New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-04-20
LEXlNGTONS SACklFlOE.
: GRAFTON ny r. II. DANA, (JR.

TO fame, and mono less known than Ndtr
Jon, whose maine The morning {" u,
18Th juno 1915. had not boon heard beyond the SCUM
Of fts yia.o chimes Hy tho setting sun OF that d'y u
va to snd forever an appeal Of pride ana Glory 70 one
great race wniie tho uttcrance OF It's syaoo' SS
20 tine very DEPTHS the resentment and chagrn OF Sh
other 80 tnas its place in human spooch is 81 iius
menace 10 tho peace OF Europe. Thero Wero many Nun
let's of through which British troops passed
and repasscd in l77jIdets whose people were no i'
patriotic ana devoted than your own; bit tho Io' "'
glory fell to LeXlns on few minutes Of the dawn Of d
srluc morning, and your name was sealed WIN to
blood Of martyrs 1t to be cherished forever III e
acconac memories nj the people OF continent 20 DE-
borne on banners above the smoke OF battle, m'cHDoa
upon the wnrshps Of great nation ana proudly ""'
rcd into every to b. adopted IN gratefu reih'n
brnnoe 10y hunires OF towns in all parts OF tins empire
4 name which will ever cry
"Froedom's battle once beTn,
bc,ncaihcl rs bleeding slra 70 soE
Though bIfed OF ~ eve won
But Thermopye and Waterloo Ike many other Names
owed their Immortality 10 stra eeIs The 800 apiINis
marched many weary leagues from the center OF
Icania 10 defend against tho InyTiaIs Of Asiatic in
y,iers those d files for which the natives h'h IL"
thought OF couteun3. 1t was tho accd nj tht tAe wv"
vnst war-coAds charged full with Game ana biIiN"
thun1crs broke just therc, which gave Waterloo Nh@
IL. own nation could nave given IT, 1t was Foreign
fiat end foreign steel that struck for it tho vital spark
rntiou OF s soil It is the felicity Of Lexington
thai size WA. ops.crated to the worlds by the blood
Of her own sons. The who FL Oh this groen under
the shadow OF the village church, willing maItyIs were
men born and reared here, taught al INC
village school and from Tho village pulpit
irechode.s of Your own lands, voters IN your
own town-mectiuss. organized into the militia OF
yo.tr lit:lc community Wh'n they stood IA line, when
they refused to surrender their arms wlcn they ta be
meath the British voley It wasiH sight OF m0thcrs wives
and daughters andths cabatic word to all villagers
Of New En- and-o n"ishbo.s. IL WAS no chance CON
fct OF foreign allied armies IL was no work OF even
friendly and neighbOrng hands SIXTY or seventy free
hoLiors OF LoNn sou. in their primitive caa-
ci.y organized, after the manner OF their fathers INTO
military array by authority Of tho town and province
bearing arms b. right tlcy deemed their nIli,naDo
brthrgnt they stood there in obedience 10 the voice 81
the people OF anl province, tncr hearts, con
,crnccs and und,rsan lin fully satisfied ana Iliy III
strctel determined not to begin War in state Of legal
pelc, but resolved II must como, II in the proyi-
dence of God It begin there to meet 1t In therown
persons and n it written, to be the first to she'd
blood I'm the common Il Is Of tho proofs 81
tho infinite superiority OF spirit over matter that
this Immortality OF name Is not the accidental dropping
OF mtt ny Ifsr - ,sS If t6o oi Of e,rt and
forms its syAbes into immortal -pench That spot Is
r.n.9cltte 10 'ano "f iy 0 or And T nj Inc
good Il eds that m n may do for their race There Is
!
