The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1843-06-19

NIL associates,
field on hch thousand chosen regular troops OF Eng
land smten down in the first great CO test for Ii
berty. by the arm OF the yeomanry Of New England-
(spplsuse)-and, with heart iull of American feeling,
he here today am sure, TO participate IN as feel
ing degree individual present in all the enthus-
asm-n all the grateful recollections-which this day
and occason calculatedte create Renewed cheer
ing His Excellency the Governor OF the Common
wealth also present nor is to be doubted that he 100
enters with glow OF enthusiastic feeling into an coca
sion intended to celebrate event highly honorable
TO the people of that Commonwealth which II is ms
good fortune TO be called preside Cheers Banners
and hsgs professions and badges announce to us mar
with this multitude have up Thousands OF the nsuves
of New England resident in other States Welcomewei.
come, ye OF kindred name and kindred blood toIea,
cheering) From the broad savannahs OF the south
from the fair regions of the west-irom the
thousands OF eastern origin who cuitv ste the
tho margin OF our ocean lakes from the mountains OF
Pennsylvania-fom the hronged end crowded cities Of
the observation-disclosures. Wherever else you may
be strangers YOU all at home here (ost enthusiasts
tic cheersihe ladies the glscis waved their hand
korchiefs) You have glorious ancestry OF liberty
Won bring with such found the rolls
Of lexington and Concord and Bunker Hill You come
here this shrine of liberty the family affairs where
Your young lips first taught lisp of God
near the temples OF public worship where you rec eved
the first lessons OF devotonnear the halls and coleges
where you received your education. You come here,
OF you, to be embraced once more by Revol uon-
arv faher-ts eve perhaps another and last bles
sing bestowed in love snd tears OF an aged mother who
has survived thus long 10 behold and enjoy prope
riy and happiness If those family recoectons-i if
those tender associations OF early life have brought
here with something Of extraordinary alccriy and Civ
from you us and from us TO you something of Pc
riosn from every and any spot who has come up here
this day to tread this sacred field with American feelings
and who respre with pleasure an atmosphere OF
the sentiments of l775 Cheers In the seventeen mil
lions OF happy people who compose our American com
that structure, there is who has not deep
and abiding interest in the events which designed
Unity of the occasion, depends entirely its
nationality. 1t is ell-all American Its sentiment is
comprehensive enough to embrace the whole American
family, IRON North 10 South, from East to West and
will stand, hope for ever embematc of that Union
who up here to-day with sentiments any less than
wholly American. (Cheers) Woe betide the man who
ousies local feelings local enmtes burning in his DO
All our happiness and all our glory depend on our
union. (Cheers) That monument itself in all that is
commondablen its sentiment and character depends up
union. (Cheers) do not mean to say that it would
not keep its position if the States rent asunaer by
faction violence. do that the heaving earth
would from its base and that it would actually
totter 10 its fall If dmemberment should be the affection
OF our land and cannot say that 1t would minge its
fragments with those of broken Constitution. But in
the happening OF SUCH events who is there that could
dare TO look up tot Great sensaton Who is there
that IRON beneath such load OF modification and shame
as would overwhelm him could approach to behold
Who is there that would not expect his eye
balls TO be scared by the intensity of its silent
resroo Great applsuse2 For my part say that if
to see such time, will ook at it no MORE will avert
my eyes from it for ever Great spplsusel 1t is not as
mere military encounter OF hostile armies that the battle
ofBunker Hill finds its principal claims for
ton and Importance yet battle, there Cir
cumstances attending it OF an extraordinary charace',
and giving TO il peculiar distinction II fought upon
this emnence in the neighbohood OF yonder city in the
presence of spectators than there combatants
in the fght-men ant women, and children, drawn from
their homes filling the towers of the churches covering
the roofs OF public dwellings, and all their residences
looking for the resulto contest OF the consequences
ofwhich they had the deepest conviction The 10th of
June, under bright these fields exhibited nothing
but verdure and culture; there indeed note of awful
preparation in Boston,-.but here all was peace
and the fields then rich with the loads of the
early harvest, told OF nothing but tranquility. The
morning Of the l7h saw every thing changed; in
the night redoubts had been thrown up by few |
under Prescott.
