Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-06-17
THE CONTEST FOR FaEEDoM BEGUN.

THE CONTEST FOR FREEDOM BEGUN.
Though wearied and wasted by their long
conflicts with their forest foes, and welcome as
rest might well have been, still they greeted
the coming struggle most cheeringly although
against the mo other country and the most imp
rious power of the old world since it became
necessary to secure the rights of conscience and
of liberty, which they and their fathers had so
long and ever so unceasingly sought. To show
the spirit, still worthy of their descent. in
which they ripened Tor the coming revolution
We need but quote, SO far as space permits
from the addresses" of their public meetings
of the day, not published as yet in any formal
book of history. Augusta was, by this date
sub divided into the counties of Botetourt and
Fiucastle, and they who moved in these meet.
ings were the same men, and their Immediate
descendants, who came from the heart of orig
inal Augusta that 'otfc5aa gentiuna' for the
West
On the 20 h of January, 1775 months be-
fore the famous "Meckenburg Declaration of
Independence itself the work of the Scotch
Irish of Nor,h CaroIina-tbe freeholders of
Fincastle, through their committee, consisting
OF Colonel William Christian, as chairman,
Rev'd Charles Cummings, Col. William Preston,
Captain Stephen Trigg, Major Arthur Camp
bell, Majcr William Ingliss, Captains Walter
ock, William Campbell, Thomas Madison, Dan
iel Smith, William Russell. Evan Shelby and
William Enm undson, presented an address to
the Continental Congress containing these sem
| timents:-
Had it not been for our remote situation,
and the Indian War in which we were lately
engaged to cbastise these cruel and savage peo-
pie for the many murders and depredations
they committed amongst U.s. now happily ter
| minated, we should, before this time, have
| made known our thaakfulness for the very i'm
portant services you have rendered your coun-
try: ..D
countrymen, that we are people whose hearts
overflow with love and duty to our lawful SOW
ereign George Ill, whose illustrious House, for
| several successive reigns, has been the Guar
dian of the civil and religious rights and lib
critics Of British subjects as settled at the glo-
| rious Revolution that we are willing to risk
our lives In the service OF his Majesty for the
support of the Protestant Religion. and the
rights and liberties Of his subjects. as they have
been established by Compact, Law and Ancient
| Charters. We are heartily grieved at the diff
| ferences which now subsist between the parent
State and the Colonies, and most ardently wish
to see harmony restored on an equitable basis,
and by the most lenient measures that can be
devised by the heart Of man. Many of us and
our forefathers left cur native land, considering
| it as a kingdom subjected to inor9lnate power,
and greatly abridged of its liberties we cross
| ed the Atlantic and explored the then unculti-
yated wilderness, bordering on many nations Of
| Sayages, and surrounded by mountains almost
Inaccessible to any but those very Savages, who
have incessantly been committing barbarities
| and depredations on us since our first settling
the country. These tatigues and dangers we
patiently encountered, supported by the pleas.
| ing hope OF enjoying those rights and liberties
which had teen granted to Nrginians, and
were denied us in our native country and Of
Transmitting them invlolate to our posterity
but even to these remote regions the hand oil
unlimited and unconstitutional power hath pur-
sued US to strip US of that liberty and property
| with which God, nature and the rights of hu-
| manity have vested US. We are ready and will
ling to contribute all In our power for the sup.
nort of His Majesty's Government, if applied
| to eoustitu;ionay. and when the grants are
made to cur Representatives, but cannot think
Of submitting our liberty or property to the
mower of venal British Parliament, or to the
will of corrupt British Ministry. We by nc
means desire to shake off our duty or aIleganc;
to our lawful Sovereign, but on the contrary
shall ever glory in being the loyal subjects Of {
| Protestant Prince, descended from such illus
trious progeuitors, SO long we can enjoy the
free exercise of our Religion as Protestants
aud our Liberties aud Properties as Britisl
Subjects.
.'Bnt. If no pacific measures shall be propo
sed or adopted by Great Britain, and our enc
mics will attenp to drago0n US out-of thos,
ipestimable privileges. which We are entitled t.
/ - a,,h;oota and tn reducn us to SLAVERY ua do