Litchfield enquirer., 1854-07-20
Speech of John Cotton Smith un the Putnam Monument Appropriation.

MR. SPRARER-Is Is pleaSnn, sometimes to vary the dull routine of lsgislalion by the introduction of subject that soars above the patty slrifes a0d petty inter. esss Of the present. and carries us back to the heroic age of the Republic. "There Is no State in the Union, and I know not of any in the wo,ld." says the American Gibbon. in speaking of Connecticut, :" in whose history, # were citizen, could find more of which to be proud and less that I could wish to blot" Itis a mats ter of congraIulation that her annals are soon 10 be given to the void written by one of her most talented sons, whose soul is full of her glorious foretine. and who has devoted years of toil to this " labor nf love" Most true 1t is that ever since Cod first planted the three vines in the wilderness, in every combat for liberty or honor. her sacred siandar has waved in triumph in front of the battle. or been
 'enched with the blood of the brave. From the stoIming of the Pequod fort to 'Ae capture of Mexico, no desperate foe -1as lived that ever stayed for the onset of Connecticut valGr. Three times had the gallant lnlle Republic, while yet in the adle, dared to p'ovoke the wrath and brave the power of the mighty monarch of England. and as often has the dagger nf ,yrrany broken on the breast of her undaunted resolution. Unlike her sister colonies, no stamps we,e ever sold wilh> in her borders. She ihrew them back with scorn into the face of king and par lament. Our State went into the revo- luion under peculiar advantages. Her civil organiz .lion of townships. each one a little compact, selfsuppor.ing. demos cracy, a we'll trained citizen soldiery, ac GUS, omed 10 the use of atras. q :pat,iotic clergy thunde,ing resistance from every pulpit. no royal governor to eject, nor court influence to, distract, all 6lted her to avail the crisis,
 Firm ns the rock of the ocean that braves
 A thousand wild waves on the shore"
 In April, l775, before the resolution could be generally regarded as an ascer. tained fact. a number of patriotic citizens of Connecticut assembled at Hartford. perceiying the immense advantage that would acctue to the cause of liberty from the capture and possession of the north, ern fo,tresses that commanded Lake Champlain. .Ticonderoga and Crownpoint. determined to seize them by surprise of the British garrisons. The daring enter prise was committed to Seth Warner and E,han Allen. both natives of the county of Li;chfeld. It was conducted with chalac celistic energy and deter imitation /; and the bold undertaking was most emi> nently successful More than two hun. dred cannon were captured; the same that were afterwards dragged acsoss the mountains 10 Boston, drove Lord Howe from the city. and thunds,ed against the British lines during the whole course of the war. Connecticut alone projected and executed the most important move.
 ment. and her treasury footed the bills. I In the meanwhile. the fist blood was shed at Lexington, and it's report stirred up her already excited people as with the
 shock of an earthquake. Putnam left
 his plough in the iutrow the troops of eastern Connecticut poured after their gallant hero. The battle of Bunker Hill soon followed and opened the seven ' ears drama with blaze of glory. No achieve. ment of ancient or mode,a story rivals in interest or results this memorable conllic. A few hundred provincial farmers, in lhe ordinary costume of their calling. without, cannon or bayoneis occupied a small bleas,work erected by the unremitted toil of the previous night. On the left of the b.eastwo,k k and on the open ground stretching beyond its poin, to the water. side are placed ike men of Connecticut, under Cla,ke of Lebanon, Chester of Wethers6eld. Colt of New London, and Knowlton of Ashford. The eagle eye and lion hear, of Putnam is busy wa,ch- ing and experimenting the whole. On came ahe flower of the English army to the attack, moving slowly and steadily, in all the pomp and pride of war, checr> ed by the bursts of ma,lial music, and the rolling thunder of the cannon. All IS quiet and still in the tanks of Free dom's little phalanx. save the clarion voice of Putnam ringing in their ears. <" Don't fire until you see>the whites of their eyes," t
 Strike for your altars and your fires
 God and your native land"
 A moment more, and the fos had al most reached them. They thought to crush the rebels without blow--when at once they are met by sheet of fire and fall before the tempest of death, as the leaves of the forest are scattered by the s,olm blasts of autumn ] A second and thnd attack are attended with the same results, when failure of ammunis ,ion induces the patriots reluctantly to retire. Their re,rea, is protected by the \ 1COnnpniicsat fo,No on thn loft xp;th .,n.