The Red Cloud chief., 1875-07-08
GRAFTON DELIVERED 81 HON. JAMES
LAIRD, OF !ugIA-A, ADAMS
co, EESEAsEA

viii not permit u publishing only a
part. We regret this very much, rs
we think all Of our realcrs who did
not have the pleasure Of listening to
Mr.. Laird would undoubtedly enjoy
reading the whole. He spoke a, fol-
lows:
Turn back one hundred and
years come September next. Ii IS the
occasion Vi the first Congress ever as
seublcd on this continent. The time
is s.h September, T71i. and the place
Old Carpenters Hall, Philadelphia.
Boston Is blockaaci.-The British
ieef lies broadside up against the town.
Trade is dead, bu, the spirit Of resist
ance does not sleep. Sam Adams has
called a Congress. 1t has met. 81
members, delegates from all the colo
nics save Georgia. There are the
Adamses Of Mass, Jay OF New York,
Dickerson Of Pa, Roudolph, Wash
ington. and Patrick Henry of Virginia.
and Gadsden, and the RutIedges FROM
South Carolina. It is the second day
Of the session. The doors arc closed.
The preliminaries despatched. An
oppressive silence prevails. No man
seems willing to break that silence.
They perhaps begin to notice for the
first time the full sublimity Of their
position, about to throw down the
| challenge Of defiance not only to Eng
land, but to all the world. The couu-
try flames with impatiencc. Massachu-
sets chained like another P.ouethcus
to her own royal rocks, because she,
like him, brought fire from heaven
waits brayely for deiiverance. Still
they pause, but thank God not AS
towards. II wa the grandest gather
ing of strength for the grandest leap
that ever nation has taken yet into the
bloody pool of war. VIVA, though be-
fore their vision come Obstacles so
enormous rs to obscure the hope Of
others, these We're to them but stimu-
lus,-for when right commands there
is no retreat, and added danger does
bu. doubled honor give. What though
before them rose the stake the hatter
or thetomL, they were in such course
to either fortune equal. Freedom
never knows despair, and the right
shall come to empire though steel of
armies and the crash of doom oppose.
Suddenly, one of their number stood
up,-talI, swarthy, large mouth, high
forehead. burning eyes. lie began
hesitatingly, stumbling through the
first sentences as though oppressed
with the weight Of the position. lie
reviews the wrongs Of the colonies for
the last ten years, and presently his
eyes fash fire ; his voice rings out like
the pealing of the trumpet that never
calls retreat. He seemed to speak.
(say the reports) not like mortal man.
He Is in advance Of all the delegates
ave Gadsden and the Adamses. He
says, IAN entirely new government
must be formed, this is the first IN a
never ending succession Of Congresses
ana then turning upon the assembly,
he seemed to thunder SO sublime was
the voice, he uttered the whole his
tory OF the Revolution in u sentence,
British oppression has effaced the
boundaries Of the several colonies, 1
an no longer q VIginida l am an
American" Greece stood on the
platform with Demosthcues /; Out
ragged Rome Numbered her maledic-
tons against Catiline with the tongue
of Cicero /; The proud eloquence OF
Chatham rang the triumphS Of the
English name ; France stood still to
hear her Mirabeau /; Ireland herself
pleaded for liberty when Grattan
spoke, and the voice of Patrick Henry
was the voice of America struggling to
be free. The tide of debate rolled on
high and full. DickersOn the Penn
sylvania farmer spoke into existence
that universal weapon, No taxation
without representation" Gadsden
said replying to an expression Of fear
regarding the coast towns: Our
towns are built of wood aud brick, if
they are burned down we can build
them up again, but liberty once lost is
lost forever" Washington made this
most eloquent speech, Il will raise a
Thousand men, subsist them at NY
cwn expense, and march with them to
the relief of Boston," Now With the
tirs; and last Congress before you, l
a.a you to draw the line and strike a
balance. The 1t against the 43d, and
tell me whether We have kept the
Eaih ? DO not shrink FROM the test.
W. are citizens of this republic. CO.
equal sovereigns OfOne of the proude. i
realms from the Gauges to the iccbergs
have high and mighty responsi
-bihsi-s to discharge. Reverse the
century, put the 43rd Congress where
the lst one stood, and tell me, would
We stand where we do today do
not know, but ii the black omens do
not lie. then Judging from the latest
Mobilier, the salary grab the Pacific
mail robbery, and the general subsidy
rotteuness, instead Of standing where
wo do on the heights with the proud.
est nations, We would still be troddeu
under the feet of empire, still feeling
the weight of British chains, -chaias
all the more CALLING because riveted BY
England's aceurssd gold. The crimes
Of recent legislation cannot be atOned
hy Sayinc there Is no more cnfrnnfinn