Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1860-06-15

Tor slavery until they rely upon physical cOur.
age, hraaen connons, hsisiiing bayonc,s, ant
towering armamenis, instead Of upon the in
telligence of nau, the virtue Of truth, faith il
God, and loyalty to woman, for success Who
that beholds this assemblage Of the Firomer
&c Ohio, will say that our country will call IN
vain for defenders should foreign foe land
upon our shores2 Tho slaves Of edeminacy
make mcrcenary soldiers History tells ~,
that nation comprising one-half Of the in
habitants Of the earth--China--built wall
around their country, to serve as o means OF
defence-a monument Of strength, vet of COW
ardice. Great elements,-a combination Of
personal qualities display Of bone and mus.
Gle, not of mustachois and fine clothes, but
Gods men-such men as we're our foreiathers
such men as the mothers of the pioneers
gave to the country-mNke great nations
The men who came to Ohio when this great
State, now reaching almost the acme Of Chris.
tian civilization, was a wilderness-when the
spots now covered by large towns and cities,
was an impenetable forest-the men, who,
forty years ago, built and launched ON beauti-
ful Erie's waters the fleet which so crippled
the best ships of proud old England, that she
found out she was no longer "Mistress Of the
Seas the men who stormed Fort Meigs, and
drove the British invaders on to British soil,
and there conquered them, have almost pass
ed away, and the old world tells us that their
sons and daughters are not grown men and
women; that climate, or other causes, have Civ
on MS a race Of "dwinded Americans instead
This charge was refuted by the chastisement
given by our American "boy' to the British
Champion" few weeks ago, ia a meadow
in England He was not in favor Of the Pu-
gilistic Ring-we needed no such exhibitions
TO convince other nations of our physical su-
periority, but the thrashing HEENAN gave SAY
MRS has accomplished more than all the diplo-
macy Of the last ten years.
The circle Of American manhood, surroun-
ding us this morning, whose faces reflect
the pleasure of the event (tinged with sad
ness, It is true, because of the accident of the
the morning) which brought them together, is
an evidence that the pioneers, the men of
the olden time" stlll live and are with as to.
day
| Mythology tells us that Prometheus stole
fire from the gods and taught men how to
use it. That element has become the most ef-
fective, useful and important agent known to
man. The FIRE on the hearth, of winters
night, brings comfort to the laborer after a
hard days toll it cooks our food, it sends pa
atial steamers bearing at the foretop our ma
tionsl flag TO every part of the world, its aid
is called into requisition to drag the train filed
with human lives and valuable merchandise,
along those iron bands that have done, and
will do more to cement the bonds of Union,
than all the Congressional speeches of a CEN
tury. Yet while it is the most useful friend, it
is the most fearful foe We must watch it or
it will kindle a ccnhagration that iaocks our
strength.
To guard against this is the object of the
association assembled here to-day-a magni-
icent illustration of American manhood, and
American art. In the hamlet or the farm
house, the family could retire and sleep with
perfect security--no fear of being awakened
by the cry which brings the fireman to the res
cue. But in the city it is different-the in
cendiarys torch is ever ready, his heart
prompted by motives of vengeance or of rob
berry. The citizen retires to bed, with no as
surance of protection from the law, or from
his neighbors-aone but the .freman 1t is
night-silence reigns supreme-chid and pa
rent repose in safety-the streets are deserted
and nothing is heard save the sound of revel-
ry and the wierd and mysterious football of
the passer-by on the sidewalk, when harld
the most appalling cry ever heard by mortal
ears, appalling as would be the trump of Ga
brisl--ETfei Firei Eire!-the bell rings out
the alarm, the fireman ear and heart hears it.
and, whether alone or amid the circle ofhome
at the tryst, or by the side of the bride of an
hour, he hastens forth and presently is heard
the rattle of the carlow it appears, with n
score Of men at the drag ropes, it may be half
clad, but men, awake, disciplined, who know
what they are about Then comes the conflict
Of the ireman-ths triumph of American
heart and muscle Who will describe it2 Who?
The mother forgets her infant, and it will
probably perish in the flames, but the fire.
man mounts the ladder, and rushes through
fire and flame, defying the fierce element with
which he is surrounded, rescues the child, and
restores It to its mothers arms. Who per-
forms such deeds of daring7 Who but the
fireman. The fireman does not labor for re-
ward asks nothing but the post of danger yet
how often is it that the hero who loses an
arm, limb, or even his life, to save that of a
stranger, goes upnoticed to the gravel
These are the men who save city, and
these are the men who can, if called upon, save
n country. The men who can lay line of
hose and climb to the roof of burning
building, will man battery, storm Mala-
kof, or charge Redan.
Mr. RIDDLE concluded by refeFFipg to the
commencement of a great political struggle, 1
and it behooved the Firemen to allow nothing
of partizan spirit to interfere with their Or
ganization. They should not permit their as
sociatiop 70 be used as party badge, but to
remember that there il yet 2 eountry-that
the men who rally and hasten to the cry of dis
tress, should be the first in their loyalty to the
pMoN-they should to-day beneath the benef
ieent rays OF a June sun, with the starry em-