Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1843-07-13
BUNKER HILL CELEBRATION.

|
answered and said
Mr. President: When Massachusetts recalls
her days of trial, her hear, throbs with gratitude
Tor Virginia. The blood Of Virginians did not
wet the soil of Bunker Hill but the spirit Of the
Ancient Dominion had gone before, guiding by
its light and cheering by it's sympathy.
When the passage of the Stamp Act reused the
genius of American freedom to that contest be-
tween liberty and power which has this day so
iorcibly been illustrated in the presence of N.Y.
RAIDS OF hearers, il was while the Virgnians were
rousing that the fire first burned; il was VIRGINIA
that gave the example of resistance, and the
words Of Patrick Henry rung through the land
like the voice of II trumpet.
When the Representatives Of Massachusetts
stood forth to deny altogether the dominion OF the
British Parliament, it was Virginia that leaned |
forward to share the danger and invite a cores
pondence.
When the Boston Por, Bill closed our harbor, |
and the ships that should be the swift messengers
OF New Eng lands industry lay chained to the
useless whafveS, and the hammer of the ship
wright was silent, and the labocr went to and fro
In the streets unemployed, all Virginia demanded
TO esteem the sufferers here as members of her
own household; and--to take bat one example,
| the people of the remote Augusta country one
hundred and twenty miles at least from naviga-
! bic river, made their way over rocks and streams
and ranges Of hills, with no roads but the rouql-
est, and thus carted, dragged, or rolled to tide
to the poor of Boston.
| When at the cry from Lexington and Concord
New England rose in arms, and abandoned its
metropolis only to lay siege to It's enemies tina,
were encamped there, Virginia sent for our defence
the most expert Of her riilemen, bravest anonp
! the brave.
When TO remove invasion by attack it was re-
solved to scale the mountains that divide It's from
Quebec, Nrginians We're among the boldest to
climb the highlands of Maine; and the waters of
tho. H.. 4
me henneoec and the Chaudlore, as long as they
How, Will tell the story of their daring.
And--groatest benefit OF all when Boston
was to be recovered, it was son of Virginia who
took The command of our armies, and conducted
successfully the most extraordinary siege in the
annals oil human warfare; and WASHINGTON,
most blessed among warriors, wisest of heroes
peerless among men, as he led back our eXed
families to their homes, saw around him not one
whom his ambition had bereaved of a husband OF
son; and, as he made his triumpha entry into
the town which he had delivered beheld himself
thrice happy in bloodless victory. will give
you, sir
" Virginia and Massachusetts,. Their names are
blended inseparably in the record of their coun.
try's glory their will ever cherish the free
dom and the Union established by their fathers y
MIR. UPsnuR, of Virginia, Secretary of the Ma.
Wy, rose to respond, amidst enthusiastic applause
! lie said
e MIR. President: We arc all assembled upon a
D very interesting occasion; are ail--those oil
us VINO are strangers-enioying the kind hospta-
y lilies OF the citizens of Boslon and it becomes
the duty of some one of the Yirgnans present to
respond TO the call upon his native State | re.
u gret that the task falls upon me; for, though
feel, and though all who come from Virginia feel
deeply, the value of such notice taken of their
native State by Massachusetts, there are few OF
us who can adequately reply to the complimen,
paid to our native State in Faneuil Hall. AS 10
myself, never was much in the habit of public
speaking, and what little faculty once possessed
: Is now entirely lost through dsuse. might Of
Ter another apology Tor my hesitation that l. am
overpowered by the circumstances i'm which find
myself placed. But will offer none whatever
can say but little, but that little shall be in the
language of truth and sincerity-a language al.
ways eloquent enough. In responding to your
call-your association of Massachusetts and Vir-
; gina--where shall begin9 Topics rush upon
the mind so rapidly, each so strongly appealing
Tor notice and uterance, that the tongue is con-
: fused and the power of recollection lost But,
indeed, why should attempt to recall TO Massa-
chuSets minds those topics! 1t is part Of eve
ry Massachusetts mans education to know of the
revolutionary eNerlions of the different States and
!, OF The ties which bound them together. Every
school-boy in New England, with his satchel on
his back, can tell of Lexington and Bunker Hill,
OF Trenton and Yorktown.
Every one In Massachusetts knows all this,
and nope may say that in my own State our
children learn to lisp those halowed names at
iheir mothers knees. And sir, though it was
Flrglnlas fortune TO furnish to the American
army leader whose peer the world never saw ;
though IN all creation there has been but one
Washington, and never will be another: and
though he was wholly of Virginia. yet we are not
selfish! His fame is bright enough to cast a Jus
ire over the whole land. We can share it freely
with all our counrymen, and all shall have
enough.
But, sir. expressing as is that name-and, as |
hope without violation of modes;y may saw,
4 brilliant as are many other names belonpinr 10
irglnia, their glory belongs not TO us alone. in
looking back to the events of the Revolution who
is there that can separate Virginia from Massa-
chuSetls W no can fail to couple the Old Domin-
ion with this noble Commonwealth? Would, sir.
would mat Virginia were here to-day to respond,
( as she would respond TO the greeting of Massa-
|chuSetS; but veDiurIng, Incompetent as | am so
10 DO, to represent her embodied spirit, in her
name say 10 Observation-Disclosures she would saw
( were she here--iiail, hail to thee, oh my sister .
Gentlemen, am prcsuming upon your patience
and must conclude. Cries OF {. Go on---go ONT
ell then, let me express to you, personally the
great, deep, and solemn satisfaction with which
have observed all the proceedings which have
come under my eye to-day. | have seen much
very much, which proves the taste, wealth, and
liberaiity OF the people of Boston and Charles
town, hundreds OF circumstances denoting civili-
zatIon and refinement. But the moral beauty of
the scene cngTosses ny whole attention. Thou.
sands and thousands--how many thousands it is
ihP0ootufo fOt me even to ConJeCuufe--ndve met
me at every turn. Crowds on crowds in the