National Republican., 1876-02-03
MAINLAND RKPUBLIeaNs
First socishle Of the State Association


First soeiable Of the State Association.
TIE Maryland Republican State Association
last night showed their ability to contrloute 10
the enjoyment of their friends, anu gave Q
reception that was not only Weh petf0nsea
but the means Of bringing together party oil
ladies and gentlemen who found pleasure In
sociabIe ccuversation and dancing. Tsllmadge
Hall. which has recently come into popular favor,
was for the evening the scene Of q most brilliant
and enIivcning picture. Handsome ladies, at
tired in rich and elegant toilettes, accompanied
by prominent and distinguished gentlemen as
escorts, formed the centre, to which the dec
grated walls added becoming back ground and
which the myriads Of gas Jets illuminated with
brilllaney and attractireness. The association
had decided that a welcoming process was neces-
sary for their guests; but why this should be so
at sociables has never yet been explained; still,
being the custom, of course, Maryland must fall
into line and become yotary. Consequently a
programme was prepared that could not fail to
nroYe acceptable to their friends and was carried
into execution previous to the commencement OF
the dancing.
Nr Thos. d. Bond, president OF the association,
made a briet welcome speech, and then introduced
DIR. &. Z. Cox, who spoke as follows:
Mr.. PRESIDENT. LADIES AND GENTLRNES:
Among the suggestive maxims of Pythagoras,
worthy to be craven in gold is the following: BE
silence.'' Before 1 finish, you may possibly con-
clUde that both speaker and audience would have
Jared better had this sensible aphOrrism of the
ancient Greek been properly Needed. And yet,
in response to the courteous invitation extended
ne, propose to say few words, not wholly uu-
acceptable l trust, to those indulgent friends,
who. innocentIy enough, harbor the deIusIon thai
am really capable Of contributing something,
at least, to the entertainment Of this company.
But, what sort OF effort shall 1t be? l would
like, did possess the ability to present an elo-
quent address, for the theme is full of Inspiration
Thep, again, I'd like to make humorous speech;
something to stir the fountains of merriment and
wreathe the faces in genial, contagious smiles
but, alas! all the wit OF the household has been
appropriated by my distinguished namesake and
friend in the popular branch OF our National Leyts
lature. refer to that prince of good fellows gen
tlemaa and scholar, recognized by the soubriquet
Of sunset, when it ought properly to be Sun
rise" He has the field all to himself with no
successful rival: none, at least in the Cox family
so far as know. ! might as well saw Iust here
there is one kind OF speech shall not i6flct upon
you this evening, and that is partisan speech
Those who CONS here expecting a discussion of
politics from me will be disappointed No nress
ing necessity, apprehend. demands reassertIon
of my own principles or c0mpels me assail the
faith of others, Moreover, you will agree with
me, IL is refreshing sometimes to ignore all differ
ences of opinion; to forge. fer a time that wo
represent distinct political organizations; to
grasp hands upon the same fraternal platform: to
regard each other in the friendly light of common
citizenship, in the relation of children, who, how
ever different in convictions of public policy, ac-
knowledge nevertheless one mother and feel
glowing within their breasts the same commsada-
bic State pride.
All true Marylanders, therefore, I take IL for
granted, are equally welcome to this hall to-
night, whatever their political creed or religious
faith. y on VIII credit ne with sincerity when
express my profound appreciation or the honor
you have done ne by inviting nc to address a
few words OF greeting to the good people OF my
native State resident In the District OF toIu ba
and gathered here tonight under the auspices OF
tie Maryl2rd Republican Association 1t has
been my pleasure in past years to meet my fel.
laTVS Nj al nFl
pleasant task to greet them here, in Territory
hut few miles removed from our borders Io1[ed
TO the dear old State by many ties of history and
kindred.
The present occasion naturally suggests three
topics which differ only in the degree OF their de-
velolmcnt
ONE, STATE, COUNTRY.
There is one spot, circumscribed ami humble
however it may be, dear to every true human
heart under all earthly vicissttudes, growing
eIeener and greener as We look back upon il
through the miSts Of receding years which neither
tine nor distance can blot from the memory.
There our cradle was rocked; there our lllla6y
sung by lips that may be silent and cold to- day:
there the deserted hearth. stone still fingers ;
there the loved ones sleep under cTum mbling head
stones, and that spot is home.
