Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1840-07-23
POLITICAL.
SPEECH OF GEN VAN RENSSELAER,, AT
CINCINNATI

public speaking my life has heen one Of actions.
rather than Words NY hand more eousefsl viii
tie sword. than ihe Pen | cannot. however. suff,r
the sentiment which you have just civ n, IN pass,
~ithant tie expr, ssioa OF my mast eraefta &C
know dgmeais. While than sentiment, gentle
men, received with much cetdiany, is just,
assteriug the pride o m old soldier, II recalls
vents aud scenes Productive f other aud better c.
motions. Your allnsioa To the Manmee carries me
back 10 the year 1872, when youth of years Of
age. with The commission OF General Washington
in my pocket, aud. itus some share Of his p,ncis
pies IN my bosom, irst iarded IN Cincinnati aud
What a mighty change has been wrought IN that
shott y, ried What higher eniory be passed
upnn the enlightened cutctpise OF your people,
than the simple let that Tie humble individual who
now addresses you, the site Of your noble Guy,
when there no houses, but tew rudely con-
xtrueie log cabins along The banks OF your tfe aud
the elalengc OF lhe sentines the patapct ol old
Font Washington alone interrupted the universal
silence. TIE linc of the canal was Then our nurh-
ern frontier. heyoa1 which the lurking ludin made
IL unsafe to peae rate and HE pursuit OF stray
horse among this magnificent ampbitheatre sfhiils
surrounding your city, was conducted with little
Of the pomp, 10 be sufe bat much OF the precan.
iicn oil military incursion.-Witl tho exception ol
few old settlements on the Wabash aud Mississippi.
whose inhabitants hat become almost incorporated
with the surrounding Indian tribes, there we're no
white men in the whole North Wesl Territory, com
psi>ing your own great State and tho States OF
lndis,.a. ILLINOIS, Michigan, and Wisconsin Terrific
~. The roaming Indian alone possessed it
Where are they nav They are gone hike The fai-
ling leaves.and rrvlyug spung shall witness tlelr
return. Such was Cincmnali.-W hat Is IL nov aftei
the lapse OF 8 years iadebtcd 10 the pulte.
mss OF the Mechanics Institute of an invitation To
their Fair last evening and lad catalogue OF the
articles there oxhIbiedI would produce II rs d most
eloquent and comprehensive answer 10 The inlefes-
ling queslion-"What j. Cincinnati now p Tie
exquisite symmetry AMI beauty OF the various articles
bore ample testimony ta1 lac skill OF your workers
IN wood, aud 10 brass, and IN non; while nothing
can exceed the good taste exhibited 10 the many
!. ornameutsi tcmens OF the Institute. | cannot
however, omu TO remark, aud # 1t will not be con-
sidered insidions, 10 comment, tie vast proportion
10 which the useful exceeds the merely ornamental.
The combined effect al the whole exhibition iuices
upon the mind the reflection that he who would
discover the secret Of the unparalleled growth Of
Cincinnati. aud its comparative exemption from The
general embarrassment oi the times, must seeh II IN
her workshops and IN her factories.
From this balcony, fellow ctlizeus, my eye rests
upon the ground where was my darl, duly 10 ma.
unuyre my troops and when recall the scene, As
then existed and compare 1t Ih what | now see,
II fills the with emotions which no llugutpe - al
eqaae to express. The lhuughtless Reconsideration
OF youth is pfoYtrbialy shurt ighied bat what IN.
eginstion could then have bn4ed forth The eland r.
slities which DOW surround usl The Enclosures of
some duzca miserable hut, Fou Washington aud the
low ground, on whdi is now Columbia street, then
called llobsbns Choice, mtre the only points
which had been CLEARED OF the forest Nuut hand
come private buildings your noble public schapl
houses your magnificent churches, have succeed
ed. and = log cabin Is not 10 be found within the
bounds Of Souf Iaf CITY, except Is an appropriate
emblem OF tie youthful ndaf. the indonnitabo spir-
u, the pure and DISTINGUISHED pubic uuuc. wilch.
through Yeas Of toll and danger such as they nj,
can Conceive WHO have felt them, have watt he'd ~
yer ihe infant settlements uf tho West, and prof.c-
ted The log cabins and their hardy aud ADVENTUROUS
inmates, from the ioulshaHk aud scalping kuiie OF
The relentless savage.
Atths period FIRST became acquainted with llr.
rison; he 10 year, old, and ono year younger. We
we're Tor long time the yOungcst Ulcers 10 the ar
my. and am happy to say this distant PERIOD ihal
the iriendshp Illus formed upon youthful sympa-
Tiles and congcnlal dispositions. proved too stong
for time and absence, and met IN New YORK. IN
1927, after separation 81 30 seais the same warm
iiends as we had pnttd ON this spot in ~. TIN.
period recalls to my mind the Inauguration nf the el-
der Adams and with ii the charge against Harrison
OF "ancisnt iederati5m." living witness, tha
Al the period 10 which rcfef the charge oas with
out the slightest foundation. The republican min.
eples OF Harrison were then as well known IS hi,
chivalric sprit, and he had no superior IN either
IL has been reserved for The pe OF the present
day, even while surrounded by the monuments OF
his civil and military vianes 10 question both Gene
raj Wayne a djseiPlinariau as well az an
the most puntliious conformity 10 all the rules OF
military lfe particularly did he exhibit himself aud
require his staff TO exhibit constant example Of the
conduct he required OF Others. Brave temperate
and iaborious himself he selected his sta FOR quail.
ties similar to his own. On such q military family
thus organized, llanlsOn became a member in the
confidential relation of abide camp The delicate
duties OF that responsible station he performed not
only with the entire appreciation OF Wayne, but the
satisfaction Of every officer Of The army, with
whom his duties hfou. bit him into almost daily in.
tetcourse; and such was his uniform uibanitv ana
Kindness 10 the soldiers, that their respect lof hun as
an ohoer was only equalled by their love tor HIM IS
man. Inc N W. army, while ~ quarters IA the
"lueihess had lew amnsemrnls TO vary lie duh
routine Of eamP duty, The consequence was
thai the habits OF dissipation we're acquired by many
oil the oibcers, whose rank and age made the habit
contagious Harrison, though oil an are pecul,.r,v
weas against such temptations, was sireag he led 10
successful resistance, by uLquenchable thirst ior
knowledge, both general aud professional. Tenn
perate, active and sludious theu as now he lost no
tir,e. Thea as nov, the sun never found INN In
oeo' ana the intervals oil military duty were devoted
TO course Of extensive historical reading.
The battle OF The Mana ee, on The 20lh AUGUST.
1871, was fought by the Indians with the most DIES.
Pefate courage There Was no point OF the line al
Which i"e udhset was not imminent. As and de-
camp II was Harrison's duly to carry The orders of
the General to any part Of the army. These order,
OF course, we're most Gequ Mt whe,e the ieh was
ihickes and IN hose P6rls gMc fghtI generalg sd,p
him on that euentfal dag.
can attest the truth Of the remark said to be
made by 6enerai williamson and Col Shamburph
that Harrison was 40 the front of the hottest battle
his person was exposed from the commencement ia
tos close oil me action Wherever duty called he has