Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-02-27

81 nv Virginia 10 her distinguished son, Lieu.
| Col Mathew M. Payne, lor his sallan'ry anu
conduc, a, Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma.
In The middle of the scabbard is a ninety Gu
eraved representation OF a battle, supposed 10 DC
that Of Resaca de la Palma, with the uniea
States coat OF arms attached. The grip is HAND
somely inlaid with pearl and sci with emerald,
and has a rich aqua marine in its head. Ihe
guard contains a large garnet in The centre, ana
| attach he'd 10 il is the coat Of arms OF Virginia ela-
borately executed. The sword is contained in a
substantial and elegant rosewood case, and COST
about $500.
All o'clock The Senate entered the Hall OF The
House by special invitation, and al hall past !
Governor Floyd, escorted by Adlt Genl Richard
son, The latter in uniform, entered and lock Inc
clerks seat on The platform IN front oil Inc
Speaker.
Soon afterwards Colonel Payne was intro
auced by MIR. Robinson of The House committee,
assisted by Messrs. Gnerrant of Goochland,
| Colonel Paype's native counly,) Tomljn, Bus
well, Dorman, Pits, the committee. Major
Selteu, Captain Lay, and Captain Johnson OF
the United S ales Army, acted as supporters of
| Colonel Payne, who occupied a seat in The centre
| aisle, no. lar from The clerks table. Mr.. Speak
er Hopkins then addressed Colonel Payne in
The following elegant and appropriate remarks
which have been much admired:
Colonel PiYEE.-As the organ, in the name,
| and by the command of The House of Dele
gates, it becomes my pleasing duty to receive,
TO greet, and 10 welcome you in this Legisla-
tive Hall of your native State. II is, indeed, q
pleasant thing to do honor TO one who was al
mosl.a martyr in his country's cause, when, like
yourself, he returns from the distant battle
fields. SO modestiy and gracefully wearing the
chaplet of an ever. green fame, won by his vaior,
and consecrated by his blood. When the recent
war with Mexico commenced, it was yonr for
tune to encounter the enemy with triple odds
against you, and when undaunted by defeat, and
flushed with The hope and confidence Of certain
r,ctory. Your valor and efficient services,
amid the bloody chaparral Of Palo Alto and
Resaca de la Palma, secured for you the honor
able commentator Of your Coamander-in
Chief, and won for Won the respect and graft
tude of your counirymen in every quarter of the
I Union. As a token OF The high appreciation
4 WIN WHICH, iu0 pcoPiO ~ " 49, oN"'S
viewed your gallan, conduct and noble services
in these battles, her Legislature, in the session
of 1867, unanimously voted you the sword,
which the Chief Magistrate of our Commo
wealth will now proceed, in due form, to pre-
sent to you.
Governor FLOYD then rose and delivered The
| following address, several brilliant passages of
which, delivered 10 : most impressive manner,
evoked cordial applause:
Colonel PAYEE:
The State OF Virginia has voted you a sworc,
aud The Legislature requests the, IN The name Of
the Commonwealth to present II TO you. take
| great pleasure in executing their wishes, and
Ieel honored in being constituted the medium
through which your native Stale thinks proper
10 confer upon you so honorable a testimonial vi
her high regard. II is The ambition 81 the sol
dier 10 deserve well Of his country. II is his
browning sloty 10 know that his services upon
| Inc bauie field have been observed and approved
by HIS fellow. ~ciizeDs, and tina, toT this they hcs-
tow upon him Inc most appropriate OF all DIS
lions-a bright and beautiful sword.
The last three or four years have been indeed
irauehl with momentous events, and nothing
probably has been more singularly striking than
A new feature which This short period Of time
seems 70 have tevel ped IN cur national charac-
Ter. a few years ago, our nation was looked
uron, Al most, as All ingenious race, somewhat
remarkable Tor enterprise, 10 matters oil thrift;
but nothing more.
A radical change, however, has been wrought
| upon The opinions uf mankind. No sooner did
the blast Of the bugle announce 10 the nation
lha, The slais and the stripes were unlurlcd 10 the
hrceze--lhal a conflict oi arms was about 10
around The national standard Than an
.,. M,,e n +, - ,aD,a auar ,hn tay,nar -
our people. AND when We were told that a re-
| >islless host 9, The enemy was bearing down up
on cur deyoled little army, away upon The re-
| molest confines Of our teIrHoTy-ihal our breth-
| rem and friends musr, in all human probability, be
lrodden into the earth under The iron heel Of a
| ruthless despot- the popular apprehension was
almost agonIZing: ihe nalian stood on iipioe, with
| anxious and painful expectation.
In vain did an hundred thousand swords leap
from their scabbaris al the first words OF the pro-
ella nation calling 10 the battle field. In vain
were the echoes OF onr peaceful valleys disturbed
with the unaccuslcmcd hum Of busy multilUdes
aiming Tor The Struggle OF DEATH You, sir, and
your gallant compeers were quite beyond the
| reach vi all succor from those countrymen who
PANIED ST. earnestly 10 tr by your sides.
Bui, on one bright morning in May, when the
roar Of artillery came booming mp The sides and
over The tops of our mountains, announcing thai
| The battle had begun and anon The deaiening
shout o.! The q merican soldier rising high above
The thunder Of The ordnance, told 10 Us that vic
tory had crowned our afms-it a awakened a spirit
| OF enthusiasm in The bosnms Of our people, which
was indeed d pe,fec, guarantee OF The success
which vast follow in the val. Palo Alto was
| pronounced by every tun9re-Resaca de la Pal
ma was unon Tie lips Of The nation. a name,
until that line unfamiliar IL The tongues Of men
began TO be bruited about throughout The land, and
| after Two more brilliant and glor Gus GAYS, 81
which This is The anniversary Of The most re-
markahle, a world wide fame has been assigned
IL lhe Hero OF Buena Vista.
But il this war-this unparalleled and mos,
| glorious war has done so much TO ~signalize in
dividuals, how much more has il done for the
character, the interest and The true glory Of The
entire American nation II has placed US
amongst the very foremost nations nf the earth
for proves in - for you shall look in vain
amongst The records of men for a parallel 10 the
campaign which planted the American standard
upon the Capitol Of Mexico. II mas given 10 US
an cmpire-an empire covered with a mantle .:
pure eold-set over thick with gems ard rich
Jewels Of priceless value. Ii has spread our
dominion, from ocean to ocean, and '.hedged us
in with a divinity Of strength, more powerful
10 secure Us hapciness and peace, than if we
were ~encircied about by a continuous fortress.
black with artillery, and bristIing with bayon
els. 1t has given US the means of sending the
invigoraling tides of from one hemis-
phere to another, right through the bosom oil
our land; and along The railroad, which will
serve this purpose, q telegraPhic line will con-
vey the daily Solicitations of the tempest-tossed
Atlantic, TO the quiet waters of the beautiful
Pacific.
These grand results are especially gratifying
to the rride of Virginia. Upon every battle field
her sons wero engaged, and every victory
wrote the name Of some one Of them lndelibly
upon the pages of history.
1t has beeu said that Virginia is poor and de-
generate! There was never an opinion more
unfounded. II is true that there are not 50
many ships riding at anchor in her hatbors, as
are 10 be found in those of some Of our sister
States; but still she is rich-rich in all that ele-
Yates and enoblcs DIR race. She is rich in the
la~,o,. ..ro..,.,, IF the nont rich - tho