Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1844-03-07
.S N A U ~ n o. N g.
. THURSDAY, MARCH 7. 1914.
PUBLIC MEETING

Al numerous meeting Of the citizens of Staun-
ton and Augusta county, held at the Courthouse
on Saturday the end day Of March, 1914. to ex.
press their deep and solemn sense of the awful
catastrophe on board the Steamship Princeton.
! ny whch the lives OF so many valued and distin-
sushed citizens were lost, and their sincere and
heartfelt sympathy for the families of the lament,
cd dead, in their overwhelming affection
On the motion Of DAVID w. PATERSON, esq.
inc meeting was organized by calling the Hon.
LUCAS L. Thompson TO the Chair, and appointing
NICHOLAS Z. KINNEY Secretary.
Judge THOMPSON on taking the chair addrcs sed
the meeting as follows:
Hchticmcn --Wc have assembled in conscoucnc. or
ane melancholy tdings which reached us y,s,erdav
inc explosion and consequent destruction of life ON ,b
49, o' Tue steamer Princeton on "Wednesday last the
zotA instant, is catastrophe ayv full 40
anu so unparalleled in its attendant circumstances in
Wv chronicles OF casualties and accidents as 10 bafil,
The power OF the tongue, the pen or The pcncI adj
iuaey TO portray its horrors. Imagination can but faint
~ picture 10 the mind the sombrc I:ucamcns of sucL
scene III rs an event which are informed has wron,
our tSaohal Metropolis in gloom, and clothed our Ma
tIona counscls in mournng-,it has busbcd for Snn
me voice OF debate in the Senate Chamber and the Hall
Representatives and il event cspcciaIlv cacua,
ca 10 o'erwheini with anguish the Chief Executive Ma
siSr'ee OF the Naton.-ln the death OF the Sccrcta-
res OF State and OF the Navy he has NOT only lost t
OF ms most beloved personal friends but two Of his mos,
Worthy anu most trusted constitutional
~ AT most interesting and critical iuncurc
VI public affairs when a negotiation with ForcSp Po,,
Si.nGr pending or ab;ut being commenced, which
may involve IN ITS results the issues of war or ncocc
How iorcIby and yividy does such an occasion ms This
eci 10 mind that now trc, but ever memorable trb
ana benmhi reflection Of the eloquent and phi,osonb
Burke, w hat shades arc and what shadows ,n
pursue " w hat an instructive commentary does IL fur
nsh us on the vanity of this fectin and rapsitor IC
nat lesson docs II read of the weakness of Lum.n
sr'nSthof the littlencss of human grca,ncss-of br
VANITY oil human wishcs-thc iuty Of human pursuits
I'M r,,pt Tth
~ mist II is our duty, and trust will be our Measure.
DoW WIN meek submission and humble resignation TO
r ,ct'e oispensation OF an All wise and
uhs iToVidencc-we may without offence to the Most
iiigh-li we murmur not--rcpnc not-und arro;on MOI
ilis Pro'iuencc-bc permitted to feel and express our
sorrows ana our humble regrets a so untoward and
he"r rcnding an event; calamity which has deprived
inc Nalon OF some OF her mos, ustrous and bright
est ornaments, and has invaded and carried dcsolai;on
ana anguish and unuttcrablc wo, the circle of family
and friends. ~ 70 '''iiiiy
We have assembled to perform the sad ofice,b. mo-
0'Oiy u"'y Oh giving common uttcrancc to our COM
mon feelings the mournfu occasion that bae hronnb,
us together. The National bereavement the memorv
o uc dead the gricvous aiction loss f
surviving relatives and friends call upon us for an
PrcssIon oil our coincidence with counrymcn of onr
respect of The memory Of the dead and OF our heart
e con9ochcc ana sincere sympathy with the disconso
lc widows and help orphans of the unfortunate vic
,ims oil the dire calamity And how feelings can be
most appropriately testified and suitably expressed will
DC Tor thS meeting, IN its wisdom, to determine
WILLIAM KINNEY. esq. thereupon submitted
the following preamble and resolutions, p.efaced
by some feeling remarks,- Especially in refer
ence TO one Of the lamented victims the Hon. ~
w. GILMER, who was most valued personal
friend, (Which were unanimously adopted:
The citizens of Staunton and Augusta County bov,o
received the news of the awful catastrophe which
rcd on board the Princeton near the Civ NJ
w aShington the 2Sth ult BY which The Prce;,J, IS
the IT, States has been deprived of two of his most
ADVISERS the Country has lest several of its most dtn
g"nshca ezcns and virginia been bcrcft Of three her
n l.nts ,,tlf,o
lustrc ON her namc-havc assembled together TO rive
some public expression TO their grief at he mclaucho
occurrence, and of their deep and heartfelt svmpaby
wi,h The surviving friends and relatives of the deceased
In thus meeting together this mourn occasion tbev
recognise no difference Of opinion and division of par
" lncy nave no memory for the errors or impcrfcc-
ons-ii any they hadof those who have gone 10 tbc;r
last resting place They rccocct only the talent the
public services and the private virtues of the
Several OF them were well known to MANY of the CHI;
zcns OF Augusta, and ono of thcm-Ciov GuMER-v,.s
enacarrd to many OF them by ties Of friendship and init
mate association, as wen as by proximity of residence
aud the others known and esteemed for their vaIo
tons '''
Death is under all crcums anccs and in all situations Of
me- wen calculated to make deep impression upon the
human mnd pat when its yisitations fall upon tho most
uShSnlshcd magistrates, and without moments warn.
lng when it strikes down those who arc most exalted
IN station and possessing the highest claims upon the
pubic consideration, cutting them of in the pride of
when the victims arc full of life and hone
when bcy are looking forward long career of useful
anu h1or' MS adnonitions are far impressive
hey teach us that neither station, nor virtue nor pub
nc services give immunity from the common Ipt of
humanity They teach us, alas with melancholy cm.
phasis, that Gin the midst of life we are in deatb-
warn us what shadows arc, and what shadows we
pursuc.' We /
, Profoundly impressed by these awful dispcnsatons of
providence, and believing that the expression Of the
ynpathy OF their friends and counryn may tend TO
suac inc anguish of the surviving relatives OF the de-
'caScd 1T is therefore by the citizens of Staunton and
II the County Of Augusta,
Resolved, That whilst we bow with humble and pa
cht ignaon TO this affective dispcnsation of an all
wise and overriding Providence we deeply lament the I
RATIONAL and individual bereavement occasioncd by the
noward event. y "
- Fcsolycd, That We sincerely sympathisc with the
.hici Magistrate Of the Nation on an occasion rem.
icrcd so peculiarly distressing and affecting TO him
" the sudden deprivation of some of his most beloved
'crSona friends and trusted and Trustworthy con
tuonal counscilors and advisers at most
nd critical junctuTc Of public affairs
Resolved, That tender the disconsolstc " blows
nd helpless orphans, and to the relatives and Crcnd NJ
nc deceased our sincere sympathy aud heart felt con
oIcncc. " WI
Resolved in the opinion of this meeting that Il i; ,b
uy of the Congress Of the S., considering the nccn
ar circumstances and conconitant Of this catastrophe
make some suitable provision for the widows and or
mans Of such Of the deceased at the time in ,
ublic service, out Of the treasury Of the Nation