Litchfield enquirer., 1851-07-03
CONNECTICUT.

CVNNEC1ICU
Speech for Connecticut i: Being an His.
torical estimate Of the State. Deliv-
cred before the Legislative and other i'm
vited Guests, al tine Festival of the Nor.
NAL School in New Br itain, June 4, 1851
BY Horace Bushnell.
We are indebted 10 some one for a COPY
of this admirable production, from which
we make the following extract,
I cannot give you the details of our
military transactions in the Revolution
| can only name a few facts, that will
suffice to indicate the spirit and devotion
of our people. Connecticut was the Sc
cond State in the Union as regards the
amount Of military force contributed to
the common cause. She had twenty
five regiments of militia and of these, it
is said, that twenty-five full regiments
were in actual service, out of the State
at one and the same time, and that the
most busy and pressing season of the
year leaving the women at home to
hoe their fields and assist the boys and
old men in gathering the harvests. And
such a class of material has seldom been
gathered into an army. When Trumbul
sent on fourteen regiments to Washing,
ton, at New York, he described them
regiments of substantial farmers" And
General Root, as friend of mine remem
bers, declared that, in his brigade alone,
there came out seven ministers, as cap
tains of their own congregations Among
their leaders was Colonel Knowlton, than
whom there was not more gallant Off
Ger, or one more respected by the com,
manderin, chief in the army of the Rev
oluton. And when he fell in the disas-
trols day at Harlaem, with so many hum
dreds OF the sons Of Connecticut, Wash.
ingtun evinced his affection for the loss
of this fayorite officer, as being the loss
most deplorabIe CT all that befell the
cause, on that losing day. Among the
leaders too, were Parsons. and Spencer
and Wooster, and Wolcott, and Ledyard
and, last of all, but not least worthy te
be named, though to name him shoulG
never be necessary before a Connecticut
audience, that mournful flower of pa:ri,
otism, the young scholar of Coventry he
whom no service could daunt that Wash
ington desired, and who, when he W
called to die an ignominious death, nobly
said to his enemies and executioners, thai
" his Only regret was that he had but one
life to rive to his country"
But | must not omit to speak of our ven,
cradle Governor, the patriotic Trumbull
under whom we acted our part in this
evenlful struggle. He was one of those =,
tient, true minded men, that hold an even
hand of authority in stormy times, and
suffer nothing to fall out of place either by
excess or defeat OF service--to whom Wash.
ington could say, Il cannot sufficiently ex.
press my thanks not only for your const nj
and ready compliance with every request Of
mine, but for your prudent forecast in Or
dericg matters, so that your force has been
collected and put in motion rs soon as i,
has been demanded" And yet there like
to have been fatal breach between them
at the beginning of the war The British
ships in the Sound were threatening to land
on our coast, and Trumbull requested til i
part Of the troops he was raising NIGH
remain to guard our own soil. No requ
apparently, could be more re nable.-
Washington refused and ordered them al
to Boston. Trumbull wrote him mos
pungent letter; adding, however, like ,
true patriot, who sees the necessity of sub
ordination to all power and effect, that he
will comply; for it is plain that such jeal
Ousles INDUCED, however just, will destroy
the cause" Noble answer worthy to b
recorded, as rebuke to faction, while thu
republic lasts! Washington immedi tell
explained, the misunderstanding was heal
ed, and from that time forth he leaned up
on Trumbull as one of his chief supports
confident always Of this, that he could cal
culate on marching the whole state bodily
just where he pleased.
Neither let US forget, in this connection
what appears to be sufficiently authentica
ted, that our Trumbull is no other than til,
World.renowned Brother Jonathan, accept
ed as the soubriquet of the United States o
America. Our Connecticut Jonathan wa
to Washington what the scripture Jonathan
was to David, true friend, counsello
and stay OF Washinglon's bro
Their. When he wanted honest counse
and wise. he would say, let us consul
brother Jonathan i" and then afterwards
partly from habit and partly in playfplnes
of phrase, he would say the same when re.
ferring any matter to the Congress lie
US consult Brother Jonathan" And so
fell out rightly, that as Washington wa
called the Father of his Country, SO b.
named the fine boy, the nation, after hi
brother Jonathan-a good, solid, SCRIPTURE
name, which as our sons and daughters Q
the coming time may speak it, any wher