Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1875-02-13


audience assembled at the new St.
Patrick's Hall last night to hear Father
Ryan in his lecture upon the great men
of the South-the number being esti-
mated at over 5000, the majority, OF
course, being of the sterner sex, but
with a very large representation OF
ladies. Seated upon the stage and in
the audience awaiting the arrival Of the
lecturer were quite number OF prom
iuent gentlemen, some of whom, no
doubt, anticipated from the subject a
seathine rebuke 10 some Of the great
men of the North for the course recent
ly pursued by those great (') men, and
attended to hear what the eminent lee.
turer had to say about them.
Father Ryan, stepping forward, be-
gan his lecture by referring to General
Sheridan and the breaking up of the
Legislature, and wondering whether the
meeting now assembled would be ebroken
up. Some people, said the lecturer,
call others names when properly they
belong to themselves. Applause. lie
was here in the midst Of, "bandiiti !;
the ladies stole the mems hearts, and
the men the purses. II had been an
nounced that he would give lecture
on the great men of the South. Great
ness has its elements known to all, and
especially to the South, as the southern
people had placed in the front rank OF
history names that could never be
matched. Applause
Then, going back to the days of the
Revolution, he quoted Patrick Henry,
and said that although reckless he was
the voice of the people as well as of the
Revolution; and in mentioning the Rev
olution he said that was all right then
but now it was all wrong, that then the
people were right, but now they are
banditti! Then the Government was
wrong; now it was the "best Govern
ment (?) in the world Virginia sent
Patrick Henry forth, as she did George
Washington; aud referring to the lat
ter he said Washington never told lie,
but that it was question of much doubt
whether some OF his political successors
could say as much.
There was one great danger in put
ting soldier in the Presidents chair.
Such men think more of force than OF
fact-nlore of the sword than OF the
pen. Then, again referring TO Henry
he quoted his words, Give me liberty
or give me death" and remarked that
the Government was farce on liberty;
that in the days Of Madison and Mon
roe there was no breaking up of Leels-
latures by the bayonet Then the heart
was held higher than the brute force.
Civil war was supreme. Now it is the
reverse.
Then the lecturer gave bis idea OF
sovereign rights, and declared them
now subseryient TO those OF a military
officer. And proceeding further he eu-
logized Gen. Robert +. Lee in most
appropriate and complimentary terms,
which frequently brought forth loud
and prolonged applause. And further
Oh he mentioned General Gordon as a
great man, and cited a circumstance re-
lated to him by the General, the sub
stance of which is tbSS2at about the
time of the surrender, when Generals
Gorden and Sheridan were riding along
the lines, a Confederate soldier raised
his rifle to shoot Sheridan, but that
Gordon lowered it with his sword.
Then returning to his subject, the
speaker referred to Sidney Johnston,
Joe Johnston, Pat Cleburne, General
Adams, General Cranberry, and paid a
beautiful tribute to each, and, referring
to President Grant, said, he was strong
but not immortal; General Sheridan less
so, General Emory still less, and Gen
eral De Trebriand still, still less; and in
noticing the difference between people
he gave some Of the customs OF the
different people. Here, he said, if one
man calls another a liar duel is the
result. Gle did not approve of duelling;
that his church was against it, but IT
the church was for it he was too In
the West if yoa call man liar he
knocks you down. In New York he
will call you another, but away down
East, if the term is applied, the retort
will be, I'll bet you FIVE cents you can't
prove it." This brought down the
house, and it was some moments before
the lecturer was able to proceed. This
he finally did; though again referring
to General Lee, who, he said, were he
here, would advise the people to be
calm and patient; and again allnding to
some ofthe prominent men OF the South
he bade the audience good night, and
retired amid loud and prolonged ap-
plause. .-New Orleans Times, 18Th.
------------
A letter from Prince William county,
Va, to the Alexandra Gazette, says
Fouks, the murderer of the llerndon
family, in that county, and sentenced TO
be hung on the 10Th OF March, escaped
from jail, Saturday evening by burning
a hole through the cell wall. lie was
met by the jailer's wife, who tried 10
arrest him, but he broke away and
made good bis escape.
In the Circuit Court of Allegauy