Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1860-09-11

From hamlet and cot, let freemen now rallv
And list to the tones of our National Bell.
Our glorious Eagle spreads his wings now asunder
| Which Democrats strive to fetter and chain, A
But the peal of our Bell in tones of loud thunder
Shall teach them that all their corruption is vain.
The Constitution-the Union-the Enforcement of
! Laws, T o. 81
/ The creed of our Fathers. shall not be forgot;
Where EVER goes, oh just is the cause 49,
| That wipes from orr country, foul anarchy's blot
Then friends of the Union let's rally, let's rally,
"Bell and Everett" boys, the watch-word shall be,
Its echoes will thunder from each mountain and val.
ley, ss hr
| And our Bell shall ring forth glad jubilee.
| The Scotch-Irish.
In the recently published address of Bolivar
| Christian, Esq, before the Alumni of Washing
ton College, we find number of interesting
facts illustrative of the character and habits of
the Scotch-lrish settlers of the Valley of Vir-
gnia. We have always regarded them, together
with the Huguenots, as constituting the. very
best population that ever came to this continent
Some of their customs and acts may now appear
ludicrous when judged of in the light of our own
times; but for integrity and honor, courage and
energy, patriotism an piety, they stand unrivaled
among all the men of the past 5 M
Mr.. Christian thus pictures their arrival in the
Valley, and sketches their prominent character.
istics:
"It was upon the banks of the Delaware they
landed, and some rested for season in the pro-
vince OF Penn, naturally looking for sympathy
from people who in the old world had suffer ed
like themselves for conscience sake. Others
following their native instincts, passed on to-
wards the blue mountains whose towering peaks
and waving outlines along the distant horizon
recalled the memories of their childhoods home
among the hills and heath-clad highlands of
Scotland. Ascending the tops of the Kittoch-
tinny-the Indian term for Blue Ridge-they
gazed with charmed eye upon this lovely Valley,
blooming 10 all its pristine beauty before them,
as on some fairy land they'd louged to see.' 1t
fulfilled their fondest dreams of that promised
land of peace, as it lay enwrapped in its primal
silence, broken only by the signing of winds a.
mong the forest tress, the song OF birds and the
sound OF murmuring waters. The long lines of
mountain peaks, fading away in distant view,
stood ranged on either side like guardian senti.
nels, while clouds of purple and of gold, gather
ing along the loftiest crests, hung round the blue
horizon like waving banners of welcome.
''They could be put peculiar people. With
all the piety, they had none of the ascetic sane
tity of the Puritan; with jealous sense of hon
or, they had something like the the chivalry of
Cavaliers, yet without wealth they escaped the
enervating influences of luxury. The common
sacrifices of all their fortunes in long contests
with the oppressor in their native country left
all poor alike, and uncommon suffering and kim
dred sympathies subdued all social distinctions.
Their untiring struggles for freedom of thought
and life, 'bequeathed from bleeding sire to son.
had brought through succeeding generations
physical and mental training that made them
independent in spirit, self-reliaDt in strength,
md pdv t1,o
types of their ancestral Scottish character, which
ever shows to most advantage in adversely, and
has been well-likeEed to the sycamore of their
native hills that scorns to be biased in its growth
BY sun, or wind, or tempest, but shoots its
branches defantly in every direction, shows no
weather-side to the storm, and is broken before
it will ever bend"
The following extracts from the records of the
Augusta county Court, give US an inkling of the
state of morals in the olden time. Mr.. Christian
tells us that:
"The first Court for Augusta county was held
at Staunton on the 9th of December, l745 The
magistrates and officers were appointed by the
Grown of England, through the Governor of the
Colony. The Court, when once organized, went
to work with will, and, true to Scotch-Irish in.
stincts, seem to have executed with a special
vengeance the Act of Good Queen Anne, for the
effectua suppression of vice, and punishment of
wicked plasphemers and dssolute persons.-
And the Court meted out to unfortunate Offend
ers the full measure of the law, in all its bear
ings. Some extracts, taken at random through
series of years from the records, will illustrate
at once the character of the Courts, and of the
people"
'May 17th, 1746.-The grand Jury, by James
Trimble, foreman, made the following present
ment,'" (among others similar J I
Robert Harper, for being drunk, and swear
ing three pr0phane Oaths." f-.. ..
.Col. Thomas Chew, "a lawyer,) and John
Branham, deputy sheriff. as common swearers"
''James -, as a dsturber of the common
peace of the neighbors by carrying lies; and al
SO common yer." rH - f.e
Edward Boyle, for damning the court, and
swearing four oaths in their presence" was ''put
in stocks for two hours, and fined 90 shii-
lings." s a oan1 $40
November 2Sth, 1750.-The Grand Jury
presented (among others) Samuel Hutts, for
breach Of the Sabbath in singing prophans
SONGS" te
james Frame, for a breach of the Sabbath in
unnecessarily travelling ten miles," H
Jacob Coger, for breach of the peace by driv-
ing hogs over the Blue Ridge on the Sabbath
day"
That tile Court could sometimes mingle Glenn
ency with its justice is evident from such an en-
try as this: ls}8t sf sef.
..May 17th, 1753-Order'd that ye presentm't
ag'st Patrick Shirley, for being drunk, be dis
missed-the Court being of opinion that it was
Inadvertently done, he being an honest fellow'
After delineating the heroic services of the
Scotch-Irish during the Revolutionary struggle,
Mr.. Christian adds:
'.But if time permitted, it might we'll be shown
that it was not only in arms they magnified and
honcred themselves and their country. When
all for which they had taken the field was won,
and the bugles sang truce at last, these anceas-
ing worshippers at the shrine of liberty, rested
not until they had secured from the government
of their own adoption all their long-sought rights
of religious as well as civil Liberty. True to the
sentiments inherited from the Scottish highlands
and the shores of Ulster, they were still most
ardent, and zeslous and persistent advocates for
character of religious freedom. The Presby-
terry of Hanover, having large constituent pro-
portion within this Valley, moved in the matter
as early as 1878, and again at Timberridge
Church, in Rockbridge, in l775, and presented
an able memorial in 1775 to the General Assem-
bly, for the removal of every species of religious
as well as civil bondage" Again, in 1777- as
sembed at Timberridge, they earnestly "remop.
strated against general assessment for any re-
ligous purpose" declaring that its consequences
are so entirely snbversive of religious liberty.
that if they should occur in Virginia we should
be reduced to the melancholy necessity of say
ing with the Apostles in like cases, Judge We
whether it is best to obey God or man. and of