Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1860-02-10
9tIcttc0 31liStrllanp.
TRUE ELOQUENCE.


The following-touehing passages are
contained in the speech Of the Hon. Mr..
BoTELEE, delivered in the House of Rep
resantatiyes of the United States. The
incidents narrated cannot fail to moisten
every eye by which they are perusod:
:" The district which I represent, and
the county from which l come-thal
county made famous BY the raid of Brown
was the first, The very first IN az 4he
South, to send suceor to Massachusetts,
In one of the most beautiful spots in that
beautiful county, within rifle shot of my
residence, at the base Of the hill, where a
glorious spring leaps out into sunlight
from beneath the guarled roots of thun-
der riven oak, there assembled on the
10th of July, 1775, the very first band
Of Southern men who marched to the aid
of Massachusetts. They met there, and
their rallying cry was, a Decline for
Boston
:" That beautiful and peaceful valley
had never been polluted by the footsteps
of foe for even the Indians themselves
kept it free from the incursion of the
enemy 1t was the hunting range and
neutral ground of the aboriginees. This
band assembled there, and "a Decline
for Boston was made from thence. Be
fore they marched they made a 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, lettering men-the survi-
vors Of that glorious band of one hundred
and twenty were all who were left to
keep their tryst, and be faithful to the
pledge made fifty years before to theil
companions, the bones of many of whom
were bleaching on the Northern hills.
Sir, I have often heard from the
last survivor of that band of patriots the
incidents of their first meeting and theil
march how they made some six hundred
miles in twenty days-thirty miles day
and how, as they ncared their point 0
destination, Washington. who happened
to be making reconnaissance in tht
neighborhood, saw them approaching
and recognizing the linsoy-woolsey hunt
ing-shirts Of old Virginia, rode up t.
meet and greet them to the camp how
when he saw their captain old com.
panion in arms, Stephenson, who stood b.
| his side at the Great Meadows, on Brad
dock fatal field, and in many an Indian
campaign, and who reported himself t.
his commander as from Tie right Jaal
| Of the Potomoc'-he sprarg from hil
horse and claspcd his old friend and
companion in arms with both hands. HC
spoke no word Of welcome, but the elo-
qucnce Of silence told what his tongue
could not articulate. lie moved along
the ranks, shaking the hand of each,
from man to man, aud all the while as
my informer told me---the big tears were
seen coursipg down his manly check.
"Ay. sir, Washington weptl And
why did the glorious soul Of Washington
swell with emotion? Why did be weep
Because be saw that The cause Of Massa-
chusetts was practically the cause Of
Virginia; because be saw that her citi-
gems recognized The great principles in
yolved in the contest. These Virginia
volunteers had come spontaneously. -
They had come in response TO the words
Of her Henry, that were leaping like live
thunder through the land, telling the
| people Of Virginia that they must eight
for Massachusetts,. They had come to
rally by Washinetou's side, to defend
your fathers fresides, to protect their
homes from harm. Well, he riat has
been yetmnedi John Brown selected
that very county as the spot for his inva-
sion and, as was mentioned in the SEN
ate, the rock where Seeman fell was the
very rock over which Morgan and bis
men marched few hours after Hugh
Stevenson's command had crossed the
river two miles further up.
MAY this historical Renaissance re-
kindlc the embors of patriotism in our
hearts Why should this nation Of ours
be rent in pieces by this irrcpressible
conflict? Is il irreprcssible7 The bat
tie will not be fought out here When
the dark day comes. as come it may,
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