Litchfield enquirer., 1861-11-07

upon you in derision and disgust-your Go
 shudders and turns away from you, and the De,
 il stirs up his hottest fire, and holds up his red
 hot poker, ready at the last to brand you wit
 his mark, and set you among the Scribes an
 Pharisees, Liars and Hypocrites of his dark do
 main forever and ever.
 Which is all at present.
 Next week, propose to enlighten your mind
 and stir up your senses on the subject of "Gos sip and Gossipping ; and as I expect the hous will be crowded, I hope the little boys and girl
 will stay away, so as to give their fathers, anc
 mothers, and grandmothers, and maiden aunts
 a chance to hear and profit.
 Brother Sleek will please pass around tn
 preachers hat, and look sharp for the tin six
 pences and bogus dimes.
 SWORD PRESENTATION AT NORFOLK
 The following report of the sword presenta
 tion to Capt. J. H. Dewell of the Norfolk Com
 pany of Volunteers, reached us too late for pub
 lication last week.
 A meeting was convened at the Town Hall in
 Norfolk on Thursday evening" October l7th, fol the purpose of presenting Capt. Dewell with g sword and sash, which had been purchased by his personal friends, and which was rendered tc him as testimonial of respect and esteem o his fellow -townsmen.
 s. D. Northway Esq was called to the Chair on taking which, he delivered short and patri otic speech, which did credit both to his haae and heart.
 William K. Peck Esq, then made the pre- sentation to Capt DeweIl, with the following le. marks:
 l CAPTAIN DEwELL :-1 am charged with the grateful and pleasing duty of presenting to you this sword and belt, in behalf of those who have be n but too willing to contribute for their pur- chase. if thereby they might testify to their con- tidence in him who is about to buckle them on and go forth to fight the battles of his country No man, think, in these days of change and revelation. will hesitate to exclaim, Oh the mutability of human affairs A few short months ago. and from the possessions of Nicto- ria to the Gulf of Mexico, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, in all our marts of commerce and trade. among the green hills and vallies of New England, the populous cities, fertile fields and perennial flowers of the sunny South, and over the pr:liries and along the banks of the mighty rivers of tie great and growing West, was heard the hum of industry, the voice of plenty and the g lad songs of peace, and the lovers of con stitntonai liberty at home and abroad exulted in their seemingly we'll grounded hopes that tie great experiment. of the age in human govern nlent had signalIy triumphed But in an evil hour, the seeds of revolution and treason, plant ed by stealth and sleeping in the bosom of a ge- nial soil, suddenly germinatcd, shot from its sur i face and unfolded their poisonous leaves. Masks flew from the faces of lifelong traitors, and a | rebellion more hateful and wicked, if possible than that which preceded the eternal ruin of once angelic hosts in heaven and more gigantic and formidable than any of which history speaks on earth. broke forth, trampling on sacred con- pacts, defying legal enactnents. and inaugnra- ting asystem of plunder and lawlessness with out parallel in this history of nations. For a moment the country paralyzed with as tonishment. stood aghast, and our constituted authorities chained hand and foot by the vllalDy of oath-bound but perjured officials in vain sought to stay the march of treason and rebell- ion, and win back the errng and disoyal sons of the Republic of Washington and his con- peers, to duty patriotism, and a cheerful sub mission to the best government good God in his Providence has ever vouchsafed to man. ! To reunte and establish our naval force scat tered by the hand of treason to the four winds of heaven, to muster the hosts of loyal Amer- can freemen trained to the pursuits of peace and unlearned in the art of war. and arm them for the conflict in the utter absence of needful weapons of warfare. was the mighty task, to the performance of which the men who held the reins of government by the will of a fee people lawfully expressed, were suddenly and unexpect- ediy called.
 How well the responsibility has been met, let naval force of more than three hundred sail, blockadng the ports and raining the missiles of death upon the breaking ranks of rebel armies along Our Southern coast, tents whitening a thousand fields wherein dwells the noblest and best-appointed army that ever shook the earth with it's tread, or battled for the right, scattered along the banks of the Potomac, and led by that bold, gifted and youthful General, on whom, under Providence, now seem to hang the hopes and the fate of the republic. The rallying of the gallant sons ot the dark and bloody ground, in defence of the Union, and the we'll fought fields where the names of Lyon md Mulligan were rendered immortal and the ripenipg pros poets of speedy victory in that noble State across the I'atter-of Waters, seen by the eagle glance and foreshadadowed by the genius of the noble commander of the department of the West testify to us--to the American people and an anxious, waiting, civilized world.
 Still the foul rebellion is yet rampant and unsuppressed and from every tre-side and hamlet in all the loyal states, are go ing forth the sons of freemen to do ani dare for the Union and the right. And we have assembled tonight, your fellow townsmen and friends, to present this offering. and to express our thanks for the energy and rromptness you have exhibited in the formation of your Compa- ny, in which are many of our roblest youth, and which, with such unexamped unanimty. has voluntarily placed you at its head. The contest may be long and arluous, but 1 have full confi- dence in the ultimate triumph of the govern ment. The storm is raging, and the waves are dashing furiously upon the base of our political fabric. l know that the rebellion s strong, and the rebels terribly in earnest But know too that this proud Temple of Liberty was reared by the hands and cemented by the blood of the best men tho world ever knew. And 1 believe it is destined to stand for ages yet to come un- moved and immovable.
 "Like some tall cliff that lifts it's awful form,
 Swells from the vale and midway leaves the storm,
 Though round it's base the rolling clouds are spread,
 Eternal sunshine settles on it's head" But the propreties of the occasion will not permit me longer to dwell even upon this exci- ting and eEobling theme; for I am reminded that this beautiful weapon, the gift of friend shlp and the token of regard, may be thirstlng for the blood of traitors, and seeks it's appropr- ate and destined place at your side.
 Accept 1t then pray you and whether aI aar' sn.