Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1876-03-03
MI. a she said:

:
Introduction of the first speaker,
CAPT. s. A. ASHS.
Mr.. Ashe said:
As .,ilgrims seek some sacred shrine |
to make their vows to martyred saints, |
SO do we gather here, my cOuntrymen, |
to render hon ,go to the patriots of |
other days.
Hire, in this secluded spot, we find |
an altar where we may lay our votive |
Offering to Patriotism and love of couu~
| try We come with thankful hearts to !
| recall the heroism and seif-oblation of
our fathers; to do honor to the mem D.
re- of bold and gallant men; aud t.
| learn from the record of their deeds,
| how patriots can suffer-and through
their suffering and endurance at length
win victory over the enemies of their
| country.
Here is the scene of the first shock
of ar us in the cause Of American indie
! pendence Here fell those who first
| gave their life blood that America
m glt be fir, ed from thraldom-ard
| from subj ection to the British yoke.
And now, after century of years
has completed It's charmed circle, their
deeds cf daring are still held in high
| reTOWn, ana Will tIAO6lOIS VI uOSt
| fervid patriotism, a grateful posterity
| now draw around the scene OF the con-
| fcS to laud their names and do them
| honor.
And we'll do the actors in that first
enc Dunter in the cause of separation
and Independence merit all the
euconiums we will pronounce, all
the eulogies our tongues can utter.
| Worthy are they and their compatri
OTIS of all the gratitude our hearts can
feel; of all the reverence we can
rightfully bestow upon mortal man
The undertaking III which they en-
gagnd was one of the noblest N all
the experience of mankind. The task
was difficult of performance; the con-
test SO unequal that the stOutest
heart might well haye quailed at the
doubtful issue of the enterprise, and
the bravest of the land might we'll
have shrunk from It's we'll known
periis and all the penalties of dis
aster.
But they were cast in the mould of
heroes When they drew the sword,
they threw away the scabbord Their
hearts were set on freedom, and they
reared aloft their standard bearing
the determined motto of Liberty or
lbeatn.
During all the seven weary years OF
that protracted struggle, they cast no
glance back ward at the life of ease
and domestic comfort that had form
erly been their happy lot.
Hardships, exposure, disease, desc
lation of their cherished homes, de
vastation of entire States-all came to
| try their souls aud turn them from the
goal of their hopes. But still, on
{ ward hey pressed, through disaster,
t through perIls, without clothing, with
, out munitions steadfastly believing
} in the Righteousness of their cause,
/ and fully determined to ACHE e
liberty or die on the field of battle.
The history of the world presents DO
/ grander spectacle tuan the feeble
| American colonies striking for free
dom against the exhaustles. power Of
f the most formidable empire of modern
| Europe. And In that greut drama of
7 human endeavor North Carolina was
assigned by the sovereign rulers of
nations Il part at ono. Conspicuous and
: il,ustrious. Well may she be
: proud of her SONS during the whole
course of that Revolutionary period.
, No State has a brighter record; none
= was more fixed III principles; more bold
III action, more resolute iii the dark
st hours of the struggle. From the
very beginning of those difficulties
! with the mother country that eventu-
ally eliminated III the final separation
of the colonies from Britain, her sons
: yielded to none in their devotion t"
/ the rights of Am RIGA. Aud they
steadily pursued the chosen path OF
duty witt undated zeal till the COM
piete consumlnAtlOn Of thelr desires
came and the shackes were stricken
from their country.
Our people had long been noted for
r their bodness, their resolution, their in
difference TO danger. From the earli-
{ est times their treatment of Cover DOrs
. was very suggestive of u fervid dem =
: ocracy. They brooke 80 exercise of
arbitrary authority AMI were ever ready
t, resort to hard lows on slight pro-
vocation And particularly did the
people OF the Cape Far give token OF
J capacity, bravery and indomitable
courage.
When old Brunswick was att lcked
by the Spauia, DIS IN l7t8 her sons
drove eft the enemy, captured L part
of the squadron, and saved their town
from plumber and destruction.
In the long continued French and
Indian wars, our troops penetrated far
into the wilderness of the distant Ohio;
and the capture of Fort Duquesue, in
, 1857, was chiefly due to the pluck and
bravery of john Rogers, sergeant III
, battalion of North Carolinians, com
handed by Maj. Waddell, of our Cape
, | Fear section.
Later, when the storm between
Great Britain and the colonies began
to brew, and the ministry res orted to
oppressive measures, and parliament
passed the stamp act taxing the col
onists without allowing them repre-
sentation, our people, though ardentiy
attached to the person of the King,
full of loyalty to his government, took
II bold and defiant stand, and deter
miued with one accord that they would
oppose to the death, the execution of
the obnoxious measure. You know
well that bright page in our country's
history which perpetuates the details
of that preliminary skirmish in the
subsequent battle for independence.
How our fathers made their solemn
protest against taxation without repre-
sentation, how they heard with
burning Indignation of the pas
sage of the oppressive act. how
they called to MIND their boosted
liberties of British subjects, and re-
solved to maintain them IN ali their in
tegrity in short, how they soIemnly
determined to resist to their utmost
any attempt to import or use the
stamps within this colony.
And when. at last, the ship Diligence
did arrive at the mouth of the river,
bearing the royal ensign of Great
Britain, and loaded with stamps for tie
colony, how they defed the power of
royalty, captured her and carried
it in .iumph, with banners flying,
through the streets of Wilmington
You are familiar with the stirring
events that ensued; Row the people,
lnhamed to desperation by this in
vasion of their rights, proceeded
t. lao ..clc,LaL, e