Middletown transcript., 1871-07-01

Pcter firker IN lol4.
This placid-faced people havc not the
energy which makes men rich, or the am
bition which make them great; and are in
material progress century behind the
age. The Eastern Shore produced not one
great man. either during the rcvolutiona-
ry period or since. The best names are
the Goldsboroughs, Hicks, Pcaroe, Cham.
bers, and Crcsswell; aud the reputation
Of some Of these men is local rather than
national But this region nboupds in To-
calities Of rare natural beauty, and is filed
with places hallowcd by the presence Of
great men and the occurrence Of historic
events. To this quaint and quiet old
Ches,crtown, in Kent Coutny. George
Washington. Thomas Jefferson. and John
Marshall were frequent visitors. The
chief men Of the Revolution, so many of
whom belonged to the Old Dominion,
were in the habit OF following the Eastern
Shore route to Philadelphia aud New York
to attend the sittings Of the earliest Con-
crosses aud Constitutional Conventions.
The villagers still feel the inspiring inAu.
cnccs Of the traditions which are historic
and holy, as they draw water from the cid
Chestcrtown spring, which is as pure and
sparkling as it was century ago, when
Jefferson was wont to fill his bottle at it
and drink from This uplifted temperance
vessel as he ,rudged along on horseback,
thinking out the philosophy Of freedom in
the immortal Declaration.
Washington, tradition says always tar
=. A,
when passing through Chc.tcr,own and,
coming down after the fatigue Of laying
the cornerstone of Washington College,
which still stands on the hill overlooking
the town, he drank to the rospcrity Of the
institution just founded, with the solemn
dignity peculiar TO the first founders Of
the republic. The people Of Chestertown
fountain Of knowledge on the hill, for,
from lack Of refreshing showers of gum
cas or grace, the college haa sunk below
the rank of good academy. aal contains
only - pupils. But Wa.hiugtons 30
guineas were not given in vain. for the
chief men Of the peninsula have been cdu-
Gated here. Not the least noted Of its
former students is Geo Alfred Townsend,
whose boyhood was passed on the Eastern
Shore
Chcsicrown is the home Of Senator
Nickcls of Maryland, who, it will be re.
membcrcd, was hustled out Of bed ut )
o'clock n, night. aud hurried oil to Wash
ington by special boat, to save tho official
life Of Andrew johnson. This supcrser
vceatle nlarcri,y was Johnsons .9lva,ion
At home, Gen Nickcrs is held in high
estimation for his social qualities anl irre-
proachablc private life. lie is enjoying
the comforts Of an ideal country home, the
fruits of forty years successful practice at
the bar. The Hon James A. Pcarce
lived and lies buried here. The proud
MARYLAND Senator was stricken down by
death Just as his slaves, whom he had
struck down often in anger with brutal
blows, were lifted to freedom. 1t seems
strange tha, one 50 naughty, aud polished,
and scholarly, should have his resting
place marked by plain slab, disigurcd
by an inscription which begins and u
/ bounds in blundcrs and ends with mis-
quotation The opposite of Senator Pearce
was Gov Hicks, WHO'S buried in the hot,
sandy ceme,ry near Cambridge. Holiday
Hicks, us his neighbors called him, was u
peoples man" lie was farm.boy and
farmcr all his life, man Of no education,
but with an in,uiliyc knowledge Of the
springs and motives which moved men. -
| His manners were familiar and fascinat-
ing, aud it is said he could win over the
most rredjudiccd political opponents by
the strange magnetism OF his personal
presence aud voice With lofty loyalty
be held his State stcadfast in her place in
the Union. and thus changed the whole
field if not the issues Of the war, lie sac
riiccd his slaves and died insolvcnt Ma.
ryland has erected monumental statue
costing $4,000 to his memory. 1t is the
most hidcuus marble monstrosiiy ever be-
held. /, would not be idola,ry to wor-
ship It, for ii is unlike anything in the
heavens above, or on the earth beneath,
or in the waters under the ear,h The
very birds flee from this spectral hidcous-
ness, and sit in ncighter.ng groves and
weep. So much for State pride, which
gives the preference to Maryland stone-
cutter over Northern sculpture.
Many Of the churches OF the Eastern
Shore are crowned with old age and ivy,
and crowned with the memories Of good
deeds and good men. Some are standing.
Of which those FIRST American Bishops,
Asbury and Coke. laid the foundations,
and others in which George Fox and
Whitfield preached. At Church Creek
| in Dorchester County, a Bible presented
to the church by Queen Anne and Q cush.
ion upon which the stout Queen knelt a,
her coronation. are rcligiously preserved
as rich relics Of colonial times. At Church
Hill. in Queen Annc's County. is a church
built Of brick imported from England be-
fore the Revolution. and prior Ia the time
when bricks we're made 10 this country.
The church has unique. antique appear.
ancs, the bricks having ~ many colors as
Joseph's cost. The walls are 10 state
Of perfect prcservation. Service has been
held In this church cvepv Sabbath fnr n,