Washington telegraph., 1862-03-26
Address OF MISS BECCA EsKRIDGF-
oS PRESENTING A FLAG TO
II III l. q II : III NJ AVENG ERS

Defenders Of Liberty! Pariotic .Sol,
diers! hUiRciJie Southrous,--Yo whom
an Alexander would have been proud
to know - his coDtenders, and In whom
have the honor 70 recognize as SUCH
lou in whose august presence. /, the Oh
scure orphan of a widowed mother, appear
as the ageut of few of Laf1yette's mat
rons and fair and blooming maidens, to
express to you their thanks, and tender TO
you this, their tribute, for the noble re-
sponse you have made in your manly per-
sons to your country's call, to vindicate
her cause, to protect the right of every
true-bearted Southernef, by baring your
naked bosJms to the usurper's sword; by
breaking the frozen surface Of many an
lev stream; by being subjected to ;he
many contagious which o'crspread our
land; and 10 short, BY embarking in the
periious calllngs of al indiscritabic cam
paign. for the purpose of driving back the
NorIh's enraged vandals, who come like
bloodthirty Williams. to ravish our sunny
South of her many treasures, u drag from
her protecting aud euviel bosom her no
bic sons. lis to rid her Of these ruth
less Invaders you 90, like so many minis
tering angels, to protect your rights,
your liberty, your all, your aged parents
fiom Il 'yranrs murderous grasp; whose
iron heel would willingly fpr the sake Of
conquest. crush their witherei limbs be-
meath the bottomlcsS pit Of eternal en-
dcmnation. T. shield your defence ess
wives, with their sleeping babes Oh their
innocent bosoms; Your virgin sisters from
the contaminating glance and degrading
power OF Llncoln's unreienting execu-
tiOntr. Like the little, unfinching band
OF Leonidas, Sc 20 to fight the battles Of
a civil warfare brought on BY calcu a;ing
politicians, who cnly considered their pri-
vate interest in the pecuniary fairs of
our once glorious Constitutions.
Look back to the DAYS Of rs. and there
recount the patriotism manifested il the
heroic deeds Of our forefathers. when the
land was devastated, when the treasury
was almost exhausted, when their uncioth-
ed forms were exposed TO the chilling
breeze Of winters wind when their
navics were thrnngrd with British fl.ets,
with B.iti.h subordipates in their ad-
vance, with the heathcn tribe, command
ed by mcrcenarv leaders in their rear;
with cowardly demons, called tories, on
their left. but With o superhumin guard
on their right, BY whose guidance they
We're led to victory fought for Free
dom, and Freedom was their reward, Ny
countrymen, they were our fathers We
are their offspring Shall it be sad that
we are 80 degenerated that We cannot re :
pulse an urgodiv fne VIC feht only for
hire?-whose leaders contend only for
conquesi2 No, never, never, Onward,
to actionl Make Boston Mountain equal
Bunker's Hill. There display to them
ihc valgr of Warren and Putnam
Sons Of Liber:y-ir whose frees are de-
pictcd manhood aud honor, in whose cnun
ienances are traced the unmistakable
lines of will aud determination, and b.
meath whose patriotic bosoms beat so gal
liant and heroic hearts, that 'tw lull make
a Wallace weep to see in y)u his own
brave deeds excelled-go, let the tears of
an atfectionate wife and lovi ng sister
usher you on to deeds Of valor. Hear the
blood of Worsham cry unto yon from
It's warriors grave for vengeance, aud let
it lead you on to victory. Let the reful-
gent rays Of resplendant sun lead you
on your pathway to defeat the foes Of in
nocence and independence. Lc. the
name Of 40 Erwin, Morgan, Carson. VIM
frey, aud an Eskridge, connected with
many others that are useless for me TO re
call here, he written in golden letters on
the pages of history, which shall be
handed down to the posterity Of sages yet
unborn, and if there be one Of you TO fall
il your country's defence, you shall be
remembered in the annals of history as
heavens brightest stars, around whose
graves shall kneel the daughters of the
ever free, to chant your praise up to the
throne Of heaven, where it shall be rever
berated u angelic choirs throughout eter
nifty.
Ye sons Of Arkansas--you whose par
eut State has long been looked upon by
her elder sisters with contempt--who has
long been behind in the many public en-
tarprises which has engaged them for the
past century-now strike the blow that
will raise her from her present oblivion
and place her by the side of her more
worthy sisters in the realm of the South
ern Confederacy, 90 fame and honor's
highest tower, from whose lofty summit
she shall look with an eye of pity on her
fallen adversaries, and to whom she shall
extend a hand of charity, to aid 10 raising
from their degradation in the same life
like manner with which wherein she help
ed to place them. Yes, strike, and when
in the midst of foes WashiDgton's soul
will hover around your bleeding but un-
cor quered arms, aud lead you on to glory.
A Ja.per's nerve will twiue fame's fairest
laurels round yo1r youtful brows, and
when 10 your presence. a Lincoln VIII
blush to have debased the chair Of his
ancestors.
And you, my nearer, dearer brothers
you to whom am so closely allled--by
the fraternal ties of nature to the one, aud
adoption to the other-sbould you ill a
premature grave in a soldiers death, the
same sacrificing altar on which your lie
blood trickled, shall, swear, by the holy
God of tbe eternal heavens, again be
dyed BY the crimson tide of this, your
sisters heart, or these maidenly hands lay
the bloody perpetrator writhipg peni>