Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1872-06-04
Centennial Celebration,


We take great pleasure in laying before our
readers, the following letter from our. humor.
Gus, witty and classical friend Ghas. Dawes,
of Harper's Ferry. IF like the hero of
Hudibras,
His mouth he ne'er doth ope
But out there hiesSa trepe-
certain 1t is, that he never writes or speaks
without saying something to instruct or amuse.
Dir. D. will be welcome visitor to our cele>
bration on the 18th OF. June, and we trust opr
beautiful and accomplished daughter, JET,
ferson, will not fail to honor the occasion with
her richest contributions of eloquencs and
Poetry Martiasbuyy Salesman.
HAsPsR's FERRY, May %. 1872.
Hon. C. j. Faalkner5: =. 3
DEAR SIR lam IN receipt of your note.
and am obliged for yonr Invitation. So Bs-ke
ley intends next month to celebrate her first
centenary. Good IF Heaven hermit I
shall certainly be on hand Indeed. I should
like to know, who has a better right Tn mar
ticipate in your rejoicipgs than j e i5erson. /.
is wise child that knows its own father. and
so far as may be permitted to speak for
JeHerson-I not only recognize and proudly
admit the parentase, but as eldest born. claim
place on all domestic festive occasions.
amongst the Las'es and Pendtes of old Berke,
ley.
.Spottsylvania-if 1 may speak of sections
Oh country as would OF human relationships
lis the ancestor of us all about here: is in
fact, the grandfather of Berkeley and great.
grandfather of Jefferson Born itself on the
LIST of May, 1T2l. it gave birth on January lst,
1888 to Orange county, and to Frederick in
the year lI3S. On the 18th of Nav. l772,
Berkeley was taken from Frederick. And on
the 10th of October, 1901, in the goth year
OF her age, she, Berkeley, gave birth to JEFF
ferson.
Now, like Richard the third. of whom #
is said, that he came into the world with teeth
In his mouth, Jefferson must have been a
precoc'ous and promising child. At all events.
1t was immediately endowed with all that the
heart OF young county starting out into the
world could wish for: Mountains that pro.
tect her from outside harbarians and at the
same time connect her directly with Heaven
rivers that are historic, and-which is better
.iuii OF hsh; streams that both irrigate and
oeant'fy as fertile and picturesque a country
as there as an the acorld
You observe the words that ;t,l;,;s,
They are true. Are the mountains of Cons
nemara lottier than those of MARYLAND Heinb,s7
Are the Hudson and Shannon and nort;ons of
the RhIne wider than the Potomac? Are
the vineyards of the South of France and
ltaiiy as fruitful and prolific as our valley p
PERHAPS so. But, here. stlni on JefFprson's
hocE, or on the verandah of our new Hotel
(Mountain View, nee Systematically and won
can observe all these advantages and beauties
clustering together, with the most convenient
and curious felicity
..Quale manus sddunt ebori decus. a ut nh; f,avo
Arsentuin Parlusvc isPis cercumdatur auro -
1t Is like stretch of the imagination. bnt T
DO not doubt, it Mr. Ruskin was here. he'd
ADMIT that the scene could not have been con-
trived better even by himself.
Ana all tins, and these, we owe to grand
oid i'erke,ey God bless her! Long may
she live n the meantime, seventy two wears
years Of progress in every material intel.
icctual. public aud private respect have elided
by. aud now, it is proposed, by her grateful
and happy offspring, to celebrate the FIRST
centenary OF the honored old parent. One
hundred years of age and yet possessing all
the freshness and vigor, aud elasticity and
hopetuineSs OF youth beginning his career
why, SIR! am with and congratulate YOU.
NOW, set ynnr annalisrs to work Ferret out
wherever they may he found, not ONLY in the
ceremon'ous records of officials. but. in
Tales by the winters hearth old gossirs tell
whatever fact remains known concerning your
start into existence and subscuuut hist,rv-
The difficulty OF this task will increase with
the passing OF every generation bpt every
passing generation will set a new and in,
creased value on the result To ACQUIRE and
preserve such knowledge, has been the desire
OF every civilized people. Unfortunately in
the eagerncss of the search fancy, verv often
has been accepted for fact, and not ONLY the
false, but the impossible and absurd has been
detailed to Us as the facts CONCERNING the
foundation of States. 1t would be as.correct
OF H"roaot"s as of the DcD1 to say that he
was the father of lies. And, presume. there
Is hardly word of truth in the early chap
tiers of the history of Rome Clio should al.
ways be represented weeping, Indignant, at
the way in which her annals have been dis.
figured by Munchausen.
Like Abraham at the birth of Isaac, Berke>
ley is one hundred years of age but unlike
Abraham. will never give to the State another
child. She will never again part with an inch
OF her territory. But faithful to the institu
tions OF the country; proud of the old State
from whence she sprang; happy in her own
position and character; peaceful. Industrious.
enterprising and honest; devoted to its affairs
and tlresides, yet interested in the public
good, its example will continue for MANY a
day to be the plentiful SOURCE of BLESSINGS 70
its neighbors and to the State.
Yours truly,
CHARLES DAVIES.
LIE The Hon. George II. Pendletop. of