The Illinois free trader., 1840-07-03

stances, these are not the rewards which
! endured, and which every person SINH
larly situated must have endured, can meet
with any adequate compensation, except
by such expressions of the confidence and
gratitude of the people as that with which
you, fellow-citizens, have this day honor
ed me. These feelings are common to
all commanders of sense and sensibility.
The commanders of Europe possess them,
although placed at the head of armies rear
ed to war. How much more naturally
would those feelings attach to comman-
der situated as | was? For of what ma
terials was the army composed which was
placed under my command! The SOL
diers who fought and bled and triumphed
here, were lawyers, who had thrown up
their briefs, physicians, who had laid aside
their instruments, mechanics, who had
put by their tools-and, in far the largest
proportions, agriculturists, who had left
their ploughs in the furrow, although
their families depended for their bread
upon their exertions, and who fastened
to the battlefield to give their life to their
country if it were necessary to maintain
her rights. cloud point from where l
now stand, to places where felt this anX-
iety pressing heavily upon me, as | thought
of the fearful consequences of mistake
on my part, or the want of judgment on
the part Of others. knew there were
wives who had given their husbands up
to the field, mothers who had clothed their
sons for battle; and knew that these en-
pecting wives and mothers were looking
for the safe return of their husbands and
sons. When to this was added the recol-
lection, that the peace of the entire west
would be broken up, and the glory Of my
country tarnished if failed, you may pos
sibly conceive the anguish which my sit
uation was calculated to produce. Feel
ing my responsibility, personally SUI
pervised and directed the arrangement of
the army under my command. trusted
to no colonel or other officer. No person
had any hand in any disposition of the
army. Every step of warfare, whether
for good or i'll, was taken under my own
direction, and of none other, as many who
now hear me know. Whether every
movement would or would not pass the
criticism of Bonaparte or Wellington, |
know not; but whether they would induce
applause or censure, upon myself it must
fall.
But, fellow-ci,izens, still another motive
induced me to accept the invitation which
had been so kindly extended to me. |
knew that here should meet with many
who had fought and bled under my COM
mand--that | should have the pleasure OF
taking them by the hand, and recurring to
scenes Of the past | expected, 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 have
induced my visit to this interesting spot
upon this equally interesting occasion.
see my old companions here, and | see
not few of the revolutionary veterans
around me. Would to God that it ever
had been in my power to have made them
comfortable and happy--that their sun
might 60 down in peace. But, fellow.
citizens, they remain unprovided for
monuments of the ingratitude of my coun.
try. 1t was with the greatest difficulty
that the existing pension act was passed
through congress. But why was it re,
stricted! Why were the brave soldiers
who fought under Wayne excluded
soldiers who suffered far more than they
who fought in the revolution proper. The
revolution, in fact, did not terminate unit
l794--until the battle was fought upor
the battle ground upon which my ey'
} now rests (Miami.) War continued witt
! them from the commencement of the rev
olution until the victory of Wayne, II
which / have just alluded. The grea
f highway to the west was the scene o
, unceasing slaughter. Then why this un
, just discrimination! Why are soldier.
who terminated the war of the revolution
f in fact, excluded, while those by whom i
was begun, or portion of them, are re
warded! | will tell you way. The poo
] remant of Wayne's army had but few ad
vocates, while those who served in th
revolution proper, had plenty of friends
, Scattered as they were, over all parts 9
t the union, and in large numbers, the,
could exert an influence at the ballot-box
. They could whisper thus in the ears @