Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1858-07-17
a STAKEHOLDER
Speech OF Gov. Wise.

At the conclusion OF the Monroe Obse-
quies in Richmond, on the 5th, and after
their return to the city, refreshments Here
provided, toasts drank. and speeches made.
In response to the sixth regular toast, Gov.
I Wise s,okc as follows
eta. "Vifginia.-iIer sons Of the past.
Her sons Of tho present can speak for them
selves"
Gov. Wise was loudly called for from all
parts of the hall but before responding
Col. Drryea called upon the National
Guard to give three CHEERS for the Governor,
and FIVE times nine were given. When
order was restored, Gov. Wise rose and
said
Fellow-oitizens-T think 1 can call our
selves to witness That We are the most cheer
full meeting that ever gathered together.
Laughter. We are told, in the toast TO
which I have been called upon to respond,
that it is first given to s'Virgin]a !" next to
her .ssens of Che past,s' and as for her sons
Of the present, they can speak for them
selves; and | think | can call yourselves to
witness, that every one Of us can speak at
once. Laughter. There was immense
confusion in the hall. Last night, late,
| was notified duly that | would be called
upon this. day to respond to this toast; and
when I came to look at it, very little refec-
ton taught me that it would take a whole
lifetime to respond to it. Once when the
State of Massachusetts, the older sister of
Virginia, was alluded to-and alluded to
with d sneer-all that that master of elo-
Equence-no other than Daniel Webster him
self-did say, was, ''there Massachusetts,
stands : and in respect to Virginia, |
would take Up che sentiment Of his words,
and say, 'here stands" (Applause J But
are yod prepared to listen to a library of
history in speaking Of herself and a biogra-
ply in speaking Of Her sons Of che past ?
It would take Volumes to speak, or to write
her history and biography. No! you have
not the time for either now, and we are not
prepared for the task. But Virginia has
her history Of her settlement! And there
stands jamestown, with all the romance Of
the history Of Pocahontas and Capt. Smith.
(Applause.) Virginia has her colonial his
tory, and there is a volrne IN the first re-
bellion ag ainst British tyranny on Girls con
%tinent, in Bacon's rebellion. Aud here,
near you, is Bloody Run J" and besides
this, there is Point Pleasant; and ta5ond
that is the march Of Geo. Rogers Clarke t(
Kaskaskia and Vincenres, that beats any
march Of the ten thousand in Crecian OF
Persian history. (Applause.) And then
Virginia has her revolutionary history
CO to the old magazine at Williamsburg
and there you viii find the first bail of Tho
revolution to which Patrick Hanry's elo-
quence gave the impulse. (Arplause. y
Go to the very frontispiece Of the first work
of the first Convention Of our fathers. and
there you will find the record Of tie frs
Bill Of Rights, not excepting Magma Char
ia. (Applause.) / am, fellow-citiaens
not abiding to events like those wllicl
!, threw the tea into the harbor Of Boston
that, any other deeds of like kind, wer,
done by masked men-men who had to as
!, sumo the custom of the red man-of Mo
hawka.. But I speak Of open and organ
lied action. Go to Old Raleigh in vii
liamsburg, and YOU viii there find, tia
Without putting on a mask, Virginia
: through her Legislators and representatives
the first that ever sat in. the world, Of
sovereign constituency, was the first openly
5 daring, in organized conclave, to proclaim
, freedom and independence on the Goth 0
June, 1776. (Applause.) She alone pro
r claimed herself solely without knowing
f whether any State would back her free