Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1860-02-10
5f(iistelIanto'ls.
Historical Incident.

The following historical incident we take
from the eloquent speech Of the Hon. Alex.
r. Boteler, lately delivered in Congress:
tThe District which [ represent, and the
county from which | come-that county
made famous by the raid of Brown-was
the first, the very first of all the South, to
send succor to Massachusetts,. In one of the
most beautiful spots in that beautiful coun-
t., within rife shot of my residence, at the
base of the hill, where a glorious spring
leaps out into sunlight from beneath the
gnarled roots Of thunder-riven oak, there
assembled On the 10th Of July, ITS, the
very FIRST band Of southern men who march
ed to the aid of Massachusetts, They met
there, and their rallying cry was, ga bee
line for Boston," That beautiful and peace
full valley had never been polluted by the
footstep ssof fee for even the Indians them
selves kept it free from the incursions of
the enemy, It was the hunting range and
neutral ground of the abbrigines- This
band assembled there, and "a Decline for
Boston, was made from thence Before
they marched they made pledge that all
who survived would assemble there fifty
years after that day It was my pride and
pleasure to be present when the fifty years
rolled around Three aged, feeble, totter-
ing men, the survivors of that glorious band
of one hundred and twenty-weTe all who
were left to keep their tryst, and be faith
full to the pledge made fifty years before to
their companions, the bones many Of whom
were bleaching on the northern hills.
Sir, [ have often heard from the last sur
vivor of that patriot the Incidents of their
first meeting and their march; how they
made some six hundred miles in twenty
days, thirty miles day. and how, as they
neared their point of destination, Washing
ton, who happened to be making a recon
noissance in the neighborhood, saw them
approaching, and recognizing 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. Stephenson, who stood
by his side at the Great Meadows on Brad
docks fatal field, and in many an Indian
campaign-and who reported himself to his
commander as ''Jfons the right bank Of the
Potomac"-he sprang from his horse and
clasped his old friend and companion-in-
arms with both hands. He spoke no word
of welcome but the eloqucnce of silence
told what his tongue could not artculate
He moved along the ranks, shaking the
hand Of each, from man to man, and all the
while-as my informer told me-the big
tears were seen coursing down his manly
checks.
Ay. 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 her citizens recognized
the great principles involved in the contest.
These Virginia volunteers had come sponta-
neously They had come in response 60
the words of her Henry, that were leapmg
like live thunder through the land, telling
the Virginia that they must fight, and fight
for Massachusetts, They had come to rally
by Washington's side, to defend your faith
ers' frosides. to protect their homes from
harm. Well, the 9is;t has been returned!
John Brown selected that very county as
the spot for his invasion and, as was men
toned in the Senate yesterday, the rock
where Seeman fell was the very rock over
which Morgan and his men marched few
hours after Hugh Stephenson's command
had crossed the river some ten miles fur
Their up.
May this historical remfhiscence rekindle
the embers of patriotism in our hearts =
Why should this nation of ours be renS n
pieces by the irrepressihle coufict Is it
irrepressible? 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 peo-
pie, can only be decided by the bloody ar
bitrament of the swerd, it will be the sad
dest day for us and all mankind that the sun
of Heaven has ever shone UPON =
Jake" said an old farmer one day
to one IF his mowers, 'do you know how
many horns there are in dilemma Pr
NO." replied Jake: ''but I know how
many horns there are ia quart of whis-
key