Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1845-07-10

| ing, and the stability Of which. therefore,
rests upon the intelligence OF its citizens.
| and their devotion 10 the constitution, and
| the laws.
We behold government--once regar-
! ded as The fantastic bantlIng Of visionary
philosophers--now full advanced in all Just
and proper proportions, though scarcely
past its infancy--lesping into existence like
a modern MINERVA, full armed and OF ma
ture stature, as though struck by the VuL-
CAN Of the Revolution from the teeming
brain of the English JovE, 10 challenge the
admiration, and secure the respect OF an
astonished world
Such is a rapid survey of our present
condition, and such are the blessings which
have been secured for our enjoyment, by
the men whose merits and virtues we are
this day called upon 10 celebrate. 1t is
10 them that we are indebted for peace,
plenty, liberty, happiness, contentment,
and all the other advantages that preemi-
nently belong TO the fortunate citizens OF
this most favored land.
The men of the Revolution What
language, free from the faint Of manwor-
ship, and speaking the words of soberness
and truth. can tell Of their heroic bearing
their lofty patriotism their generous sac
rifices; their patient endurance and their
high aud holy faith in the justice OF the
cause in which they were engaged, and
TO which they bad pledged all that was
dear to them, Of life, property and sacred
honor' Uninfuenced by private ambi-
ton, regardless of sordid interest, the gen
eal good Of their country was their only
aim, their solitary desire. With this fixed
point in view, they moved forward, their
eyes undazzled by the idle glances Of glo-
Try, and by their actions have taught the
world that an ardent love Of the tights OF
man, animated by innexible resolution,
and steady perseverance in the practice
of private and public virtue, will lead al
most inevitably, not only to success, but
10 the highest honors in the gift Of a free
and enlightened people.
But why attempt the task, when words
are impotent TO convey the faintest traces
of the cold, severe, and cutting truth p
As well might aim,
, To add another hue to the rainbow;
/ Or seek with taper light the beauteous eye of
, heaven
To garnish,
. as strive by any poor expressions of mine,
{ TO convey an adequate impression OF the
, characters Of those great benefactors OF
/ the human race. whose fame will live I'M
. dying to the last syllable ofrecorded time!'
: There was one among that glorious
, band of brothers, whose stature was not
/ more towering, than his fame preeminent
, above the rest where TO be least was yet
I to excel the men of the generations tina,
, have followed after them! In language,
which has become as irite as household
words, he was first IN war, first in peace,
and first in the hearts of his countrymen. "
His fame, although the common heritage
of all the lovers of freedom throughout
+ the world, yet, men Of Virginia! is our,
i peculiarly ours--and ought TO be a,
> dear 10 US as the lie blood that course.
, through our veins. His life--his charac
n ter-his deeds, are as familiar to us as the
: songs of cbildhood's hours; and, although
our mortal vision NAV have never beer
e blessed with view Of ats lineaments, ye
: his coun!enance, in its minutest lines. il
s ever before our eyes, possessed of vitality
t OF which the grave can never rob it.
J, Shrouded in memory's veil,
= In is high beauty pale,
h The Ease CLEANS from the wall.
\ No picture there OF thine;
But in our hearts deep shrine,
e There rests power thy features to recall
V VIRGINIANs upon such an occasion al
y ths-the anniversary of the natal day o
I freedom while your hearts are warn
y with the recollectons, and glowing with
the memories of the past, it can be ne
. improbable thing TO consider the par
:" borne by your own State in those momen
> tous struggles TO reflect upon the glory
= that then surrounded her name as with .
. halo; to enquire into the causes Of hel
= present decline; and 10 investigate the
: measures best calculated TO restore her tc
: lofty position among her sisters of the
= Union. If you are really DESTROYS TO rear
= the full advantages Of this our experiment
" in free government, you are impelled tc
these considerations by the dictates moi
: only of pride, patriotism, and self-interest
= but of love for the venerable mother upon
= whose soil your eyes were opened 10 the
: light, and from whose bosom you have
$ drawn the sustenance Of life.
: Melancholy as is the truth, yet it can.
It not be denied, that little is left to the Vir-
ginian at the present day, but the glori-
Gus recollections of the past. He glances
at the pages Of her history, and his bosom
kindes with fire that reflects upon her
D present situation, the light of her past re-
$ nown. He is. therefore, deluded into the
; fond belief that the GLORY, which is
"among the things that were" yet fingers
in her midst, hallowing the rude assaults
: of time, and celebrating the traces of de-
: cay!
: He dwells with exultalon upon her re-
evolutionary story, and beholds the first i'm
pulse to that mighty movement, commu-
nicaed by the eloquence of one Of her
= own sons. He fingers with rapture upon
2 the traditionary renowh Of that son, 1.-THE
, forest born Demosthenes who shook the
, Philip oil the seas, and passes on to those
tremendous engines of reSistance--the