Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-09-04

man, the descendant OF the cavaher--a race pos
sessng high sense of honor, manners the most
refined, and cordial and generous hospitality;
and pray God that the race of the cavalier may
bo peTpetuated TO remote generations, to prosper
and adorn the destinies of Virginia. lCheers.
The colony becoming of importance to the
mother country, royal governors were sent out, a
House of Burgessos established, courts of law,
with other appurtenances of Provincial Govern
ment, and, above all, the ministers of the Church
of England debarked upon the shores of the New
World TO introduce among the idolatrous abort
alnes the worship Of the true God and soon
from amid the depths ofthe forests We're heard to
arise hymns OF praise TO the Father of the Uni
verse, where before had resounded the orgies of
the savage in his worship of Mantou, or Great
Spirit.
The French war, so called, extended to the
colonies, and Virginia was called upon to aid in
the expedition of Braddock to Fort Du Quesne.
In the battle Of the Monongahela, the British
regulars, utterly routed, fled in dismay; the Vir
gina woodsmen fought the enemy inch by inch;
| and by their consummate skill in arms, and dar-
| ing courage, saved many from the wreck of the
| European army. Hear what Washington said
of Virginia 3 military, just one hundred years ago:
'''Ihey behaved like men, and died like soldiers.
or three full companies of Virginia's Hunting
Shirts, that fought in the battle of the Mononga-
hela, not thirty men survived the action
IL was on this, the first great field of his fame,
| that Washington may be said to have entered
upon his of destiny. The British officers
being nearly all killed or wounded, it was left to
the young Virginian to rally up the desperate
fortunes of the fight. In vain the craftsmanship
Of the savage essayed to reach his life; ever and
anon was seen amid the glimpses of the smoke
the manly form of the young hero, he lowered
above the horrors of the scene, while his battle
cry to the Provincias rang through the primeval
forests, ''Stand fast my boys, and draw your
sights for the honor Of Old Virginia" Cheers
1
sacrllege TO continue to attempt the life of one
evidently protected by Superior Power, cried
to his tawny warriors, "Fire at him no more, see
ye not the Great Spirit protects that daring war
rior'', The same savage prophet atterward de-
clared of Washington, SHE cannot die in battle;
he will become the chief of nations, and peo-
| pie yet unborn will hail him as the founder of
| mighty empire"
The Indian prophecy, continued the orator. ut
| tered by the wild, untutored child of nature, in
the depths of wilderness, has, under Provi-
| dence, been fulfilled to the letter. The Spirit
protected hero of the Monongahea achieved his
| destiny, and ran his glorious race without cloud
to dim the lustre of his fame; and after long
| and meritorious life spent in the service of his
country and mankind, here, in this venerable
mansion, stricken IN years and laden with honors,
/ he sank to rest, leaving TO the good, the wise,
and brave, memory that will endure for ages
| yet to come; and to the world name, the purest
and proudest borne by created mantle
Father Of his Country Prolonged cheering.
After the French war, ending in 1853, the
colony OF Virginia enjoyed long years of tran
guilty, and greatly increased in her population
and resources. But bark, there are sounds of
trouble borne on the breezes from the North.
Clouds are gathering there that portend COM
ing tempest. Measures on the part of the mother
| country in regard TO revenue, taxation, and
finance, deemed oppressive, have aroused the
northern colonies, and remonstrance is about to
/ bU 70 STA Airfrin 4 bo
very dawn of these troubles, declared for the
colonies. Generous and undetermined was this
! declaration, for the South was but remotely
effected by those measures of the mother country
that led TO the war of the Revolution. The
South had neither ships nor commerce her mod
crate degree OF trade was almost exclusively car
ried on by Scotch factors, who imported the ar
ticles necessary for Virginia, and exporting in
return Virginia $ only staple in that olden day
| The Need.
But when the tempest that had been gathering
| in the North burst with fury upon Lexington
| and Concord, illustrious Henry proclaimed in
| thunder tones in the House of Burgesscs of Vir-
| ginia: "Blood has been shed-we must fight.
| Virginia responded to the patriot throughout the
length and breadth Of the Old Dominion, and
| the South took up arms and CALAMITY fought for
| the high and holy principle of the age of Crom-
well, that Resistance TO oppression is obedience
| to God
orator, the South, the sunny South-our own,
our native land, if weighed in the balance, would
not have been found wanting in courage, patriot
| ism, or devotion 10 liberty, in 'the times that
tried men s souls" Cheers. Bravely we fought
| for freesoil, free government, and equal laws;
but, forsooth we told at this late time OF day.
that the South is not freesoil because il bears
on its surface the footprint Of the slave. Gen
/ tlemen OF the freesoil idea, permit old South
ron to say unto you, that If yours is free soil,
/ the blood of the Southron shed upon it in DAYS
| long past, so improved your soil as 10 make il
free. if the South is not free soil, because the
bondman is there, then were not tho ancient and
renowned republics Of Rome, Athens, and Spar
Ia, free SOIL for the bondmen were in the midst
of them all, during the purcst and palmiest days
of their existence as governments and nations of
| ifeemen.
But let us look nearer home. Go TO the fields
| Of your revolutionary fame, where, in America
| old battle day, northerner and southerner fought
| shoulder to shoulder for the free soil of whole
nation. Dig up the bones Of the brave, and see
| how many of the Southron's you will find there
! Virginia, proud of her heroic memories points
| to the Wondering ramparts Of Yorktown, and
| exclams-There, in the bosom Of the ancient Do
minion, was the browning glory of the war of
ndependence-think We not the soil is free,
where such an event hath happenedi
| The idea that Virginia is not free soil, throws
| a nette on the graves Of Virginia. great and
renowned Henry, jefferson, Nelson, Marshall,
| Madison, the Lees, civil and military apostles Of
liberty, and beneiactors of mankind; but the
worthless nettle fades and dies when thrown upon
the graves where laurels bloom in perpetual YER
dure. Cheers. Would you, gentlemen Free
soilors of the North have an idea of the patriot
ism Of the gentlemen Frecsoilers Of the South in
the heroic age, listen TO the words Of the good
Lafayette, as applied to General Thomas Nelson,
governor and commander-in-chief Of Virginia,
| and the Virginia forces at the siege Of Yorktown
Lafayette said: al had finished n battery mount
ing several heavy pieces, and thought | would
consult tho Governor as TO the direction of my
fire, well knowing that Yorktown was the resi-
dence Of Nelson, and that he must have the most
perfect knowledge Of its localities. He replied
TO my inquiry with calm and Roman 6rmncss,
by pointing with his hand TO his own dcmcil,
and sayings There, Marquis, to that house; it is
mine, and being the best now in the town, no
doubt contains the British headquarters. Fire
upon il, my dear Marqus-lovel IL with the
ground. Rather would ] behold il pile of ruins,
than that il should for a single moment afford a
shelter to the enemies Of my country" This
illustross patriot, one of Virginia noblest sons,