntc recog.
milton, and the cries of ''raise him up, place him
by the side of his Gene raj" had scarcely been
hon roI Ut,Iu vial
ward to the siand.]
The General continued: 1t was there 1 saw
inferred my beloved onpanions-cOmpan ions
| Of my youth. 1t was not in accordance with
the stern etiquette OF military life, then TO mourn
their departure; but may now drop tear over
their graves, nj the recollection of their virtues
and worth.
| In 1898, fellow citizens, received my
tuIssion TO serve under Gen. Wayne. In 1904,
was his aid at the battle of the Miami. Mines
teen years afterwards, 4 had the honor of again
beng associated with many of those who
my companions in arms then. Nineteen years
afterwards, | found myself Commander in.
Chief of the North Western Army; but found
no dilninuton in the bravery OF the American
soldier / found the same spirit of valor in all
not in tho regular soldier only, but in the enrol.
led militia and volunteer also.
What glorious "reminiscences do the view Of
all the scenes around me recall to my mind!
When consented 10 visit this memorable spot,
| expected that Thousand pleasant associations
would TO God there were no painful associations
mingled with them) would he recalied--that |
should meet thousands Of my fellow citizens
here-and among them many of my old CONF
panions--me here to roar new altar TO liberty
in the place of the one which bad men have
prostrnIcd.
Here the General looked around as If for
some waters when the cry was raised, 'give the
General some hard cider" This was done
| H. l.t,, In
And, fellow citizens, continued The Generally
will not attempt TO conceal from you, that in
coming here expected that l should receive
from yor those evidences OF regard which n
generous people are ever willing TO bestow upon
those whom they believe to be honest in their
endeavoiss t" serve their country. !
receive these evidences OF regard and
esteem as The only reward ut all adequate 10
compensate for the anxieties and anguish which
in tho past, experienced upon this spot. la
there any man OF scnsihiliy or possessing
feeling Of seli.respect, who asks wha, those feel
ings were? Do you suppose that the Comman-
der in. chet finds his reward in the glitter and
splendor of The CnmI'? or in the forced obed.
ence of the masses around him? These are not
pleasures under all OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES are not
| the rewards which soldier seeks. l ask any
man 10 place himself in my situation, and then
| say whether the extreme pam and anguish which
| [ endured and which every person similarly sit
| ratcd must have endured, can meet with any ad
eq,,ate compensation, except by such express
| sons Of The confidence md gratitude OF The peo-
pie, as thn, with which You, fellow citizens,
have this day honored me' These feelings are
common to all commanders of sense and sensi'
bility. The commanders of Europe possess
them, although placed at the head of armies
reared 10 war. 8 How much more naturally
wou!.I those feelings attach tn n commandet sit
,latrd ns was? For of what materials was the
| army composed which, was placed under my
| coinnnnd? The soldiers who fbigh and BLEED
ana ,riumphci here were lawyers, who had
thrown up their bricfs-physicinns, who iad
| laid aside their instruments mechanics, mo
had put Ivy their tooIs-nnd, IN far the largest
proportions, agrculuras's who Ind lclt their
! poughs in the lnrrow, aIhongh 'neif :ain'iies
! ,euen,ied for their bread upon their exeriions,
and who hustened the baile field 70 give
their life to their country il il were necessary, to
maintain her rights. could point from where
I now stnnd to places where ! teli this anxiety
pressing heavily upon me, MS ! Thought OF
The fearful consequences of n mistake on my
part, or the want OF Judgement on the part OF
/ n,hers knew there were wives who had Civ.