The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1869-09-29
NO12.

ward here. Hero doubtless, were
/ moulded many of those eloquent
| thoughts which secured for him the
title of the "Cicero of America" and
which called forth from Lord Chat
ham the memorable encomium upon
the papers of which Lee and Jay were
the authors: :" l have read ThucIdl-
des and admired the master States of
the earth, and must say that none have
surpassed the men assemblies Phila-
delphia, in, solidlty of reasoning, force
of fisagacity, and wisdom of conclusion,
under such complication of circum--
fstances, Stratford was also the BIRTH
,place. Of Franeis Lightfoot, who, with
his brother Richard Hecry, was y
signer4o of the Declaration of Indepen-
Jdence. Arthur, the. youngest of the
illustrious family, was born here also
in 1740. He has been styled "the
scholar, the writer, the philosopher,
and negotiator.'' His career as stu
dent at Eaton, where he received dl-
ploma, and at Edinburg, where he
gained medal; as a successful law
yer afterwards in London as the
agent of Massachusetts; as commits
sioner at the courts of England, France,
Spain and Russia; as intimate associate
of Sir, William Jones, and correspon-
den.- with Burke, Wyndham, Colonel
Barre, the Earl of Lansdown, the Duke
de Rotchefoucald. the Baron de Breve-
til, and other distinguished literary
characters, both in England and on
the Continent, not to mention his va;rl-
ed and important public services at
home, invests hrs history with an in
terest scarcely second to that of his
Older. brothers. Junius wrote iof him
as f'man of abilities, . and a paper
from his pen was for long time at
tributed to that of the eloquenl Chat
ham. Passing over less important
characters associated with the history
of Stratford, we next notice the fami-
ly who have added lustre to the mill
tary annals of the country as their
cousins had done to the departments
of literature and craftsmanship. STRAIT
ford was the home of Henry Lee,
whose achievements during the war of
1776 gave such celebrity to ''Lee's
LEGION" General Greene wrote to
him: 81 believe that few officers,
either in Europe or America, are held
in so high a point of estimation as you
are," and Washington wrote him let
| ter Astounding in expressions OF Glove
and thanks. 1t was while member
of Congress in 1899, that he introduc-
ed a series of resolutions upon occas-
ion of Washing;on's death, in which
occurs the famous eulogium: stFirst
in war, first in peace and first in the
| hearts of his countrymen. His pub
lie services, apart from his brilliant
military career and the varied fortunes
of his later years, form q subject of
great interest, and we hail with de-
light the announcement that his "Mem-
uirs of the War in the SouthernsD De-
partment of the United States" is soon
to be republished, revised, and enlarg-
| ed, with a biographical sketch by his
distinguished son, the President Of
Washington College. Last to be men
| toned in the list of great names as
sociated with Stratford, is that of the
commander of the Southern army in
the late struggle. Here he was born
and lived until his fifth year. Your
readers are familiar with his subse-
quent history. We were gratified to
find, contrary to our expectation, that
the buildings here are in an excellent
state of preservation. The pilgrim
children of coming generations may set
beneath the shadow of these venerable
walls and gather lessons of duty and
imbibe spirit of generous emulation
from the memories which they are so
touchingly eloquent. The hours glided
rapidly while we fingered among the
objects of interest at Stratford. and the
rays Of the descending sun were already
shut out from, and the twilight dews
falling upon, our pathway, when the
chimneys and tall trees of the mansion
faded from light on our homeward
journey.