Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1848-01-06
JANUARY 6, 1S4s>

a source Of no little pleasure, indeed
gentlemen, OF very great and peculiar
/ gratific atlan, that the occasion If my
introduction to you, should he srete
like the present, when the Democracy
have met together, in their pride and
! their strength, with united hands and
hearts, 70 take the necessary prrhmlna-
ry steps for organizing their forces for
the approaching campaign against the
worst enemies of Republican In>tiln-
tons. and American Liberty, here at
home; while fhe gaIlan, and devoted
soldier representatives of the country
have met so often, and in so brilliant
1 and signal manner, and are now
meeting, 1he enemies Of the country
abroad' These men,-the Pride of
the country and the flower of her 'Chiv-
airy, prompl in obedience to that conn
'fy's cali, and inpe!Ied alone by the
nobleSt motive that can artnale the hu-
man bosom, spirit Of lofty patriotism
and daring courage : the not,unj I'm
preston andfesuh Of Democratic In
stitutions-have voluntarily left their
homes and their occupations, and
llocking TO the standard Of their coun-.
try, have gone abroad facing danger
and death in every form and at every
step, to assert her rights and to vindl-
cate her wrongs! They have sought
/ the Enemy and found him, over and
over again and again, in his strong
holds and Businesses of natural and ar
;lhcial interchangeable TO the
proves Of any but themselyes-and
against the most unexampIeeI and
fearful odds of numbers, and under ev-
cry possible disadvantage, they have
driven them before him in broken and
disordered columns, and in overwhel-
ming and disastrous defeat! They
have encountered :he dangers and
borne cheerfnlIy the exposures, priva-
tons and tolls Of VIZ; they have ac-
. complshed the most unparalleled and
astounding results, in the face Of APP
parently insurmonntable obstacles; and
they have covered themselves and their
/ country all over with glory and indy
ing renown! They have fallen, like
:he leaves Of Autumn, in the raging
presence OF a dire PestlIence, and hun
dreds and thousands Of them have seal
ed their devotion to their country's
cause with their hearts life blood;
/ themselves gone down suddenly and
prematurely to stranger graves, and
their families in mourning and desola-
ton, with perchance, all the horrors of
destitu'ion superaddedi All this and
more, how uu h, who knows save
Heaven! have they borne, suffered and
accomplished in their country's cause,
and aobat has been thei, fewWdf Their
surviving companions and brothers in
arms, looking up from the horrors Of
the scene, and casting their eyes over
the long ana almost hopeless distance,
which separates them from their
Homes all that is dear to them liz life
and turning anxious and listening
ears, amid the pauses of the lannon's
roar, for the cheering and approving
voice Of their countrymen at home
which, while il was their only stimulus
is thei: proudest reward-instead of
this grateful appreciation, have borne
to them by every gale which sweeps
the Cult, the heavy and cruel denunci-
alton heaped upon them BY large, an
influential and perhaps, prevailing
party Of their C6uatrymen; who do not
scruple to stigmatize and brand them
with the odium and reproach of "naur-
derers," ''fo55srs," 'pl,saierers," and
"bandlts, who have lent themsels eS,
the lawless instruments u a corrupt and
unprincipled Government, to wage an
"uaaatwraL," "unoathorized," ''un-
! justiliabe," "un,onslitutional,o ''ssn-
provohed," and "untoly" War, against
a weak, innocen: and unoHending sis
ter Republic! How bitter and discour-
aging, how calling and hunlliating,
must this be TO the spirit of those noble
and devoted Men! That they have
telt 1t, keenly and deeply, We know by
every days reports and they are filed
with spirit Of outra ged, burning IN
dignation, which only awaits an hon
orable termination OF HE difficulties
with their enemies there, to bust forth.
in thunder tones, Of veil mari,ed, With
ering rebuke to their enemies here!'-
| Already have we seen gallant and ac
accomplished Officers, who went out of
the country, and into this sarvire, long
standing and unqualified IVh'gs, indig-
nantly and publicly renourcng forever,
name, which the factions, designing
unprincipled conduct OF the Leaders
and Leadng Journals Qftke Party, has
( rendered forever by word of intamy
and fepreach; and which mus, now
find a place along with the Tory Of '76,
and the F'ederali>t Of -, as Politi-
cal Synonym.i How, and to wha, ex
tent. the monStr0uS and unna.ura. state