ofthe morning being perceived by the enemy, cannon
ade was Immediately opened upon them from the floating
batteries the water and the land the other side of
Charles River suppose it would be difficult in mill
party for conflict. 1t probably very i'm
portant for the provincial army to hem in the British in
badly have been effected by force little further in the
On the other hand 1t is quite evident that II the
British officers had had nothing else in view but to
lodge the occupants of Bunker Hill, the British
manded the waters the ystic the SIDE and the
Charles river on the other; and as those two rivers
approached each other, it was perfectly competent to cut
OFT all communication, and reduce Prescott 10 famine IN
eight and forty hours But that was not the day for such
Of calculation either side. The truth is, both
parties ready and anxious and determined to try
the strength of their arms: The pride of the British
would submit that redoubt Of the rebels, they
called, should be here, and stand in their very
face and defy them to their teeth. Without cal
destroy the redoubt by the power of the
Royal Army, and take vengeance well attain sscu
ers, fully persuaded that the time near when the ex
listing controversy break out into open hostilites
and try it now; and that is the secret which placed
Prescott there with his troops (Cheers} will not at
tempt to describe what has been often described better
than lean do it. The csnnonading from the water-the
assaults from the land-tbe GOODNESS with which the
provincial army if might be called met the charge
of the enemy, the vaor with which they repused it, the
second attack the second repue the burning Charles
and finally the closing OF the retreat Of the
Militia Of New England over the Neck, shall not at
tempt TO describe; but in its consequences The battle of
Bunker Hill stands amongst the most important that ever
took place between rival States 1t the first great
controversy in the Revolutionary and in my judg
ment was not only the first blow struck in thai
but the blow that determined the issue that
test. Cheers certainly did not put an end TO the war;
but put the country state Of open hostily IT put
the controversy between them to the arbitration OF the
sword and made one thing certanthat after Warren.
feater the troops of the New England States had been
able 10 meet and repulse the attack OF the British regulars
it certain that peace would never be established be-
tween the two countries except the basis of an sc
acknowledgement Of American independence. When that |
went down the nde pendence OF these States
tain Cheers No event of great military magnitude took
place between June rs and July 10 when independence
was formally declared. 1t rests know, the most in
dub;tab.e authority, that when General Washington
having Just then received his appointment Commander
In Chief OF the mercan army heard of the battle of Bun
ker Hill, ard was told that for want OF ammunition and
ether causs the mi ta Welded the ground TO the English
troops he asked Ifthe militia of New England stood the
fire of British regular troops and being told that they
did and reserved their own till the enemy were within
eight rods and then discharged with fearful effect, he
thes excsimed"The liberties of the country are safe
Enthusiastic cheeripg) The consequences, then of the
battle OF Bunker Hill just OF the Importance OF the
American revolution itself 1t there is nothing of value
ii there nothing worthy the regard OF mankind in the
in the battle OF Bdnker Hill and the consequences Aow-
ing from it, But the American revolution be an era in
history of man favorable TO human happinsss-h be
which marked the ofthe human race
from despotism to liberty it be an event which has
shed influence not only this continent but the
wordhen that monument is not raised without cause
then Is Bunker Hill not unworthy of perpetual memo
rial What then the principle OF the American revolu
ton and Of this 81 of political government which
has established and confirmed Now the truth is that
the American Revolution not caused by any instan
taneous adoption OF theory Of government which had
before entered into the minds OF men, nor the en-
bracng the ideas and sentiments OF liberty before alto
geher unknown. On the contrary II was but the better
development and application OF sentiments and opinions
which had their origin lar back in American and Eng
h history The discovery of America its colonization
several states Of Europe the history oil the colo
MES from tine time establishment TO the time when
principal OF them threw of their allegiance TO the
states by which they had been planted constitute train
OF among the most important recorded IN human
I..k