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

| to wipe the disgrace from the royal arms
and to obtain at the same time vengeance
and security. On The other hand, Pres
colt and his gallant followers. fully per-
suaded that the time was near for the
breaking out of open hostilities, longed
and thirsted for the encouhter. They
had made up .ieir minds to try their
strength with the enemy, and to try It
now. That is the secret of the battle.
| will not undertake to describe what
has so often been described before BY
persons far more competent than am to
the task-the GOODNESS with which the
provincial army met the charge Of the re.
guitars, and the slgor With which they re-
pulsed lit second charge the Sc
cond repuise--thaS burning of Charles
town, and the closing scene Of the slow
retreat OF the New England militia urvr
the neck. But the consequences Of the
battle of Bunker Aill-its consequences
have made that struggle one of the most
important which ever took place between
rival armies or contending States. 1t
was the first blow of Importance struck
in the evolutionary war, and in my
judgment not only the first. but The
blow which determined the issue. 1t did
not. indeed, put an end to the war, but
it placed the two countries in the atti-
tude Of open hostility. and put the differen-
ces between them at once to tie arbiira-
ment Of the sword. One thing is certain.
After Warren fell, and the men Of New
England had shown themselves able to
face and repulse an army Of British reg
ular troops, it was certain that peace
could never be established but upon the
basis Of the acknowledgment of Ameri-
can independence. (Cheers.) When
the sun went down Oh that day, our in
dependence was certain.
No event of great military Importance
took place after the 18th Of June, 1775,
till Independence was declared On the
4th Of July, 1875. IT rests upon the
most indubitabIe authority that when
General Washing ton, having just taken
command of the American forces, heard
of the battle, and was told that the mi
litia, frcm want CT ammunition, had final
ly yielded their ground, he asked if they
had stood the fire OF the regulars; and
when nc was informed that they had not
only more than once stood the fire Of the
regulars, but had reserved their own till
the enemy was within eight rods, and
then had delivered it with such terrible
eGect-then, said he, our liberty is safe.
Three cheers.
The consequences Of the battle OF
Bunker Hill are in Importance precisely
commensurate with the American Revo-
luton itself-if that was of no value, if
nothing worthy of the regard of mankind
was gained for theai by the Revolution,
then the battle was OF no Importance.
But if the American Revolution be all era
in favor OF human happiness, marking a
wide step in The progress of mankind
from despotism to liberty-if il be an e.
vent which has shed vast influence. net
only in this country but throughout the
norid, then.is. the memory of the battle
of Bunker Hill not unworthy to be per-
petuated by enduring memorials.
What was The principle Of the Amefi-
can Revolution, and Of the systems of
political government which it has estab-
iished? Now the truth is that the Anne
riean Revelation was not caused by the
instantaneous adoption of a theory new
er before advanced, nor by embracing
ideas Fever before known. 1t Was the
clear development and application of
principles which had been long known,
and had their origin far back in Ameri-
can and English history. The discove-
nv and colonization OF America, and the
history. Of the several colonies, from the
time they were established here under
the auspices Of different European states,
to the time when the principal states ofthe
continent threw off their allegiance to the
nations by which they had been planted
here, constitute a train of events among
the eniost important which are recorded
in history. The events occupied about
three hundred years, during which
whole period knowledge has made steady
progress among the people Of the old
world, so that Europe, even at the-time
pof the settlement of New England and
Virginia, was greatly changed from that
Europe which had commenced the COLO
nization goo years before. And what
is most material to our present purpose,
that during the first of these centuries
between the discovery Of America and
the colonization of Virginia, political
and religious events took place which
materially affected the sentiments of
mankind throughout Europe, and partic-
ularly in England.
Now, we know that after the few Fee
BILE attempts made by Henry the Sew
enth to plant colonies here, no similar
effort was made for almost a.century.-
Without inquiring into the causes Of
this delay, we may proceed at once to
the consequences, which are sufficiently
striking. England, in the lapse of this
century, had, unknown 10 herself. been
training class dfSmen, peculiarly fitted
by education, aswsll as competent by
nature, to the task of eolonizing North
America, and Of introducing the English
name and Anolo-Saxnn race 70 a greal