Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-02-26

\ Il ne is''"S '''N''N'' - 80
| Richmond. FEB. o., 1858.
| Hon. Il. NJ. Z. HUNTER having been introduced
delivered IN handsome and mos, appropriate -tyr
III. following splendid GRAFTON:
| FELLow-CirIzESs Il: mus. indeed be great &c
s>INn which collects this vas: sssemblsge oil people
snd VIII Oh surrannds the with 40 manT crcnin
| Stances OF pomp aud pagssEtry. The Chl.i Mhs's
| trate Of Virginia, the members of her Generai ~
sembly, the Judges of her highest courts OF Jaw Az
these her sons and daughters, stand here Tue hos!s
receive, Us honored guests high unciionar'I' OF 'n
Federal Government, tbs representatives Vi e sS'e
States who ill their chief seats Of power &! hoo "h'
abroad, and these Rit,erips files OF citizen s"'aery;
The Stats cf Virginia this day RESPONDS 10 inc 49,
mauis of world wide sympathy for i'ns 10 "h'''
pilgrims from all tho earth may resn'i 10 on tns
oblaUIs nf love, gratitude, ana auuii' q 'o'' W ~
memory Of her creates. son, and wne,e .ne imagine
ton may refresh lie conception OF ths' e'""o '.,e
| noble character by tho s-nete impression OF 'h'
.cene around It. S.s is abou! 70 d'ecHa'gs l'.e
last day which sue To- tina: ln5in'? oy oeIe
Tag i - ys another form OF history, ~"ose mon"
sn-nts inc 1.pors'e aud make ssh'oo au ,a
rs;ious tho conceptions which its wri'lnS nave uAa
impershsbly 10 The mind Of man 10 10 .li,a ~,
bulda no wondrous structure, when s?saks G'oie VI
the and power Of thcss who MAJ u; 'n' "l ''e
life and chashcis Or which IL was drsSns1 ~
morats. She rears vast pie liz. thoee IN "hcse
mysterious depths the sges they tat haVe ourieu
their memories, we'll their dsGd' ana wh'ch ho
longer tell the tale that tLoy were dessheo 10 rah
tat, BIS was proudly supposed from "sneta'loh "a
generation, until the epos OF hpmans,y was c,ossd
She s,eEs no remote valley 10 tonDd her TOOK
metropolis, whoee silent and awful chambers as tney
lie shroudsd Ia mystery and night p"rps'uate nothing
but the idea of deah-ma'ing that even ih'Ee s.hs;-
BILE by the gloom In which they were ciolhed.
But she has appealed TO the hsha vi oue VI .no
highest of tho arts 10 restore in form a. least me type
uf that temple which noue but the MISTER =" oFkma'
cat rebuild aud 10 which once dwell. the soul III her
much loved son. She has Invoked the aid VI human
genius, which cannot indeed reIGi:e mat forh WIN
the Pronutiean spark % 10 impart Tie charm oi
fa and the grace of motion but which can reflect
through its own clear mirror the rays Vi ,na' spFi'
light which once made the human lace divine, ana
which yet give living expression 20 marble %
TO broUze Aud 10. there stands i.s work. ms au''
nsted bust" uuteucuted !: is true by the Injecting
BREATH" but mighty s,udy-an incorporate tsse
which speaks. aud oh, how nrnh not only OF 'na'
oonsumrnats character winch II was formed 20 e1
press but also of him who made il, OF that bright &c
,Ius who having married u mortal TO an lmncri.l
:lsme like some Of those victims OF unea:thly love
Of whom poets sing, hgs pe.i.hsd in gviaS oTtn ~
the mighty conception with which !; teeinec' his
ohisei now rusts beside tn, moulderlng hsnd which
once welded II with almost creative power. Dat tat
work Of hi. ssu:us will live, apd bis Da,s, CORRECTED
now with one which never die, vii! be horGt
through succeeding ages the vine Is supported cy
the oak which it crowns and sdorns. They will live
toge:her-and long may that union OF grace aac
strength endure,
This day is eminently appropriate to the occasion
which we celebrate. II WAS this day which gave
birth to him who Was not only FIRST in war, FRS
peace, aud first in ths hearts q hs te!O" 'cz;'s'
but whose name s the representative asne o. pera"p
the greate,t epoch in human history w ell luna.
nativity there 10 uOae ether which CONNECTS lEei
more largely With the destiny vi men. IL vas Oh
this day one hundred and :wenty.sr years ago 'na
Washington va, bora in Wssmoreiand county 'ns
son OF simple country Gen;!7man' 40 pe"'iug o.
tillsry proclaimed hia advent into the world. Nc
churches rssouncsd with the TIE Dsum, aud no pro
cess;on OF Pri.s.s aud Eo5!es paused on beudec
knes 10 shank God 70, the event WHICH continued ~;
succession OF imperial dynasty; neither tete, tot
holiday. nor public rejoicing marked Tor nm the ex
n.c,srion with which is received the birth OF o.
The princes Of the earth. We do not know how ia,
even the mother dared 20 hope or whether che dream
ed Of for him than the common success CT lie
How little president IS man. % mat hrmels cham
Der Tss Graded the minister NJ destiny. There ~
posed the infsn. IL whose future career were 10 De
saTaer-d more o! tnaL hopes for progress "cd ~
p5ovenent than had every rested upon mortal e"u
duct before; and there, tOD Wire folded hsIcs tnn
the rod Of empire might have sTayed, II IN Heart and
lead he he'd NOT been too elevated TO desire u.
