Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-07-16
From the LotfisriIIe Journal
Great Example OF Moral Courage
and Heroic Daring

MEssRs. EDITORS There is an incident of
the Revolution, in reference to Gen. Warren,
who fell at the battle of Bunker Hill, but
little known to the general reader, which well
illustrates the moral courage and heroic dar-
ing of that brave man, and which is not sur
passed by any example of the kind on record
in ancient or modern history. 1t is related in
Wheeler's history of North Carolina, and is
as follows:
THE massacre of the Colonists of the 5th
of March, ITO, had been held as a sacred
festival by the people of Boston. Orations
were delivered on each anniversary setting
forth this murder, legaliZed by the Crown.
Twice was Warren the orator of this deeply
exciting subject. So patriotic were his senti-
ments-so hostile to the British power-that
the officers of the army under Gen. Gage, then
quartered in Boston, declared that no more
such orations should be delivered. 1t was
openly stated that it would cost the life of
any man who attempted it. Warren took
fire at threat so openly and tyrannicafly
made. He solicited the honor of delivering
the Grafton in 1775. For this post he had
few rivals, and it became we'll known that
Warren was to speak. The day came, and
the weather was remarkably fine. The old
South Meeting House was crowded at an early
hour. The British. armed, filled the house
and aisles, and some even occupied the pulpit
All entrance to the house was prevented
But Warren reached the pulpit by ladder
from the outside. He pressed forward to his
post. In the bloom of manhood, flushed with
the spirit of liberty. the youthful orator adj
vanced. The British officers seeing his cool
ness and intrepidity, made way for him. An
awful stiffness, like that which in the convul-
sion of nature, often precedes the fell tornado
of the Indies, prevailed. Each man felt the
rapid palpitatiOn of his own heart and saw
in the pale. determined face, and closed lip of
his neighbOr, the peril of the occasion. The
daring spirit of Warren arose, and in 'tho'ts
that breathe, and words that burned. he spoke
of the early history of the Colonists, their
wrongs, their rights and the claims of Justice;
how their rights had been trampled down.
how violated by the tyrant power of England.
His descriptions of the sufierings, agony, and
blood OF the Colonists chilled even the spirits
of the British. The scene was sublime-the
cause of truth prevailed. The day passed
without any violence. Warren and his friends
were prepared to chastise insolence, prevent
disgrace, and avenge any attempt at assassi-
nation.
This is scene of moral courage and sub
Unity worthy of the pencil of the painter or
or the chisel Of the sculptor The thunder OF
DemOsthenes rolled at distance from Philip
and his hosts; Cicero poured forth his inyec-
tive when surrounded by the Senate, and free
from danger of the dagger of Catalina; bat
Warren spoke to the very teeth Of the proud
oppressOrs of his country. resting on their
loaded arms, whose errand was to overawe.
and whose business it was to conquer. No
example in Roman history exceeds this i'll
moral courage or in sublmity"