Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1840-08-20
col. JOHNSON AT coI.UMRus.

Col. VIM. Allen and other distinguished
statesmen visited that place. About six
thousand citizens were present TO wei
come the real Hero of the Thames. The
Vice President, having been met by the
procession, about a mile from the city,
and escorted to the American Hotel, JoHS
A. BRYAN, Esq, addressed him as follows
Col. RICHARD NJ, JOHNSON:
We bid you welcome to our town and
county-to the capital of State, whose
suffering frontier you have defended,
and whose people your patriot arm has
shielded in the hour of peril. 1t is a well
come that flows warmly from the hearts
of The thousands of freemen who now
surround you-a welcome tn at mocks no
empty pageantry here, but one that at
tests the best feelings of our nature for
the sacrifices of patriot and a Dhilan-
thlopist, whose deeds Of valor will ever
stand a halcyon light upon the bright page
of our country's history.
You have lived down the malice Of the
enyious few who once wantonly assailed
you, and the rancorous spirit of polite
al envy that sought to rob you of the glo-
ry of triumph whose briIliancy would
have given lusture 10 the brightest laurel
that ever CLEANED upon the conqueror's
hemlet in any'ag in the world, has been
exchanged for nobler inspiration, the
spontaneous burst of a nations gratitude.
From one end of the continent to the
other, amid the contending elements of
that fierce political strife now raging
through the land while the popular ex-
element is found at the very zenith of
its fury, and the spirit Of party madness
has blunted the natural impulses of thous-
ands, it is our pride as American free
men, TO reflect that you have been greet
ed, every where as the nations guest,
the man whom the nation delights to
honor. If that fell spirit of party rivalry
can be thus guelled, by Just sense of
your merits and worth-if the bitter feel
ing of political opposition is thus easily
disarmed of its disposition to yndervalue
the services you have rendered to the
cause ofliberty-if your deeds of war in
the field of blood can thus stife the vene-
nous spirit of your political opponents,
and induce them TO offer compliments
where once were curses-if those to
whose political creed and principlesyyour
whole life has been so directly and dis
tinctly opposed, thus throw down their
arms 10 offer you the cheering smile of
welcome among them--how much more
ardent, devoted and enthusiastic, should
the greetings Of that party and of those
friends be, in the free outporng of their
confidence and regard, in whose ranks
and by whose side you have stood, as an
old scar-worn veteran in the great polite
al struggles of the last forty years,
Welcome, then, sir, to the scenes of
your carly suffering--to the hospitalities
of people who will ever cherish the
memory ofyour tolls and your dangers
upon thai tented field whence were borne
the numerous wounds you received from
the fire of the ambushed foe.
Standing now within sight of the very
ground, upon yondey bank of the Scioto,
where you once languished from the
wounds you received in the last great
contest for freedom-In that almost fatal
hout when the angel of death, with
threatening in his quiyer, hovered around
your head, but when, for some great end,
you were left to rise TO the first honors Of
your grateful country, TO unite the quail
ties ofthe statesman with the prowess Of
a soldier--We can truly, sir, offer you
the salutations due to your exalted worth
that ardent, that warm hearted VEL
COME, TO which all around US must res
pond--a anelcome to the homes and the
fresides Of those you defended-to the
friendly congratulations of those who
know how to appreciate your services,
and how to~honor one of their country's
greatest deliverers, and most deserving
beneiactors.
TO which Col JOHNSON, thus happily
responded
For this kind reception, this generous
expression of the confidence and favor
of the people in this delightful region, !
feel indeed truly grateful. | am quite
happy, sir, thus to meet my friends on
this occasion, to take those by the hand
with whom have SO long stood connect
ed in the kindest Of friendships, and the
most close and endearing associations.
l am no stranger to this ground-I was
on this soil before single house or ham
let adorned your beautiful city You
know full well, sir, upon what errand
was then employed, in what service was
engaged. Ii was at an hour when deep
disaster prevailed throughout the land
when the desoations of war were prey
ing with unsparing hand upon the de-
fenceless frontiers of Ohio. 1t was when
the wild savage of the Wilderness had
come from his ambush 10 burn your
towns and butcher your people, done
| M nora then sr. than nv duty demand.