Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1860-04-28
NUMBER a.
THRILLING r1ooUENCE.

! livcred in the House few weeks ago. We
/ honor the head and the heart from which they
proceeded. The incidents narrated cannot fail
! to moisten every eye by which they are pcrus-.
I ed. The language employed for the purpose
/ is the language Of elevated patriotism
| "Thc district which | represent, and the
county from which cOrne-that county made
famous by the raid Of IIrown-was the first,
: the very first in ali the South, TO send succor
to Massachusetts, In one of the most beauti-
iul spots in that beautiful county, within rife
shot Of my residence, at the base of the hill,
where glorious spring leaps out into SUM-
! light from beneath the gnarled roots of thun-
dcr-rven oak, there assembled on the 10th of
July, 1915, the very first band of Southern
men who marched to the aid of Massachusetts,.
They met there, and their rallying cry was, a
bcc-linc 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 abo.
I riginees. This band assembled there, and a
bcc.linc 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 yenrs
rolled around Three aged, feeble, t0ttering
mcn-thc survivors Of that glorious band of
one hundred and tMenty-Mere all who were
left to Keep their trust, and be faithful to the
pledge made fifty years before to their eetHpaR--
ions, the bones Of many of whom were bleach.
ing on the Northern hills.
"Sr, I have often heard from the last sur.
vvOr Of that band of patriots the incidents Of
their first meeting and their march how
they made some six hundred miles In twenty
days-thirty miles a day-and how, as they
nearcd their point Of destination, Washing
ton, who happened to be making a reconnoi.
sance in the neighbOrhood, saw them ap-
prOachng and recognized The linSey-woolsey
hunting shirts of old Virginia, rode up to
meet and greet them to the camp; how, when
he saw their captain-his old companion in
arms-Stcphenson, who stood by his side at
the Great Meadows on Braddock's s fatal field,
and in many an Indian campaign, and who
reported himself to his commander as " from
tie right bank Gf the POtOmGc"-he sprang
from his horse and clasped his old friend and
I companion in arms with both hands. lie
! spoke no word Of welcome, but the eloQuence
Of silence told what his tongue could not ar
tieulate. lie moved along the ranks, shaking
the hands Of each, from man to man, and all
the whilc-as my informer told me-the big
tears were seen coursing down his manly
check.
GAY, sir, Washington wept. And why did
the glorious soul of Washington swell with
cmotionr Why did he weep? Because he
saw that the cause of Massachusetts was prac-
tically the cause of Virginia because he saw
that her citizens recognized the great princi-
pies involved 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 Vir-
ginia that they must fight, and fight for Mas
sachusetts. They had come to rally by Wash
ington's side, to defend your fathers firesides,
to protect their homes from harm. Well, the
cisit has been returned. John Brown selected
that very county as the spot for his invasion;
and, as was mentioned in the Senate, the rock
where Seeman fell was the very rock over
which Morgan and his men marched few
hours after Hugh Stevenson's command had
crossed the river some two miles further up.
May this historical remniscence rekindle
the cmbers of patriotism in our hearts Why
should this nation Of ours be rent in pieces by
the irrepressiblc conflict Is it irrcpressible2
The battle will not be fought out here When
the dark day comes, as come it may, when
this question that now divides and agitates
the hearts of the people can only be decided
by the bloody arbitrament of the sword, it will
be the saddest day for US and all mankind
that the sun of Heaven has ever shown upon.
trust, Mr. Clerk, that this discussion will
now cease. | trust that all will make an effort.
by balloting, and by succession of balotings,
to organize the House. l trust that we will
go on in our efforts, day after day, until we
do effect an organization, and proceed to per-
form the duties which we were sent here to
discharge; that the great heart of our country
will cease to pulsate with the anxiety which
now causes it to throb and that we will each,
in our own appropriate sphere, do what we
mable blessings which can only be enjoyed by
a free and enighted people"