Here, as in 60 many other instances, Providence
appears have left pubic expectation at fsu IN -
gard to i.s instrumeuis. This very accidents 81 his
position s5sn 10 have been errdysd.wi'h GesiSn 90
rsu aud Discipline him for the great Struggle o LIS
life At tim. Of lie. when others who were 10 BE-
Actors II the saie scene with hnssit. aud supposed
perhaps to he more fortunately crcumstancad, were
pursuing their suiies IN the halls OF learning 80 va
surveying lands III lie wlteruess. AT Tie eS6 oi
sixteen hs we. already clothed with the duties and re
spousbilites Of manhood, aud brnved the peT's and
difficulties vi that Wild mode Of lie.
TGus early Injured 10 danger and hardship and
thrown upon his individual resources 10 encounter
them, the experience ut his lie nust have served IL
strengthen ad elevate his character. IL taught him
presence OF .liud in the face OF danger. mud seiire
lance in the midst OF unexpected difficulties and
trials. Nor were these the only teachings OF lhs
forest lie. For doubtless in that close communion
with nature and himself he learned lessons OF manly
virtue, and derived that knowledge OF tho secret
springs of action which is go essential to Tho
rough acausiutsnce with human na;ure III g.n-
orai. Nor could such IN experiences with tho Ine!i.
ta,iors which i: suggested tai - Increase his seilsv
of III. natural dignity o: man, elevate the stand
ard BY which liz measured 1t. The Pioneer ot tint
lay re h. rualed through the wilderness was incsed
the monarch Of all he surveyed. Amidst The beass
of the forest and savage tribes sos. q Wild ts they
we're hs learned to stake his lits upon MA individual
superiority over all 10 around hlm, ana 10 depend
upon himself for protection AUST all ths dangers
which might BEST hiol. Unaccustom-d 10 view uian
IS no IS seen in crowded communiiie', ranked aud
sized" according 10 the orders OF society or dwared
w dependence anu In. pressure OF poverty or the &C.
cueuis Of his position he learned 10 value hun for
himset--;o lneasurs him by Tho individual resources
If his naru, and look within rather Than w!hon;
for the means OF defence aud development. Above
all, he thus imb:b.i that wild lore q. freedom and in
which made him incapable of countlns The costs OF re
sistapce it hls liberty was u. stake Sucn was IN.
.cnoOl in which oar fathers Wer" pea prepared ioI
The great revolutionary struggles winch awaited them
Ths effects Of this training upon Washington were
manifested in the remarkable conEdcnct winch his
State repCe IL in MIN early IN age When aiDs.
teen years old, he WIS., meds Military Inspector with
the rauk Of Major IN the little army o; Virginia. AT
tScu.y. UTe hs was entrusted With "a important rn-
sion to The Freuc'; commander on The Ohio, ana
nlsca6 ba head az tlle tlroph ;hia1i by The
STATE ror did she afterwards a5s,t her true. snd
confidence in EIi. Bat she trusted. sn, tried bi'n,
too. Aad, Ia charging tim with tbs desenca Of her
frontier, with insufficient forces aud means, she PIE
pared h:m for the yet ,,eruer difficulties which
awaited him Oh another and create! theatre OF action.
lie thus acquired knowledge of ;h. nature of L's
couutry,nen-Us tho resources Ia which lay their
chief strength in tim. If war; of ms di cutes which
we're most likely 20 baSet I'm; sa1 beet
BY which they 10 u. ralie1 and supported under
such trlals. Il 10 this sc'Dp! thatis lenrnet to
cultivate the heroic virtue. 1t The Standardization
scrtitud. justice, and self reliance Aad here TOO. h..
imbbed the faith that .hsTe IS nigh: IN the r.IEt
too strong for tbs powers and prnr!p the earth,
which 20 charac e7zed bin in nf;-r l;is. There can
bs no doub, bu' the meditation, nai experience
If snch life lis close communion with nature, iia
har5resdth soaps and it's sudden revoiGiioDs mus;
have teuded to cherish in The mind deep sense OF dc
peniepcy upon Providence, and NOR. intimate con
vcti"n Of ~ cnas.an, proseuce and iuerpo.ioD II
the stfsrs Of mao. These were the qualities which
ever alter made him the master Of The vcca.cn, sni
enabled tlm 10 overcome is difficulties whether t:->
lay in hnsal. or ot.iera. for man ever lived whn
could betts. command both. Who Cen look to ih6
s,vere experience Of his ca :5 in connection with
;s after circumstances r',J .g. ling ths. Providence
Was thus training hui sor hat mighty struggle in
which he wac to take The .eacerstip ama conmsud'
He carried into this ccutes: natural genius tor US.
il Is true, BIZ, he prepared for By careful atu
DIV Of tho lniii;sry scicnce by not much knowledg.
ofs principles Of strategy established by the grsa
masters of the AFT, and by accurate acquaintance
~ Ibis command with Knowledge OF tbs secr=,
strength of his coantry-with perfect understand NJ
OF its resources and sufficient experience in the bes,
means Of developing them; with modest bnt firm re-
lance In his capacity to meet in the future, h:
had done 10 the past, whatever difficulties might lay
in his path no matter hos unexpectedly they sAou!i
arise ind with faith thai fal:ered in The w;i
and the power Of Providence 10 project the right
p.rhans II ha had h.nn nstomed s.r1y