Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1861-07-04

occasion Of the presentation of flag to the
company of Reserve Militia, at Glencoe,
commanded by Capt. f. M. Snively. The
address of Mrs. Neff, especially, is excel
lent. bH
MRS. NEFF's ADDRESS.
FRIENDS AND NEIaHBoRs: While we
deeply deplore the necessity that has called
us together on this occasion. we are happy,
thrice happy. to have an opportunity of thus
publicly protesting our loyalty to the best
government upon which the sun ever shone.
Is it arrogance to claim that ours is the
best government that ever existed2 With
one exception all will acknowledge 1t to be
such. That single exception is the Fheocracy
given BY God himself to Moses. That gov
eminent forms the chief cornerstone o! ours.
There have been periods in the history of
every nation when the cruel tread of the ty
rant has shaken it to its foundation, and en-
dangered its very existence. Though some
times greatly in the minority, there have
ever been those, however, who stood forth,
even at the peril Of their lives, as the redress
ers Of human wrongs, and the suppressors of
tyranny. Sil.
Such period exists in the present history
of our once peaceful and happy country
Our government, that has been the pride
and glory of every freeman since the first
dawn of our national existence. isthreatened
with speedy destruction not from an enemy
across the broad sea, but from an enemy far
moro dangerous and formidable: an enemy
within our very borders, even ut our very
doors. 81. .ra. 80.
Already do we see the black clouds thick
i cning and darkening our political horizon. -
The roar of cannon, the vivid flash of artil.
lcry, the marching to and fro of soldiery, all
admonish us that danger is nigh. Already
do we feel this noble fabric tottering to its
foundation. i.-' -.l.H n1.
|, Shall we lie down and quietly slumber,
with the smoke Of the enemy scamp full in
our view? Shall we suffer ourselves bound
hand and foot by the enemy, until Resistance
is impossible? Can we quaff an opiate ad
ministered by the hand ofan enemy, clad in
the garb of friendship, until our sensibiltie:
are paraizcd, and we can LISTEN to the trait
! or S cry of peace peace with indifference
No, no. We have already been deluded
and inactive too long Let every lover oI
liberty now awake, and stand as sentinel up
on his watch tower None but the mosl
stupid and indifferent can now view oul
country's peril and remain idle spectators.
| Dudll Wc, tuc HlUtiltTey uddHuicTs,
sisters of America, look. on with a stoic1l in.
splendor ofthese United States Of Americu
perish in our hands? shall its name bt
erased from the modern catalogue of nations
and enrolled with Babylon, and Assyria, and
Macedon and Phenecia, and other powerful
nations of antiquity, known only in the his
tory of the past? Shall the women of Amer
lea, because they are females and requir,
protection, conclude they have no part Il
act? that they have nothing to do becaus,
modern custom forbids their buckling oi
their armor and asserting their rights in th
. battle feld2 No, no. The blood of the pa
! triot still courses in our veins. The female
, of the Revolution shared the tolls, the hard
= ships, and piivations incident 10 protractet
warfare, while our patriot fathers obtaine,
, for us ourglorious nationality. And shall W
t do nothing to perpetuate it? God forbid
II am Roman citizen, was once apass
word the world over So also has been.
am an American citizen. 1t has opened
y gates barred against every other nation. :
i But how has our glory departed On
z American Eagle is shori Of his beauty; hi
$ pinions are dropping. This happy land G
: ours, this boasted land Of liberty, this HON
, for the homeless, this ASYLUM for the or
U pressed of every climo purchased not wit
: paltry gold, but with the blood of our patric
y fathers, for lis their children as holy lega
y cy, to be transmitted as such to our childre
!, not only, but to generations yet unborn, ur
! til time shall be no longer, has been rent i
u twain and drenched in fraternal blood J.
y Where in the history of all the past shall "
u look, for u parallel Father against son, an
son against father; friends and neghbol
and brothers, oil arrayed in deadly conflict
J. Oh how sad spectacle may soon be presel
Al tod to our Wow, from one extremity of Il,
land to the other, The sable garb of widow
:, hood, the wall Of the orphan, the vacant SET
u ut the fire side, and in the social circle, til
9 sacred desk. too, left vacant; all, all IL
81 what2, May we stop and ask, who is respol
sible forall this Where, say, in the histol
Of the past Shall we look for parallel
Could we vitalize the dust of Washing
ton, Hancock. an Adams, Green, Mariol
" a Clay, u Jackson, and thousands of othe
II who shine as stars of tho first magnitude
A. onr political galaxy, they ,oould 1eep tears
|. blo0d Ouer the distracted state of our country
ouer our base iagrutitude Fathers, brotl
10 ers, neighbors, come to our rescue lest OF
rs country full, and we perish beneath its ruin
" We will buckle on your armor and has
u you to the batter field.
II Does the salvation of our country demar
+. your lfo's blood? 'Tis the richest boon
fate to die for liberty Liberty once ao,
even vir tue mourns, and looks around f
r. happiness in vain,
10 God forbid that the women of Ameri
:. should be found in the ranks ofthe traitor
n. throwing obstacles in the paths of those wi
n, would save 1t from impending gruin | won
a. blush to be called woman, were l foul
to instilling into the mind ola son, or broth
the virulent poison of the traitorl
to In the prosperous days Of Chiyalry, invi
a liable attachment to truth, ,invincible courag
be and withal the protection Of the ladies, we
considered the cardinal virtues ofa chevalie
nv The Influences of fchivalry were not confin
Nv to either sex, While the manners of d
chevalers were strictly decorous and respet
=, tul towards the ladies', they expected in I
~ turn the ladies' would never forfeit their clai
~ to such behavior. If they proved thei
sc selves ua,eorthy the protection Of valie
M Chevalier, he neuer failed to stigmatize tn,
failure in way that would be keenly fe
and even mark the dwellings OF such as h
thus rendered themselves unworthy.
Should you chance to find in oar ranks,
female who in word or deed favors this reb
ur ious uprising, or who views with apathy Il
holv struoule FIR our countrv'a saIuati In