Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-02-23
From he Richmond Enquirer, FEB. 10.
Mr. Andrew -. III. DaHsOn,s Grafton
I'm behalf of the Mount Vernon As
.o.EurEnn

From he Richmond Enquirer, Feb l6.
Mr. Andrew -. III. Dawson's Grafton
in behalf of the Mount Vernon As
ISOLATION.
The earnest and elaborate Grafton of Mr..
Dawson delivered in the Metropolitan Hall on
| Thursday night last, was full OF glowing
| truths and forcible arguments well worthy of
! consideration by the men, matrons and mai
dens of Virginia. 1t is to be regretted that it
was pronounced under very unfavorable cir
cumstances. MIR. u. was seriously unwel1,
and il was plainly percciVable he was suffer-
ing during the whole time of its delivery.
And beside, the address was married by
fault, not usually chargeable upon popular
orations, il was too crowded with thoughts
demanding closer attention and greater pa
tience than this - fast age" is generally will
ling to give. 1t perhaps thus failed To make
rs profound An impression upon the minds of
some, as its massive merits deserved. Yet.
the large audience were sufficiently held to
give their earnest attention. More than usu-
Al power is needed, thus TO bind Richmond
auditory.
We venture to furnish brief synopsis Of
this convincing argument and appeal, i'll or
der to concentrate its points for the recOnsid-
Grafton OF those who heard it, and for the graf
ification and instruction of those who were
not 40 fortunate.
Gracefully introducing his theme, by a COM
parison of the results of Caesars triumphs
with those inaugurated by Washington. by an
! allusion to the reverence everywhere cherish
ed for his name, Mr.. ID. proceeded to speak in
| glowing eulogy of his character, virtues and
achievements Naturally he reverted to
Mount Vernon as associated in the minds of
| the people with the life and deeds of Wash
| ington. Among these associations he thus
! touchinglv referred to the customary prayers
! of Washington, in that dear home In the
PRAYERS that from that ingle-sde altar, ascend
ed, 20 oft from his pure lips to, Our Father in
your children-your children's children and
their descendants, to the latest generation of
freemen who are to he dwelers in this land,
benign benedctions were invoked, 1T matt nd-
tor7iH, Fl gun rdsceatsIr ab ,Ats How unuttera-
bly, sacred that spot ought to be To every
American heart. How pregnant with poten-
tial awe are the mighty memories which clus-
ter around il. From thence it was those in
vacations went up, heavens answer to which
sent the glad tidings of political regeneration
resounding round the world.-What other
| scene known to the history of the human race,
equals in its moral sublimity the spectacle
made then at Mount Vernon, of Washington
! at prayer? A court il in session
and it is the court of Heaven. A cause is
| progressing; and it is nations cause. The
4
The complaint, Oppression-The decree, ress-
tance-The consequence, Revolution re-
suit, Liberty
lie then referred to the anomalous and hu-
! initiating fact, that among the tombs of the
| great heroes of earth, that of Washington
alone. is private property" He spoke of
the possibility of its being brought into the
market, and perhaps sold to n foreigner,
whose avarice might turn il into IA bear gar
a nd uyht sfp i,rhf
patLk,t pilgrim from its soil. He insisted that
gratitude demanded its rescue from the posi-
bility of Dissertation of any kind. Here
said he, ais "a INK sought To be levied upon the
gratitude and national pride of the American
| people. by the legislation of events. Its
prompt payment is pressed by "A crisis-a cri-
sis, the issues of which are 10 involve the loss
| or preservation of the honor of an enlightened
nation. Now, am | To be met with the an
swer: You have authority, sir, To levy such
a tax, no legal power whercwith to enforce
it's PAYMENT. Can those he found capable of
replying To such call, you cannot compel
me to give anything! Ny reply To such mag
unanimous patriots would be, Washington was
not drafted; but when he was not compelled TO
serve his country, did nevertheless, volunteer
to do il. But 1 cannot believe that, because
forsooth we control no compulsory process,
cannot hle petition, enter upon Judgment,
fore, fail
He spoke of the proposal to convert Mount
Vernon into National Cemetery grand
American Westminster Abbey-where the
honored of the nation might sleep together
after lite's fitful fever;' and of the influence
which such an ambition might exert over the
energies valor or patriotism of the living
citing among the many illustrations the aspir-
ing war cry OF Nelson,
! .Victory or Westn Instor Abbeyrn
| Mr. Dawson then stated strongly the oh
| iectons that were urged against tins scheme,
and gave the answer 10 them all.
III the price demanded is above the intrinsic
! value of the property, il asks 40 larger con-
! irritation from each than each ought TO be
| ready to give ii IL were less. III IL We're too
| much To ark il l. not TOO much for "A great
nation to give. IL may require more labor
| To gather, bat not larger contributions from
/ individuals.
| After dwelling in eloquent terms upon the
! littlences and avarice that, over tie grave Of
Washington, woald bandy words about its
value, be proceeded to meet the objection that
The plan was projected, aad Is fustercd by wo-
man. He de- nod il the most hopeful feature
of the sch,Ine, aud said:
But its origin is feminine. That Is true,
| and as an Am rican citkea my heart eNulNs
with pride alike over the fact that our coun-
| try has produced woman capable OF conceiy-
| ing a thought of sncA infinite moral grandeur,
and thousands of women equally capable Of
! appreeiating such a thought There Is ia IL
| the germs OF "A country's salvation. Like the
auroral beauties II tine god OF day-break
through the tagging misis ot the morning, It's
r,lcmpiiye eGul,euce flashes through the lur-
| id haze of that prejudice ia which party hlck-
| erings aud SECTIONAL strife would lain sliroad
the dearest hops of mankind Over the
| green saard Of I0uns Vernon, beautiful as
| the feet of angels upon the mountain comes It's
spangling ceruscsuons. tripping like winged
wayrlets nuttering DER an ideal sea. It's pro-
misses are prosperity, happiness and honor
| Amid the htfIl pauses OF Fanaticism's leresss
blasts its silver voice IL heard whispering III
| tones sxeeter than the music of an agel .
harp, Peace, be still' II points TO the inyio-
| liable spot where hs Who kssaf all sleeps
his last sleep aud coansels Us 20 meet there
fratsrnally togc ther, TO bow there devoaonally
10 part there anectlonately. and As often as we
are threatened with internal dlssensions, 10 re-
turn there a. frequently. II has already cleo
trined hemisphere, and interviewer the SYM
pathies Of millions Of strangers. Already
have the lips OF Iaillions repeated the iayolnn-
tary exc aanaiioa, God bless . Southern Ma
troa'--and down the tide Of time that coy