Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1852-01-07
SUBSTANCE OF THE REMARKS OF
JOHN L. PEYToN, Esq,
AT THE OBJ Fellows SUPPER.


Mr.. PEYToN commenced by saying that h,
had never risen Oh any occasion with such feel
ings Of pride and pleasure 10 address any portion
of his friends or fellow-cilzens. Here where h
was born and reared & by those with whom h
had been most closely and ir Gmately associated
this demonstration was made in his honor be-
fore his departure upon long and hazardou:
voyage upon the treacherous watres Of the grea
deep, and he should be insensible to every gen
erous emotion, if it did not make the most last
ing impression upon his mind and heart
Whatever might DE his course in life, howeve
brief or extended, he should always revert Il
this hour and the gay and happy scene aroun(
him with the utmost sensibiity aud the mos
triumphant feelings. (Applause.) He was un
able, ii is true, to do justice to the feeling
which the occasion inspired--no language
could adequately express his deep emotions, bu
he felt bound to say few words in response Il
so enthusiastically received by the company
progress and lis destiny.
Ard here he would say that its objects and
purposes were by no means so few, narrow, OIL
contracted, as many supposed, but were numer'
Gus and general and affected society al large
that they were not confined 70 the relief of a
brother in distress, or 10 mutual assistance in
cases of sickness, important as these were, and
constituting, as they did, one Of its highest
claims to confidence and support. We were
taught in our Halls lessons of humanity, OF law
and order. of wisdom and experience, upon
which government, no less Than the order de.
pended for safety and prosperity. CulIivating
truth, honor, veneIation for the institutions oil
religion, and obedience 10 the Constitution and
laws of the country, the members went forth TO
inculcaie these sacred principles by the purity
and uprightness Of their lives and had brought
the order into great popular favor, & it was now
every where achieving the most astonishing re-
suits. 1t had risen in our country from the
humblest origin, among the most practical and sa-
gacious fall people-a people that scanned close.
ly, thought much s. acted discreetly, upon whom
imposition could not be practiced but for
the hour; TO occupy position OF Influence
and power, the most commanding. Il had RI
sen in spite of the miserable prejudices and ia
natical opposition, which at The outset it to en-.
and had penetrated into every nook &
corner of the lard This was not only the case
in our country, but throughout chrlstendom--lt
had gone TO The farhermosl parts OF the earth
waxed strong upon every soil and ftourlshed un-
der every sky. It's flag was not merely flying
IN every quarter Of our great Republic but was
floating in every breeze under the whole Heav-
ems. (Apparse.) 1t hal risen not by the
force of circumstances, unless they referred 10
its intrinsic merits, but by strict adherence TO
he principles which lay al its foundation, which
entered into its very constitution and being &
which it had sought to execute with the utmost
fidelity. II was IN his opinion entitled to the
hanks of all mankind, for what 1t had done and
vas still doing.
He would moi attempt at this time TO enter
nto minute particulars as 10 The order-lt would
eoure more time, than he proposed spending
n speaking. and moreover he was addressing
persons, large number of whom, were better
acquainted with these matters than he pretend.
I'd 10 be. Yet he could not foreeo referring TO
me of the features of the association, not men,
toned, in his opinion, as often as It's Importance
Justified lone deeply affecting society and upon
which, in fact, the fate of the nation hung. He
llluded 10 its constant, united and energetic Ell
orts in the cause of general education. The
fathers Of the order," said MIR. p, long i'm
ptessed with the benefits Of popular education
and the fact that it was only by making REQ
pie enlightened, that you could make them Tree
and lhei freedom enduring, imposed it as one
pfthe most binding of our obligations, that we.
should educate the orphan and acting upon the
pregnant meaning of the injunction, they did
not con6ne themselves, as it was obviously in
ended they should not, TO The orphan, but sought
o make every body parlakers OF its blessings
'Applause.) AS connected with government:
his subject was, in our country, seen in lis
nil force. Here the government emana-
ed directly from the people---the only
nd was controlled in its action by their voices.
was then conducted successfully or otherwise
S their intelligence and patriotism dictated. In
lis opinion the only real advance in government
vas made by educating the people-that in this
ay-lhat this was the true science Of free go.
rernment. Ours. SAID Mr. p, was a practical
nd progressive age and characterized by moth
no. noie than desire to acquire knowledge,
which was in every pursuit in life, most emphat-
caly. power. The march of mind was onward
nd n,lhing on earth could stay its progress, no y
hat tie impetus had been given to it, if such
nionsof men as ours, were true to themselves
md the ruhts and liberties Of man. Even in go
ernunnis least calculated to promote It's devel-
nmen,. where the mind and body were alike
nslaye, the letters were looseningTthe sliad-
ws were fly;ng before the sun, and the time was
igh. When bright and glorious dawn would O.
en- upm man wherever he CROPPED In darkness
nd in chains.
Mr.. PEYroN said that ignorance and despo-
SIN wee inseparably Connected, while Edufa,
on was,he handmade of Repubcanism-tha |
was said, and he believed truly, that the num-
sr of newspapers published in country Indlcat-
| its enlrhtenlnent and it was strlklngly Illus |
a,ed by tie fact, that in Asia, there was but
,e 10 every 1000 900 nhabitants-one in Az
ca TO every 1000, 000-one in Europe to every
)6 600. and one in the U. States 10 every 4U,.
10. and that in the same ratio was The cOmpar-
i've progress of liberty and civilization, and he
ould add of The Order of Odd Fellows (Ap-
ause Ii was then a matter OF the hrst I'm
,rtance in a popular government, where the
ws were made by the common consent, Ior the
,mmon good that the people should be educat-
else they we're incapable of approaching me
reropatives and discharging the obligations Of
tizenship. we should regard it, then, as duty
,e most sacted- duty we owe to ourselves and
,r pos,erity-to the founders of our Order and
our happy government, to avert from the land,
e fate of those benighled nations, by the dlffu-
on OF Knuwleasa by cherishing love and ven
alton for the institutions of our fathers, under
hich We live, prosper and are happy.
Mr.. p. said he would not have anybody sup
ose, from anything which had fallen from him,
,at the Order undertook TO interfere in pc.
lical matters far from it-wih politics and
.lioion. il hadnot, and could not have anything
do, but 1t could scarcely fail 10 exer-
ise in both, Indirectly, salulary and pow
rful influence. How could The fraternity en-
are in an active ystem Of general benevolence
Seek out objects II want aud relieve their dis
.esses-v visit ihosewho were sick or IN prison.,
rovJe for helpless widows and orphan chill
ron and in a wordscaller the clouds OF goou
nd despair where er they gathered, without
ttrac,iar the public attention 10 poor houses no
,nger tenanted Without having prayers offer
i IN by the good nd pious for their protection
nd success: wilhot imrressing the hard hearts