Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1856-07-08


The Fourth, at Rutland.
Feeling desire to celebrate our nalion's
birthday in an appropriate manner. we
,suended the Kansas meeting at Rutland.
Arriving at the grove about o'clock, A. M,
we iound about ] 800 persons congregaied
there, and others constantly arriving. A
short tme after our arrival, hearing martial
music, we turned and saw procession Of
several hundred marching from the village
10 the grove, under the direction Of Gen.
Merrill, great proportion OF which consis.
ted Of beautiful young ladies. Altogether,
when the speaking commenced, we es,ima.
ted The number on the ground a, from $500
10 4,000-aboul I 500 of whom were ladies'.
When we reflected ,ha. 1t was generally
known iha, no speakers from abroad could
be procured. and that many other celebra-
tons were taking place in other paris of The
county a, the same time, we were very much
and very agreeaOly surprised al the numbers
present.
The accommodations were complete.
Seats sufficient 10 accommodate 1900 per.
soma had ben prepared in IRON. OF The stand.
over which an awning YVES spread. Fresh
wafer was constantly supplied, and the Ia.
bles lacked no good lhing TO be found in the
market.
A., 10 o'clock. the meeting was called TO
order by Hon. STEPHEN TITUS, Chairman,
who after briefly stating the object Of the
meeting, and announcing The order Of pro.
ceeding, introduced Elder Evans, oil Ches.
ter. who opened The meeting with prayer.
The Declaration of Independence was
mex, read by Joel P. Higley, Esq. Never
have we heard thar Declaration read with
feelings such as we experienced ,ha; day,
We'fell that our rulers had ignored every
principle therein ,enuncia,ed--ihat every
complaint urged against King George by our
poIrio, forela.hers, might with ,en.fold force
be urged by the people Of Kansas against
The Preslden,--thal, in fact, afier eighty
years Independence. we are again compel
led 10 fight the battles Of the Revolution
again compelled 10 contend for our lbe lies
against Power in our our land which Is
endeayoring 10 enslave US. and which is
sided and sustained by our own chief mag.
isirale. Bur our lorelaIhers we're successful
and If we are nue 10 ourselves, we TOO shall
triumph.
The Messrs. Biglsys mex, favored the au-
dience With patriotic song; after which,
T. A. PLANTS, Esq., addressed the multitude
for more lhun an hour, in his usual happy
style. He was followed by Judge Heckard
who spoke until the dinner hour.
Instead Of proceeding to H. public table
we chose 10 go 10 the hotel IN Rutland. Or
our way, we perceived liberty pole, 1870 f
high. bearing The American flag, with The
names Of Fremon. and Dayton inscribed
upon iIs ample folds. We understand it wa,
erec.ed the previous evening, by The younl
men Of the village.
When we returned aher dinner. ;udg,
Merrill was speaking. lie was followed b.
Elder Evans, H. F. Miller. Judge Simpson
and J. Bradbury, Esq. We left the grounc
before the speaking was concluded, highl,
pleased with the celebration. We have n,
space for comments upon The speeches; bu
we venture to say .ha, The people were a
sloqueDsly addressed as they could hav'
been. under the circumstances.
The following letters were read from gen
,lemen who had been invited 10 be presen,
FROM WIN. n. GIBSON.
COLUMBUS. Ohio, June l3, 1856.
Messrs. T. A. Plants, Arthur Merrill an,
Nathan Simpson, Com.
GENTLEMEN: / am IN receipt Of your fat
tering note Of the 10th inst, asking me Il
be present and speak TO the freemen O
Meigs at Rutland on the 4th OF July proxi
mo; and assuring me Of cordial welcom
and an audience worthy Of the cause. an
under obligations to plead the cause of hu
mainly on the Reserve on that day, and re
gret that / cannot be with the generous cit
liens whom you represent. Ihave vsite,
almost every county in Ohio mingling will
the people, but my visit TO your county du
ring the last canvass, is one to whichI re
cur with especial satisfaction. 1t may b
my fortune again to meet my friends on .h
banks of the Ohio, before that great contes
for freedom is consummated.
Youryery hills are emblems Of endurin,
freedom, and doubtless your thousands ar
animated by spirit, worthy Of the age an,
the occasion. The contest is upon us an,
we cannot, II we would avoid the issue
Slavery or Freedom must be announced a
the national idea, and we must elect to be
come subservient 70 the insolent command
of the Slave power; or we must meet thei
demands, with spirit Of manly frmnes
worthy Of sons Of illustious ancestors,
Unless freedom is triumphant, no earthly
mower can avert tho catastrophe of dissolu