Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1876-07-08


thousand and one heroes aud statesmen and
battle fields, north aud south, that glOritiec our
Revolution | shall not repeat that tale to-
day. But here is an incident in it, that should
not be omitted or forgotten by the people of
jefferson. As soon as tidings were received
in Virginia that Boston was beleaguered by the
British, a company was formed near Shep-
hesdssown, aud crossing the Potomac at the
end Of this Island, struck, what they called "a
Bee Line for Boston Washington was in
command the day they arrived, aud, after the
manner Of the good man 10 the parable, re-
cogniziug long way of the linsey woolsey
Of his native state. and especially seeing his
oh comrade at Braddock S deieat-Hugh Ste
phens0n, in command, bis feelings were too
much for him--ho embraced every man, but
was unable to speak word. Fellow Citizens
can it have been possible-were we not
dreaming, when few years ago tuotwith-
standing incideats Ike thiS) We saw New
England and Virginia standing face to face in
fratricidal war ii we were not, Oh then,
why is il that we did not also see ihe sword
Of some ayeGging angel fash over the scene
And why did not some such words as these
paralyze both combatan,S? " Hold ! COM
maud You both You NirRinians DO you
not remember that you are the grands0ns Of
lie men who in former days Struck a Bee
Line for Bustou?" And you New England
ers DO you net know that these men are the
lipell dcsceulauts-the kjth and Kin Of the
glorious band, that over hill AID dale-thro'
trackless forests, and across bridgeleSs rivers
rushed 20 your rescue in the time that tried
mems souls.' BUt-alas. IN those days, the
eyes Of the angels were yeil2d, aud Heaven
itself was drcped in mourning.
Wherever the great tale is told to-day, JUS
tice viii be done to young Lafayette, who left
home and country and friends and fortune, and
everything % which ambition could aspire, to
help US in our struggle, moved alone by the
maguauim0us aud uuselfsh promptiugs OF his
great soul Lafayette was foreigner. Eel
low citizens, has it ever occurred 20 you, that
III is country would have been today, without
emigration from Europe? The desire aud IN
,erest Of every young state and nation is emil
grafton. The emigrant develops your soil,
and cuts your canals, aud builds your railroads,
and Increases year population, and popula-
. ,iou is a universally received test Of prospect
/ ty. Now Lafayette was one If the earliest
emisrauts. But suppose he had been told as
/ be was leaving France, that he was about
! spending his money and spilliug his blood, for
| a people who, as soon as they achieved their
/ liberty would make a law prohibiting for
eisners from voting until they were twenty
oUe years in the country. what then What
would he have done lie would have turned
| 90 his heel. and left us to our fate. Friends,
what would that fate have been? Ipass from
! the subject in the language Of Henry \. Wise
/ ' Farewell Sam-Peace be to your ashes"
But. Fellow Citizens, Peace hath her victo-
rits as we'll as war; and it is 10 the realms OF
pcace-iu art, in science, 10 literature, in COM
merce, in agriculture, that our centennial
challenges the history Of mankind for par
al.el. Epsminondus may have been as dis
interested and pure a patriot as Washington
Pericks may have been e5 accomplished q
statesman as JeGCrS0n-aut Alexander may
I bave been as great a general as jackson -
For that matter, Plato may have been as pro-
found q thinker as jonathan Elwards-Ciccro
may have been as eloquent as Patrick Henry,
aud ArCtjmedcS may have been as ingenious o
mechaniciau as FuIion-stjll, in the realms Of
peaceful arts-of the philosophy tina. widens
and dcc~ens thought Of the literature that
instYucts and cleyatcS of the art that en-
thought into action, sending steamships a.
cross the sea, railroads across the desert, and
messages around tie earth Of the agriculture
that literally translates the twenty-seveuth
chaptar Of Job into a substantial reality, and
finds for Us bread in the earth. Assyrian
E.yptian, Greek. Roman. and English civil
lizati0u combined can show nothing Ike the
progress, in the same time, that this country
/ has made in the comparatively bEief space Of
one hundred years.
Tine will not permit one 70 follow The train
Of thought that ! have suggested to you, but
/ here is an incident that in my opinion, is Of
! trauscendent importance. as It affects the glo-
/ ~ Of the County. Il was on the waters OF
\ the Potomac about ten miles higher mp, that
| The first steamboat, without wind and against
/ current, pl0uchel its way. It was built IN
/ Shephlrjst1wu. James Rumsey was the in-
+ v.utlr. The fact disputed once Of Rum
/ sey's right % the honor Of first inventor, is
u0w everywhere conceded. The history OF
steam boat enterprise, without the Potomac
/ f1wiog through it, and James Rumsey OF
I Shephcristown standing in the place of henoT
/ is imperfect. Surely it is not to-day that such
| 4 chapcr 10 the history Of our county should
! te forgotten.
Nay I tell you li,tie about Rlmsey. lie
was born in Maryland; he removed to Shep-
berls.5w0 where be lived iu a log hut. His
boat was launched ia 1856. there being several
on lDarl iuc,u3iHg-it is slid-GCorGe Wash
jccton. Tic proofs of all this are plentiful:
Ia Jennings statutes is an act giving him the
right 90 navigate the waters Of the State with
steam; and 10 Sparks life Of Washington is a
certificate Of Washington of lis personal
knowledge, and this remember, was some
twenty years before Fulton launched his boat
on tho Hudson. Congress voted a medal TO
tho heirs Of RumsCy in 1891.
F,,.ow-oj,.aens, again change the suli Ct
6r purpose, before conclude. Of addressing a
few words 90 the Knights or Pythias, by viz
the &C whose invitation am here to-day
GeGlemen: / belong 90 DO order. l may lie
wrong, but have always preferred 10 stand
on the comuoH platform ofuaukiul. Standing
oU jt, can say 20 the Mason "you are my
bother ! can say % The Qua Fellow "you
are ny brothcr;' I can say to the Knight Of
pythias you are my brother know no
order. or church, Cg party. or nation in which
there are not good men. But constituted as ]
am I confess that tie OsIer Of Knights Of
pytlias. founded, as IL is, on the principle and
practice &C friendship, appeals 10 me with
great force Unlike Love, a passion over which
we have no control, friendship is a human af-
fiction, the result Of similarity Of tastes and
mUtUll esteem aud confidence. Ii time per-
mitt.l s; would be easy 10 show that the most
delightful Tsscs % history are those which IL