Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1843-07-06

SohC Ho" 10 SPEAK vi ONE Wloo
long life, now drawing to a close, al
ways characterised by liberal munifi
cence and enlarged public spirit. ant
whose name, now becoming historical
/ conseerated alike by public regard ant
private affection, confer upon him, tho
/ living, the proper immunity Of the dead
aid allow us the privilege OF makins
honorable public mention of him, and o
| speaking Of him in terms OF warm ant
deserved commentator. Among ihs
early projectors of this undertaking.
none were more jealous and none more
efficient than Thomas FL. Perkins, be-
meath whose hospitable roof it was that
those whom | have mentioned of the
dead. and others now living, took the
t first steps towards the erection Of tie
monument, lCheers.l A venerable man,
the friend of all-whose charity, like the
blessed dew of Heaven, has dispensed
itself to all--has fed the hungry. clothed
the naked, and given sight to the blind.
iCheers.) For such virtues there are
rewards on high, to which our words
and all language of brass and stone are
but poor and vain imagery.
Among the projectors of the monu-
ment, and the early favorites of its
well.wishers, let US also gratefully re-
member the first President of the Asso-
ciation-the then late Governor of this
Commonwealth, General John Brooks,
who was here in l775, and who after
wards performed honorable service in
the war of the RevoIntion-who, thro'
the most trying periods Of his widely re-
noWned life, was a soldier without fear,
man without reproach.
am aware that, III abiding to the
names of the dead before an audience
composed as this is, | may cause many
tears to flow, and may excite anew the
regrets Of many sad bereavement
But such mention is due Of men distin-
guished by eminent public service and
private virtues especially on this occa-
sion ought we to commemorate the
names of those who have been remark
able for their zeal and efforts in accom-
plishing the great work which has now
reached its fulfilment. Time and nature
have had their course in diminishing the
number of those who were present on
the former occasion, to celebrate the
laying of the cornerstone Of the ediice
now before us-now eighteen years ago.
Most of the Revolutionary veterans who
were then among US have joined the
great congregation Of the dead; but we
have with us to. day some of the name
of Warren, of the kindred of Putnam,
of Stark of Knowlton, and Of McCieary.
Here, too, beloved and respected as uni
versally as known, is the son Of the gal
liant, daring and indomitable Prescott
And here. too. are some-a scantv band
of those who SO bravely performed
military service on this field on the 18th
of June. Philip Bagiey, James
i'enney, Phineas Johnson, Robert An
dfews, Nehemiah Porter, Jesse Smith,
- Bell, Joseph Harvey, Stevens Me-
Crew, Needham Maynard, and Gideon
Foster. (Cheers.) They have survived
all the storms of the Revolution, the
evils which arose from the want of a
good and efficient government. the dan
gers which threatened the public liberty
they have outlived most of their con-
:emporaries. But they have not outlived,
they cannot outiive, the deep and ever
abiding gratitude of their country
Heaven has not allotted to US the oppor-
tunity of performing services like theirs.
or of manlfesting the devotion which
they manifested, in a cause like theirs;
but it we'll becomes US to admire great
actions which we cannot equal, and to
commemorate high public services which
we were not born to perform.
equilibrium est bene facere 'republica
etiam bene deere baud absurdum.
Yes! Bunker Hill Monument is COM
pleted. Here it stands, fortunate in the
natural eminence on which it is erected
majestic in its object and purpose
Behold it there! rising over the land and
sea, visible at this moment to three hum
bred thousand Of the citizens of Massa-
chusetts. 1t stands a memorial Of the
past, monitor to the psessat and to all
succeeding generations of men.
have spoken of its purpose; for, if
it had been without other purpose than
the erection of mere work Of art, the
granite Of which it is composed would
have continued to sleep in its native bed
That purpose gives 1t its dignity, and
causes US to look up to it with emotions
of awe. That purpose ennobles it,
gives it a certain moral grandeur, and
invests it with the attributes of great
intellectual parsonage. 1t is itself the
great orator of this occasion. CHEERS. J
1t is not from my lips, nor from any hui
man lips, that the stream of eloquence
is to flow, which shall be competent to
express the emotions of this vast multi
tude. (Cheers.) The potent speaker
stands motionless before you. 1t is a
plain shaft. 1t bears no inscription,
fronting the rising sun, from which a
future antiquarian shall be employed to
wipe away the dust; nor does the rising
sun awaken strains of music from its
summit. But there it stands, and at the
r;e;nr of the sunTand ~ lie eatt;nr l., AZ a