The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-07-06
LOCAL MATTERS.

o'clock however the heat in the full blaze of The
sun was insuiferabIe and disabled number of the
members Of the volunteer companies from march
ing In the ranks
Al III o'clock the companies formed on Broad
street. in the following order, and proceeded to
the african Church Fayette Artillery, Capt MIN.
mo Greys, Capt. Elliot; Blues Capt. Patton
Young Guard, Capt Richardson: Caledonia Guard
Capt Caskie; Mechanics Guard, Capt. Morris
Montgomery Guard, Capt Moore; Union Guard,
Capt. Billups; Virginia Rifles, Capt Hartz.
Upon arriving at the Church, which was nearly
inl oil persons anxious to hear the oration the vol
unteers were marshalled to seats reserved for
them by officers White and Tyler.
A brilliant overture by the Armory Band was
followed by a beautiful prayer by Rev. Philip
courtenay. The Declaration Of Independence was
then read by Mr.. Jas. X. Lee, in style seldom sur
passed, the excellent meditation of the speakers
voice adding much to the pleasure of hearing that
glorious declaration of our forefathers
Rev. Thomas v. Moore, Pastor of the 1st Presby-
terrain Church, then rose and delivered the follow
ing grafton:
The position Of Fourth OF July orator for the
year of grace. 1854, is by no means an enviable
one. Any task, when the thermometer Ia at 95 de.
grees, and the deepest longings of the outer man
are tor shady tree and cool breeze, is no easy
matter But to be called on to do an GRAFTON,
the very terms describing which are shocking at
such temperature, such as burning eloquence, fla
ming patriotism, fiery energy, and so through the
whole vocabulary OF heat TO be called to a work,
which, If well done, ought to have much of cao-
rlc in it, is like leapng out of the frying pan into
the fire. Except it were possible to gem an grafton
with chrystals Of ice, pour out a stream of eo-
quence down to the temperature OF cool lemonade
the very attempt would seem to SAVIOR of breach
Of the peace Hence we are ready to adopt the To-
gic OF very worthy gentleman, who, being struck
with the advantages OF Sunday Schools, suggested
that it might be well to have them on some other
days OF the week ALSO and to wish that since the 18th
of July is excellent OCCASION that it might be
slipped forward to some OF the breezy days of DC.
tober.
But if this is true of any theme, much more is it
of that assigned to this day The situation of 4h
of July orator is like that of man at the third
table OF public dinner. who has lett to him little
| more than scraps and empty dishes. All the rheto
ric and logic OF the occasion have been used up and
there is really not respectable metaphor left The
American Fagle-a very respectable bird in its
way-has been so plucked and handled that it has
become az tame as barn-yard fowl The British
Lion has been go belabored and becudgelled by al
indignant eloquence that he roars gently as a
sucking dove. The Stars and Stripes have been so
vehemently hourshed above admiring crowds of
patriotic citizens, that there is hardly rhetorical
shred left of them and even that is somewhat the
| worse for handling. Even classic antiquty-Her-
| cules and the serpent-Julius Ciesar-Demonsthe
| nes-Greece and Rome-haye SO long been COM
PEELED to perform annual muster, that they have
| ally become exempt from military service Even
patriotism Is not In season. because it is not
enough the election and il it WERE your orator at
least in this instance has no chance OF becoming
candidate. The Nebraska bill has passed its nine
days history, and the very thought OF Cuba, where
it liz July ali the year round is intolerable The
very Union would almost be dissolved by eulogi-
zng it at such melting temperature this. Even
the ladies" have been deemed too exciting topic
tor the GRAFTON this heated OCCASION and hence
has been monopolized by the committee on toasts
where its exciting character may be tempered by
ice water and other cooling compounds So il Is
obvious that the path OF Fourth of July orator on
this occasion, is like that spoken of in popular song
not wholly unknown in this community, I" a hard
road to travel"
Yet the fate of our national birthday is not pecu
liar in this respect The greatest and noblest things
of the earth exposed to the same destiny. How
often have the starry sky the mighty ocean, and the
light OF bright eyes, been appropriated and meta
phorized by enthusiastic poets and orators still in
their chrysais state How often have they been
made 10 Spangle doggerel verses and adorn maiden
speecheef And yet, the starry sky has not been
dimmed, the mighty ocean not been furr0wed, nor
the light Of bright eyes quenChed. There is still
grandeur in the chrystaldome ofhearen, and there
is still a melody in the mighty minstresy of the
deep and there is still witchery in the glance of
purity and love which the scribber and the spouer
have never been able to destroy and which we all
feel in spite of these dissertations. So there is
grandeur in the great birth-throe of nation,
there is a wealth of memories that throng around
this natal day, and there is sacredness which
gathers around this National Sabbath and National
Sacrament, which all the fustian of frothy orators
and all the bombast of excited scribblers have new
been able TO destroy. But there Is more than this
There is significance in this national recognition
OF common birthday, common heritage, q
mon ancestry, common brotherhood, the dying
out OF which, in the national heart would be sign
of evil and not OF good And especially is this true
in our day. when men are beginning to calculate
with the arithmetic of treason the value of the
Union. and beginning to count for how many pieces
Of silver they sell their savior. To feel
any glow of emotion this national birthday,
would be to show that we had ceased to value that
glorious heritage transmitted TO by our forefath
ers, and ceased to underestimate.
it would show that the principles from which
have grown this mighty Republic which now spans
half the world are growing feeble and that we are
reaching that point in our national history when
the forces of repulson are becoming stronger than
those OF cohesion and that mighty arch that has been
cemented by the blood and memories of the past is
beginning to crumbe and totter to its fall. Hence
1t is good thing to gather around the old altar and
brighten these memories of the past as antagonisms
to the evils of the present. and thus to keep alive the
wondrous elements of that national vitality the
outgrowth OF which we see in our history. Espe-
ciay is this proper when there are those who have
this year attempted to dishonor this day and defile
with mockery the sound of national existence,
and induce whole State to join them in their ini-
guilty. They have striven to dishonor the Declara-
ton OF Independence because they could not tram.
pie on the Constitution and to insult our common
parent because she has refused to be tool for their
treason against her own laws If there those
who would thus copy the iniquity of Ham without
curse OF the shameless son. But for us, we will
gather around our noble old mother with fonder
and profounder devotion, and thank God that the
Kissing vipers she has warmed at her hearth have
not yet furnished her spoess fame or struck their
venom to her mighty heart And never was there
country on which her sons might gaze with fonder
pride than our own. We will not say that she is
auitless or that there is not much that might be
mended, and that ought to be mended in her, for
this would be to say that she not of earth nor of
man. But we will say that considering her history
and the date of that history the annals of the world
have not page that furnish parallel In years
she is yet In her national YOUTH while in stature
and might she has reached a gigantic maturity
within the memory OF some now alive and proba
bly, OF the venerable father who has lust led us in
prayer, she occupied little more than narrow
strip OF territory along the Atlantic slope while now
she stretches over almost onefourth of the habta
bic globe: She has territory as large as all Eu.
rope, and one adapted to the productions of eyery
climate In the world. Her coast if stretched In
straight line, could be carried around the earth
and enough left of it to drop through the centre
she has population which gathers to il the best
blood OF the best nations of the world and the in
crease OF which is rapid that 5000 are added to il
every day that dawns upon her broad territory: and
should no calamity occur within the lives OF some
now present she will possess population of le0
UuoVoo OF souls stretching from the Atlantic to the
racine, and from the frozen North to the limits
Oh our manifest destiny, geographical line not