The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1860-03-07
Thrilling EIOQuence.


The following touching passages are con-
tanned in the speech of the Hon. Mr.. Bote-
Ter, delivered in the House on the 25th inst
We honor the head and the heart from
which they proceeded. The incidents mar.
rated cannot fail to moisten every eye by
which they arc perusad. The language en-
ployed for the purpose is the language Of
elevated patriotism
"The district which represent, and the
country from which | came-that country
made famous by the raid of Brown-was
the first in all the South to send success to
Massachusetts. In one of the most beauti-
fu spots in that beautiful country, within
rifle shot Of my esidence, at the base OF the
hill where glorious spring leaps out into
sunlight from beneath the gnarlcd oak, there
assembled on the 10th of July, l775, the
very first band of Southern men that march.
ed to the aid of Massachusetts. They met
there and their ra!ying cry wus "a bee.line
for Boston I"
This beautiful and peaceful valley had
never been polluted by the footsteps of q
foe for even the Indians themselves KEEP,
it free from the incursion of the enemy. I,
was the hunting range, and neutral ground
of the aborignes. This band assembled
there and "bee. line for Boston" was made
from thence. Before they marched they
made pledge that all who survived, would
assemble there fifty years after that day. 1t
was my pride and pleasure to be present
when the fifty years rolled around. Three
( aged, feeble, tottering men--the survivors
of that glorious band of one hundred and
and twenty-were all that were left to keep
the trust, and be faithful to the pledge made
fifty years before to their companions, the
bones of many of whom were bleaching on
the Northern hills.
Sir, | have often heard from the last sur.
vivor of that band of patriots, the incidents
of their first meeting and their march; how
they made some six hundred miles in TWEEN.
ty days-thirty miles q day; and how, as
they neOred the point OF destination, Wash.
ington, who happened to be making a re
cognzance in the neighborhood, saw then
approaching, and recognizing the linsey
woolsey hunting shirts of old Virginia, rode
up to meet them and greet them to the
camp; how, when he saw their csptain-hi:
f old companion in arms, Stephenson, VIII,
t stood by his side at the Great Meadows, OIL
. Braddock's fatal field, and who reporte,
, himself to his commander es "from tn
r right bank of the Potomac"-he epran
} from his horse and clasped his old !rient
and companion in arms by both hands. H.
spoke no words of welcome, but the eo
quence of silence told what his tongue coulc
not articulate. He moved along the ranks
shaking the hand OF each man, and all the
while, as my informant tells me, the bic
tears were seen coursing down his manly
cheek.
Aye, Sir, Washington wept! And why
did the glorious soul of Washington swell
with emotion! Why did he weep! Be-
cause he saw that the cause of Massachu.
setts was practically the cause of Virginia
because he saw that their citizens recognized
the great principles involved in the contest
These Virginia volunteers had como spon.
taneously. They had come in response tc
the words of her Henry, that were leaping
, like live thunder through the land, telling
the people of Virginia that they must fight
and fight for Massachusetts. They hat
come to rally by Washington's side, to de-
feDd your fathers fire sides, t, protect thei
} homes from harm. Well, the visit has beer
returned! John Brown selected that very
country as the spot for bis invasion, and a,
r was mentioned in the Senate, the rock where
: Seeman fell was the very rock over whic!
!. Morgan and his men marched a few hour
0 after Hugh Stevenson's command had cross
a ed the river some two miles further up.
@ May this historical reminiscence rekindl,
!. the embers OF patriotism in our hearts =
i Why should this nation Of ours be rent il
0 pieces by this irrespectable conflict! Il
e irrespectable! The battle will not
t fought out here. When the dark day come:
Il as come it may, when this question tha
r agitates the hearts Of the people cun onl
:. be decided by the bloody arbitroment of tn
0 sword, it will be the saddest day for US an
r all mankind that the sun of heaven hn
r ever shone upon.