+ not the blood Of warriors. hut tbs blood Ot mar
yr that seed Of the Church Is Is written In the
n Iu ~ blood there is no remission tho bonds AMI
penalties which the pride the Ists Of m,n have hid
upon even the most innocent H. Is nos 50 much t.ie
nG IF cynr 80 iu.! q bItl, IL is the block, the seat
fold the burning fagots the crues, OF voluntary inte-
gent sacrifice. which speak most effectively to me heart
on MI tne voices that call IT, mon mono so suns the sou
the yo.c Of TIE blood Of m,ryIs calinS non the
}Sy ~ am, mn most Widely hnDorcd In tho nrst cnfcs
-. ftt fu4rn
martyrs and Uonicssors. and armies fought IN Just
and necessary self ensH nnt ihe w1'a 1ugn' 70
inrmbercd, for he was the first martyr lie WIS
ono NJ seven ordained 70 the lowest ord1r OF the ministry
ia the church ~ Jerusalem The chance came 10 him
INST ana like an such CHANCES it gave only oppor-
univ word OF rotr,ctiun hesitation ~ testify 1T
tie instant aud his nlmo wOull have dei with his nat
M dca ' 800 Tser. if until then mnowa name
OF stephen has bsn hOnOred by the dedication OF thou
ands of churches and chapels over Christndom to his
memory; IA day the Clurcs calendar Is set apart fDr
The study OF the lesson OF his Death an Mt this moment
hi4 name is borne - baptlsma designation by no small
percentage of the human Now. followed zens. let
forget that the men OF Lexington on that morn
tyrs Lee consider this aspect OF nlIrtyFdom little
moro closely.
HRROGsM OF THE MISUTE-MEN.
That was strange sight upon which the morning OF
the I9th OF April broke some go men OF your militia
eompany mnute-nrn stood in line under their officers
on the Opel village green. equipped. and with their
loaded muske;s in their hands force Of British res
lars which twelve times, and reported To he
twenty times their number, TO pass by. 1t was
and the militia citizens OF empire and subjects
OF common sovereign. Our militia had fought side by
side with British regulars against French regulars on
many field, joined IN the same CRY o. battle ht QeOeo
Ticonderog, Crown Point. and LouiSbErs AMI in The
West indies They had fallen side by side battle lain
side by side on the beds Of hospitals III the maltOus
sugar Islands, and been buried in common graves ON sac
served and fought and died. in no small numb rs The
same hand bore your standard that morning on the
l,.tl Itrl nf
the ut at Lpui>buS; and the same drums that rolled
call at break Of that day had beaten Their notes or
assurance the British regulars. and of defiance 10 the
French, IN more than one encounter inc regulars we're
not enemies yet These were not unwecomc ~ transient
visitors. and most welcome In n common cause. Were
these sixty there by accdentf We're they surprised
there by visit from tho rslarsi On the contrary,
dispersed when the alarm was Thought false ana cam;
together again rs soon as 1t was known that the troops
We're close hand We're they there 10 Obstrnct or re-
fis the march the British They threw NJ no breast
works. however simple. They were not posted behind
stone walls houses. III the thick woods that hanked
the highway. Ihey stood aohe, IN me- on lLe
open common, u force twelve times their mum,
her marching upon them. They were ordered
to surrender their arms and dispcrse by IN
officer who was entitled - dsarm and dspcrso them,
baud nnknpwn the law Tie regulars came out in part
do that very thing II they met any such organization
in arms Our men refused to surrender their arms and
refused to dspersc Must they not have expected the
band tel killed or wounded They fell where they stood
their arms In their hands They were pOS0reSs Ia resist
but they would not obey. They fell wlllnS victims
MARTYRS by intention and IN act But what cid Il mean
WA il AN aci Of fOOlharlmessi Was 10 wul defyinS
and neratng Ot the soldiers acting under royal
ouersf Was their death something tney proudly and
yainly brought npon Jncmseves Pardon me. my friends
Pardon mo. American, Massachusetts,. Lexington men
and women, that put these Questions AS "a
men whom whole people have honoTed foI
and 90 whose memory, this day. the thoughts
of millions are given IN all lands and on all seas We
onht not to be- surprised II their act should seem 10 have
been what suggest many moderate aud fairnindcd
persons who not well the history OF those days
and tue spirit OF our people. | would gave few mo
mcnts now. show to you, for yOn All know II toe
I'LL wnn