Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1852-03-18
REMARKS OF. MR. CUSHING.

In The Se,laIe, february 20. in COnulittee
the Whole, on Mr.. Wilon's bill to OrgdHii
the Militia.
Mr.. Williams moved to strike ou
all after the enacting clause, when
Mr.. Cushing said, Mr.. Chairman
The Importance of the question nov
under consideration, when taken il
Iconnection with the influence whicI
T this days deliberations will hav
upon the destiny of the world, is o
such mighty magnitude thatl trus
you will believe me when say, tha
| have never risen in this hall unde
circumstances of so much embar
rassment as upon the present occa
sion. From the days of Leonidas
the Spartan hero and Martyr, TO The
triumphant entry Of General Scott
into the capital of Mexico, no human
wisdom has ever been able TO devise
means by which War, with all its
"beauties and its dangers" can be
so satisfactorily exhibited to The
moving mass and eager multitude, as
through the telescope of a Militia
Muster; such muster as this bill
will produce, if lett with all its
present beauties 10 adorn the statute
book.
Sir. the waving plume, the neigh
ing steed, "the spirit-stirring drum
and ear piercing fife," all pass in
solemn review before patriots WIS.,
ion, when he contemplates the pass
age of this militia bill.
While now addressing you upon
this important subject, my mind
wanders back TO that period in our
National history, when military as
pirations rose superior to the jaring
elements OF civil striie-when TO be
hailed BY a military title was call OF
life" 10 the fortunate possessor; CIV
ing importance and consequence to
his every day transactions.
By way OF illustration, will re-
late an anecdote-a circumstance
which occurred upon our western
borders soon after the last war be-
tween the United States and Great
Britain.
| will add, however, by way Of
preface, that ] do not ordinarily re-
sort TO this mode of reasoning, but
the anecdote which now occurs to
my mind is in such perfect keeping
with the dignity, the crowning con-
sequence of this subject upon mans
destiny,- the44 cannet refrain from
rehearsing it.
Sir, there now reside upon the
margin OF Ldbelle reUiere, universal
" admitted to be the most beautiful
stream OF water which adorDs this
fair foot stool Of God, two aged
American citizens, who were once
vigorous and adventurous, but who
are now fast "fading into the scar
and yellow Leaf" and who ere long
will live only in the pantheon Of
history. One of these personageS,
and one too whose military embel-
lishments render his name and fame
was born and raised with
in the geographical limits of our own
beloved State. | mention this fact,
incidentally, with degree OF pride
bordering on ecstacy, as the birth OF
a horo always gives character TO his
native place or State. As is Ordina-
rily the case with boys of extraordi-
nary intellectual endowmenis, the
influence of our hero, from his earli-
est youth, was seen and felt among
his associates; and when he had ar
rived at the age Of manhood, he had
acquired supremacy over his fel-
lows which resulted in his elevation
to a captaincy in the militia; sta
tion which, Notwithstanding the
then crude and unpublished state Of
our militia system, he so graced that
upon his stately brow "every god
lid seem to set his seal, TO give the
world assurance of a man." This
avored son of Mars, in the modest
of true greatness, claimed
n fact among other virtues, TO be-
ong TO the hard listed yeomanry;
md it must be acknowledged that
his claim was not without some
merit, as he owned piece Of wild,
wet and miserable land, which TO the
ave of our military philosopher, was
into something better, by
lue application of bone and sinew.
While engaged in deep and prayer
ul meditation upon the unciViIized
condition of his real-estale, and
Iuietly but steadily marshaling his
'esources with view TO conquer
,iece with his ten acres of land
,overed NTH mater, and three acres of
rrdble land, the second person in the
lrama which it IS my province thus
70 rehearse, made his appearance
lpon the premises and introduced
himself to our Captain of Militia.
With a deierential bow and mod
st mien, 81 have come," said the
the State of Maine, a
State OF indigence and poverty, of
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