Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1853-02-16
EDITOR 8 PeopRleroR.
WHOLE NO. o7.

called the seryile tools of arbitrary pow
err The proceedings close by. "pledging
themselves to each other, and 10 our couns
try, that we will inyiriably adhere to the
votes Of this day. The COMMITTEES Of
Safety and correspondence appointed for
the county, consisted of the Reverend Pc
ter Muhlenburg, Chairman Francis
Slaughter, Abraham Bird. Tavener
Beale, Gather OF tho undersigned) John
Upton, and Abraham Bowman, Esqs.,
members.
The proceedings of this meeting were
published in full in the Virginia Gazette
for August 4, 17s4, file of which pa
per is preserved in the Congressional liz
brary, at Washington city. The late
FIRE at the Congressional library may have
destroyed it.
have thus, Mr.. Editor, gave you the
record proof from the Gazettee. then the
only newspaper perhaps, published in tho
Virginia colony. But l cannot refrain
from copying. as an interesting incident
in the history of the times, from letter
written by the Rev. Peter Muhienburg,
to his brother in Trappe. Pa. dated Jan.
IL, 1775, which is still preserved as
Revolutionary relic in the Muhlenbnrg ia
mily. He says:
s'The times are getting Troublesome
with us, and begin TO wear hostile APP
pearance. Independent companies are
forming in every part of the country, and
politics engross all conversation. | had
thrown up my commission as Chairman OF
the Committee on Correspondence, and
of magistrate likewise; but last week We
had general election in the county for
u Great Committee, according 10 the re-
solves of Congress. and / am again eho-
sen chairman, so that whether i choose
or not, 1 am TO be politician"
The Rev. Peter Muhlenburg was cho-
sen member Of the House Of Burgess in
I775, and took sides with Patrick Henry.
who was the leader Of the war party, and
when il was determined 20 raise six regi-
ments from Virginia. he returned home
with the purpose to doff his gown and
gird on the regimentals and sword. Al
the earnest solicitation Of Gen Washing
ton and Patrick Henry, the House Of De,
legates elected him Colonel of the eighth
Virginia regiment. n Ea ae ifo
Upon his return home, he gave notice
to his scattered parishioners that he would
deliver them to on the following Sab bath
his farewell sermon. The rude country
church was filled TO overhowing with the
hardy mountaineers Of the frontier couns
ties OF the valley. So great was the as
semblage that the quiet burial-place was
filled with crowds Of stern, excited men.
who had gathered together believing that
something, they knew not what, would be
done for their suffering country. They
awaited patiently the appearance Of their
pastor. He came. and assembled the pull
pit, his tall form arrayed in full uniform
over which his gown, the symbol OF his
divine calling was thrown. He preached
to them of God, n Saviour, and a coun-l
try. with all the zeal and eloquence Of "a
Paul; ;1and they hung upon his fiery words
with all the intensity Of their souls His
conclusion turned their thoughts upon
their sufierings and wrongs. and ho said
he had unshesthed the sword, and that,
in the language Oft Holy Writ, " there
was time for all things--a time 70
preach and time 70 pray. but those
times had passed away, -, and in voice
that echoed through the church like
trumpet blast, " that there was a lime TO
fight, and that time had now come" -
After the benediction, his gown was
unloosed, and falling 10 the floor, he stood
before his congregation girded warrior.
and descending from the pulpit. ordered
the drums at the door 70 beat for recruits.
Then followed bright example Of patri-
otic devotion. His audience. excited in
the highest degree by the impassioned
words which fell from his lips, hocked
around him, eager 20 be ranked among
his followers. Old men were seen bring
ing forward their children, wives their
husbands, and widowed mothers their
sons to fight the battles Of their country.
Nearly three hundred men that day en-
listed under his banner. What noble
sight. A cause thus supported could not
The facts stated in the preceding ae-
count of Colonel Muhlenburg's farewell
sermon, are abundantiy established BY
all contemporaneous narratives, and BY
traditionary "reminiscences, and arc par
ticularly set forth in 'Thatchor's Military
Journal o. ie4 'Howe's Historical Coli
lection Of Virginia. p. 468: 'Rcgers's
Remembrance Of American Heroes, States
men and Sages,' p $50; 'KercheyaPs His
tory Of the Valley Of Virginia. p. I8e !;
and T" Baird's Religion in America" p.
lis.
It is proper that / should state that the
most Of these facts were copied from the
=" Life Of Peter Muhlenburg," by bisre-
lative, Henry A. Mublenburg, and in ma
ny sentences copied entire in the authors
own language.
i / have conceived this subject Of para
mount Importance, and win thank you to
I give Il an early insertion, and 10 send the
learned DIR. Hawkes. copy ofyouE paper
containing Il. zz -