Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1840-07-02
-T-
" A III I e r. Y.
From the Baltimore American.
FORT MEIGS' CELEBRATION.

FOhI 0ELEbhaIlON
The celebration of the battle Of Fort Megs, took
place the site of the Old Fort the llih inst.
and was attended by crowd Of citizens from Ohio.
Indiana. Illinois. Michigan, New York and Penn
sylvana, yariously estimated from IS to 80, 600
by the Cleveland Herald and informant Of The
New York Courier, who was present. Several mi
tary companies occupied the immediate site OF the
Old Fort, and the assembled thousands were cam
ped" about in delegations. Several OF The mos,
distinguished sons Of the West were present and
addressed the assemblage, but the chief centre of
attraction was the Here Of the day. The Courier
gives the following animated account OF this part of
the proceedings
But among all the Speakers, none shone con-
spcuously al orator, as the hero OF the day
General Harrison himself. The old soldier ia
fine health and spirits His clear a. ! sonorous
voice rang through the ranks of the assembled null
titude ike the notes of trumpet. Not a word
was lost Collected, dignfed, fluent, he poured
forth torrent Of eoquence that captivated and
thrilled the audience. In this style of harangue
the General has always been celebrated, but this
occasion warmed by the sympathetic enthusiasm of
numbers, carried ava, by the thronging recoec-
tons of all that he had seen, suffered and enjoyed,
during many years Of vicissitude aud peril, he
was animated to high AMI commanding eloqnence.
With no parade, with no egotism, he rapidly re-
viewed the chequered incidents of our frontier his
tofy-CHtTled duulence Ddck 10 tho eafiIef
Of the Western settlements, followed them down
through the dangers and extremities of Indian
fare, recapiulated the striking Of British
hostility and conirasted the magnificent exhibitions
Of their present civilization with the privations the
perils and the cslamities of other days.
All this the hero had seen, with much Of it he
was peculiarly identified, and the audience before
him knew, felt and appreciated the reality of all
that he depicted. He listened to with the
most profound attention, interrupted only by the
ardent bursts of grateful acknowledgement that
broke at intervals from the excited and enthusiastic
multitude, among whom were many of the old SOL
diers who had shared with him the dangers and ho
nors of all his battles, and who remain the living
witnesses Of his gallant achievements Though
General Harrison could not omit to allude to the
present affairs Of the republic, in connection with
his position he sedulously avoided every thing
of partizan character
He expressed his views with statesman-ike clear
ness and decision on various public topics, but me-
condescer ded to any thing like elimination or
invecfige. In all respects his address was what his
best friends could have wished He touched no
subject which hes@id not felcitously Illustrate and
said nothing which could have better remained UNI
said. But one sentiment prevailed in the audience,
among boln his friends end his enemes-and this
was that the old General had far eclipsed all the
other speakers of the day, in his graceful and elo
quen harangue, in the interest that attached TO
him less from the associations OF the day and the
scene, than from his present commanding position
as favored candidate for the highest civil honors
in the gift Of free and enlightened People.