Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1840-07-18

friendly invitation which have received from tho
citizens Of Tcrrysburgh, end the cafnestness with
Which its acceptatiOn was urged upon me by
friend, in whom | trusted, und whom am now
proud to see around me. IT, however fellow ciil-
zens, | had not complied with that invita,iUn--if !
had remained at home-beeve me- my friends
that my spirit would have been with you; f,r
where in this beautiful land, there place calcr-
lated, aS this i, to recall long past reminiscencp-
and revive long numbering, but not wholly7extin-
guished emotions in my bosom!
In casting my eyes around, fellow citizens thev
rest upon the spot whore the gallant WAYNE tri.
umPhed 50 glorlously over has enemies, aud carried
out thDse principles which it seemed his pleasure
Al TO impress upon my mind, and in which It has ever
been my happiness hnmhly 10 attempt 10 INITIATE
him II was there fellow citizens, | saw the banner
loi the United States float in triumph over the fac
of the enemy. There it was where was first lui1
the foundation Of the prosperity OF the nOw wide
spread and beautiful West it was there bched
The indignant Eagle irown upon the British Lion
II was there saw the youth Of our land carry out
the lesson they iotbbed from The gaant Waync-
the nobIe-t and best IN American cauuCquife-tn
die for bis country when called to DO 50 IN its de.
fence.
| LAt'hi moment the speaker, eve fell upon Gen
! Hodges, when he said ''Gcnera! hedges, will VOL
come W here! You have stood by my side in tic
hour Of battle, and cannot bear to see YOU at 80
great distance now" Immense cheering followed
his cou-iderae recognition, aud the cries Of '.ral-c
lnm up" 'pacc him by the side Of his old General,
lad scarcely been uttered when he was cartlci
forward to tie stand
The General continued. l. was there ! saw
INFERRED my beIuYed companions; the companions
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, at the recollection Of their virtues
and worth.
In 1893, fellow-citizenS, ! received my comms.
sion TO serve under Gen. WayDe.--Iu 1874. vas
his aid at the battle Of the Miami. Nineteen
years afterwards, had the honor Of again being
associated with many Of those who my com
paniOns in arms then. Nineteen wears afterwards
found myself Cunnmauder.in-Cm cf of the North
Western Army; but found no dimlnu'i0n IN the
bravery Of the American soldier. ! found the
SPIRIT u! yaIor in aIl-not in the regular soldier
only, but in the enrolled militia and volunteer also
What glOriyI, "reminiscences does the view of
all these scenes around INC recall to my mind
When consented to visit this memorable spot,
expected that Il Thousand pleasing Associations
("uu.d 10 God there were no painful associations
mingled with taemJ would be rccaied-that |
should mcel thousands Of my feilow-citizens here
and among them many Of my old companions, met
here To- altar to liberty in place Of the
one which bad men have frostraced
Here tie Genera! looked around if FOR some
water, when the cry wa, raised give the General
some hard cider" This was done much to the salts
faction Of the multitude
And feow-ctizens, CONTINUED the General,J
will not attempt to conceal from you, that in COM
ing here, expected that should receive from you,
those evidences Of regard which generous peo-
pie are ever willing to bestow upon those whom
they believe ~ be honest in their endeuvors to serve
their country. receive these evidences Of regard
nstc ilh Cpl lpt Ind 70,
compensate for the anXeties aud anguish which.
in the past experienced upon this spot Is there
any man Of senSiblity, or possessing feeling Of
selfrespcct, who asks what those feelings were
Do you suppose that the Commander lint Chief finds
his reward in the glitter ana spendOr Of the camp
or in the forced obedience Of the masses around
him! These not pleasures under all circum-
stances; these not the rewards which soldier
seeks. | ask any man to place himself IN my situa
lion, and then say whether the extreme pain and
anguish which | endured, and which every person
similarly situated must have endured, 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 hUnUred me These feelings are
common to all commanders of sense and sensibty.
The commanders OF Europe possess them, although
placed at the head OF armies reared to war. How
much more naturally would these feelings attach
to a Commander situated as was For of what
materials was The army composed which was placed
under my command The soldiers who fought and
Died and triumphed here, were lawyers who had
thrown up their brc's-phy sicians VITO had laid
aside their nstruments--me who had put I'D
their too,--and, in far the largest proportions,
agrculturalists, who had left their poughs in the
urrow, although their families depended for their
bread upon their eXCrtions, and who FASTENED to the
Battlefield 10 give their life 10 their country, if it
were necessary to maintain her rights | could
point from where | now stand, to places where
! felt this anxiety pressing heavily upon me, as
thought of the fearful consequences of d mistake on
my part, the want Of judgment on the part Of
| others. | knew th,ir were wives who had given
their husbands to tie feld-mohers who had
ciUrhad their sons fer battle and knew that these
expecting wives and mothers were looking for the
safe return of lhrIr husbands and sons. When to
this added the recollection, that the peace OF
the entire West would be broken up, and the glory
,iby conceive the anguish which my situation was
calculated to produce. Feeling my responsibility,
personally supervised and directed the arrange
lnentS Of the army under my command ! trusted
to no Colonel or other officer No person had any
| hand in any disposition Ut the army. Every 81. p
Of warfare, whether Tor good or i'll, was taken ul-
| der my own direction, aud Of none other, as many
who now hear me know. Whether every move
menl would or would not, pass the criticism of Be-
napore or Wellington, | know not; but whether
| tnoy would induce applause or censure. upon my
self it must fail.
BIT, fellow-citizens, still another motive induced
ne to accept tie Iuvita'ion which has been so
| kindly ex ended to me. knew that here should
meet with many who had fought ami bed under my
communicative should have the pleasure Of TAX
ing them by the hand, and recurring, with them, to
The scenes OF the past. | expected, too, to meet
with few OF the great and good men, Yet ,uryiving