Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-07-07

army and considerable non-comb&tant u1DuInr
ton, startled into unnatural vigilance b. the i'm
cessAnt and destructive cAnnonade, but yet upob-
servant of the great operations In progress - near
them the surrounding country dotted With hun
drod rural settlements, reused from the deep sleep
Of New England village, BY the unwonted trmult
and glare. 49,
IL has been stated, In one or two well authenti-
Gated cases of persons restored after drowning,
where life has been temporarily sxtinguished In
the full glow of health, with the faculties unim-
paired by disease in perfect action, that in the last
few minutes of conscious existence the whole series
OF the events of the entire life rushing back
to the mind distinctly, but with uncomfortable ra-
pidty; that the whole life Is lived over again In q
moment. Such narrative, by person Of high
official position and perfect credblity, have read
We may well suppose that at this most critical
moment Of Washington's life, similar concentra-
ton of thought would take place, and that the
events of his past existence AZ they had prepared
him for it--his training while yet boy in the will
derness escape from drowning and the rife
Of the savage on his perilous mission to Venango-
the shower Of iron hail through which he rode un-
harmed on Braddock's field would now crowd
through his memory; that much more also the
past life Of his country, the early stages of the
great conflict now brought to its crisis--and
still more sslemnly the possibilities Of the future
for himself and for America would press upon
him--the ruin of the patriotic cause If he failed
at the outset; the triumphant consolidation Of the
Revolution If he prevailed, with higher visions Of
the hopeful family of rising States--their auspi-
cious growth and prosperous Misunderstanding
like dream of angels in the remoter prospect
all this, attended with the immense desire OF hon
est fame, flor we cannot think even Washington's
mind too noble to want the last infrmity 1.-THE
intense inward glow Of manly heroism about TO act
v,ort o,,tI tha pasa
Of the man christening the severity Of the chieftan
and deeply touched at the sufferings and bereave-
ments about to be caused by the conflict of the
morrow; the still tenderer emotions that breathed
their ssnctity over all the rest; the thought OF the
faithful and beloved wife who had followed him
from Mount Vernon, and Of the aged mother whose
heart was aching in her Virginia home for glad
tidings Of George, who was always a good boy
all these pictures visions feelings too
vast TOR words, too deep for tears--but swelling,
no doubt, In one unuttered prayer to Heaven, we
may well imagine to have filed the soul of Wash
ngton at that decisive hour, as he stood upon the
Heights Of Dorchester, with the holy stars for his
campfire, and the deep folding shadows Of night
looped by the hand of God to the four quarters of
the sky, for the curtains Of his tent. y
1t would have been pleasing task, fellow-citi-
zens, had time permitted it, to pursue this rapid
glance at the fortunes of our native town, through
the.peiod which has elapsed from the Declaration
of Independence to the present time. It would
have exhibited, at least since the commencement
Of this century, picture Of steady growth, and al
most uninterrupted prosperity, Of which few
brighter examples can be found in the Common
wealth. II is within this period that my own
family associations with Dorchester, aud my per-
sonal rccollections fall. seem even now to hear
the voice of the same ancient bell, which cheered
us this morning with its festive peal as fifty-fve
years ago it called together the citizens Of Dor
chester to the meeting-h house on yonder hill to lis
ten TO the eulogy on Washington, from the lips of
one whom ! was called too soon to deplore and
who s not to be named by me after the lapse Of SO
many years but with tenderness and generation.
In this period under the influence ofthe principles
Of solid national growth which gave character to
the earliest settlements of Massachusetts,, and OF
which, thank heaven, the force is not vet expend-
ed--of that love of liberty which prompted the
Declaration of Independence-and Of that spirit
Of fraternal affection which produced the last great
fruit of the Revolution-the union Of the States
under constitution of confederated republican
government-our country has increased in popu.
lation, in wealth, in strengthen all that benefits
or adorns the societies Of men, till II stands the
admiration ofthe world. o tortunatos nin,ian, susa
81 bona novtntl &i
Happy, too happy, did we but know our bless
ings. Perfection belongs to nothing human.
Times of trial have come upon the COUNT Y, at
different periods--wars abroad and dissensions at
home--alarming junctures of affairs and these
vicissitudes must be anticipated in time to come
as in time past. But hitherto an unfailng good
Providence has attended us and carried us through
the trials, without which this world would be too
happy. Let us, my fellow citizens on this ami.
versary Of the nations birth, unite in the hope
that we shall still be sustained by the same Al.
mighty arm which bore our fathers over the wa
ters--supported them under the hardships of the
first settlement-conducted them through the diff
fcuties of the colonial period-protected them
through the dangers Of the revolutionary struggle
and has guided their career as an independent
State. Ta
Thus, my friends, In the neighborhood of the
spot where, in my early childhood, / acquired the
first elements of learning at one Of those public
schools which are the glory and strength of New
England, have spoken to you imperfectly of the
topics Of the day Retired from public
life without the expectation or the wish TO return
to it, but the contrary-grateful for the numerous
marks of public confidence which have received,
and which feel to be beyond my merits-respect-
Ing the convictions Of those from whom have at
any time differed, and asking the same justice for
my OWL own, fellow-citizens that few things
would better please me than to find quiet retreat
In my native town, where might pass the rest OF
my humble career In the serious studies and tran
quill pursuits which beft the decline Of life, till
the same old bell should announce that the
scene Is over and the weary Is at rest.
GOVERNOR RErDKR AND GENERAL SrRrsayEL-
Iow.--The g. Louis Intelligeucer Of the Sd inst
has letter from Kansas, from which we take the
following: .,.....S .It
Yesterday morning General b. Stringfellow, of
Weston, Missouri, proceeded to Governor Reeder'si
residence, near the Shawnee Mission, and, after
introducing himself to the Governor, said
"I understand, sir, that you have publicly spo.
ken and written Of me In the East as frontier ruff
fan, and have called to ascertain whether you
have done SOL pnihi eftt Nts3 ~
Gov. r. al did not so write or speak Of you in
public A ~
Gen. g. ibid you speak Of me in those terms
anywhere, or at any time ~
Gov. r. ono, sir.n
Gen. 8. "Did you use my name at allfp .sI
Gov. r.. al may have used your name in pri-
vste conversation
Gen. S. !" Did you use It Unexpectedly 2 Did
you intimate, or nsinuate, that was other than a
gentleman 7" ~
Gov.R. " / might have done So" s8 at
Gen. s. "Then, sir, you uttered falsehood,