The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1854-07-05

HON. j. MEACHAM, OF VERMONT,
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,,
MAY II, 1854.
Coucluded,)

/
with this direction:
"IO the officers and soldiers Of his
Nqjesty's troops IN Boston
"lt being moro than probable that
the Kings standard will soon be erect.
ed, from rebellion breaking out in the
province, il is proper that you sold
iers should be acquainted with the au.
thors thereof, and all the misfortunes
brought upon the province. The fol-
lowing is list of them: Samuel Ad-
ans, James Bowdoin, DR.. Thomas
Young. DR.. Benjamin Church, Captain
John Bradford, Josiah Quincy, Major
Nathaniel Barber, William Mollincux,
J John Hancock, William Cooper, Dr..
CLANCY, DR.. Cooper, Thomas Cush.
ing, Joseph Greenleaf, and William
Denning. The friends of your King,
and country, and America, expect of
you, soldiers, the instant rebellion hap
pens, you will put tie aJoce persons
immediately to tile sacord, destroy their
houses, and plunder their effects"
Of those fifteen leaders of rebellion,
for whom there was no quarter and no
mercy, two were eminent ministers of
the Gospel-Drs. CLANCY and Cooper.
1t is known that John Adams, taking
as his companion for life the mother Of
John Quincy Adams from the family
of clergyman, was constantly asso-
ciatcd with that class of men.
1t was often the case, that when pol.
iticians and statesmen were in doubt
as to the course to pursue, that minis
tiers settled that doubt. When the
struggle in reference to the stamp act
was coming to a crisis, Governor Fitch,
OF Connecticut,was wavering and halt
ing as to his course. In that hour of sus.
pcnse very young man came forward
before a meeting of the Legislature as
the decided and fervent advocate of
freedom. He addressed the leading
politicians of the County, he did it
from the pulpit, for ho was minister
Rev. Mr.. Dana. His sermon called
out the latent sentiments of many tim
id and wavering men, and fixed, as a
mordant, the political opinion of that
Colony. l will not specify further.
1t is needless to descend to particu
lars, when all are included, | will give
one other instance from another and dis
tant part of the country. 1t is now
claimed that the "Mecklenburg dec>
laration," made at Charlotte, North
Carolina, May 90, 1774, was the first
dec laration Of independence in the
Colonies. That being true, then it
follows that a minister of the Gospel
Rev. Hozekiah James Balch-was
the first man i'll this land who address.
ed the first assembly that passed deo.
laration of independence for of the
three men who addressed the people
on that occasion, he took the lead and
was chairman Of the committee that
drafted the declaration. In the midst
of the fearful and doubtful struggle in
l17S, General Lincoln, Of Massachu-
sets, wrote to General Washington
for his encouragement, and, among
other facts, did not deem it below his
notice to speak Of the influence of the
ministers
1t is fortunate for us that the clergy
are pretty generally with us. They have
In this State very great influence over
the people and they will contribute much
to the general peace and happiness"
Though the notices of political meet
ings and the military movements were
given from the pulpit, ministers did not
generally bear arms in the war of the
revolution. 1t was supposed they could
be of much more service to the cause by
remaining among their people. L will
give, however. very few of many, and
purpOsely select them from extreme parts
Of the Colonies.
Rev. Mr.. Payson, of Chelsea. Massa-
chuse;ts, was very learned, mild. and
discreet, but firm defender of the mother
country But when he saw blood shed
on the plains of Lexington, called for
arms, headed party in the attack,
routed and captured a large company
bearing ammunition to the invaders.
Many of the troops in the Concord fight
were young and raw recruits, and seemed
terrified by the rolling drum and moving
columns of the assailants. In that criti.
cal moment their pastor, Rev Mr.. En-
erson, the grandfather of Ralph Waldo
Emerson, passed aloug their ranks with
the exhortation stand by your country,
and God will bless you.' lie was after
wards chaplain in the army, and return.
Ing from western service, was taken sick,
died and was buried in my native town,
Rutland, Vermont. Rev. Thomas AL. |
len was minister of Pittsfeld, Massa-
chusetts. He, like the great body of tho
clergy, warmly espoused the cause of the
oppressed Colonies used his utmost OK.
ertlons to push his townsmsn to the
scene of anticipated conflict with the |.
forces of Burgoyne. Hearing that they
slaekened their pace, he Joined them to
qulckon their march, and soon presented
them to General Stark. When the
forces were drawn up for the battle of
Bennington, he, in the spirit of his pro-
iesslon, went alone within speaking dis.
tance Of the forces of Baum, and be.
sought them to yield without bloodshed
lie received in reply volley of muskot
balls that shattered the log on which he
stood He then called for his gun. fred
the first shot at the enemy, and was fore.
most through the whole conflict.