.''Tis sweet 10 hear the watcEdog's honest bark
Bay drcp-mouthed welcome as We draw near
IT'S sweet to know there !. an eve will mark
Our coming, and crow bright ier when jme. -
Another and broader sentiment animates Us as
we emerge from the domestic precincts In:0 the
hustlirg life around us-an interest in certain
geographical outlines and pride in certain traii-
tfCEs ard associations which constitute the State
That sentiment is distinctly illustrated hero TO-
Ligh:. We are assembled as MaTyl1utCTs, not:
aEtaneG Of our heritage and name. Nesting in
the heart of the Union, at the Very COR OF the
nations capital, Maryland acknowledges no state
superior to her own containing the same number
Of square miles. Possessing, rs she does every
variety Of surface, from the magniicsntly wooded
ard Hatcrcd Eastern ShO-e Of our unrivil 81
Chesapeake. rich in fruits and c2reais, Tapped in
Arcadian quiet, and abounding fn every luxury
which earth. air and water afford, u the ruier
landscape Of our western boundaries, dotted with
furnaces. mires and GusrTies, her resources
yet in the infancy oltheir development. In social
toned Maryland hospitality has passed into
proverb, and means ell it expresses, as those who
have shared i: Will promptly testify. We have
city OF acknowledged importance, destined at no
remote period to become q formidable rival OF the
most p0pulous and fOurishing upon this cOntl-
nent. Science, literature and art prosper within
its borders, and the far. famed beauty and grace
fulle SIS Of its women challenge successful compe.
tition at home and abroad. In the Light OF our
tion's birth Maryland comes to the front, and
holds her head up proudly as one of the original
thirteen States that rallied around the uncertain
fortune Of the colonies in the Revolution.
In that seven years struggle, against des-
peT2te odds, true patriotic zeal characterized our
good old State, and the Maryland Line became
illustrious among the braVest and most success
full heroes of the war. The historian informs
US that mo Colony responded more promptly or
with more hearty zeal than did Maryland to the
resolutions ofCOngress. passed 13th Of June, lIj,
asking fer soldiers 10 serve against the British
army, in Boston" Nowhere did men spring to
arms with more alacrity and ardoTi.ha In Mary
land. Frederick county, then comprising what
are now known as Frederick, Allegheny, Wash
1ngtop, Montgomery and Carroll counties, was 70
quired TO furnish the quota "two equipped COM.
panies These consisted chiefly Of Germans,
with sprinkling OF Scotch and Irish settlers,
hardy, frugal. pious people, prepa-el to suier
and endure fer the hight, while part was
+aE hty anu aH M
English cavaliers, Irish Catholics and Scotch
Presby yterianS, who, Wcaried by unsuccessful and
long-sustaincd resistance to.hOme oppression,
sought shelter on the peaceful shores Of the Ches
1reahe, whence they had migrated to Maryland.
These companies OF sturdy rihemen, armed with
tomahawks and rifles, painted like Indians, and
rcbcd in hunting shirts and mocclsins, left the
mountains and forests Of Frederick and, proceed
ing to Boston. offered themselves to Washing
tory records show how Taliantly they bore them
selves first under the gallant Colonel Cresap,
and subsequently under the command Of Will
Jams and Others.
sa Braver men never drew bead upon their coun.
try's foes. never wore or deEervedt wear greeaer
laurelS. There was certainly nothing nsTcenary
here. Captain Gibson, whose disintcTestcd pa
triCtiSm and courage no one questions, would
have found the compensation OF that day barely
sufficient to preserve the muscles in marching
order and to provide moIcstIy fo7 the wife and
bSiTEs lclt behiud. For example: the pay Of a
captain was 90 Fer month: OF leutenlnt, $3.50
Il
private, :G.$g' a month. In addition, each COM
pany was expected to find its own arms and
clothes. What shall be said OF the men who, uu-
der such Irivations and embarrasSments, left the
pillow in the furTOw and marched into a scene o.!
almost hopeless warfare.
But even State eXult2tiOn in its turn merges
into a still more elevated, comprehensive and
thrilling sentiment-the love Of country, the pride
OF nationality. In it all selEsh aspirations, all
mere sectional reludices are buried, or ought to
be. The poet significantly iuQuires whether
there breathes on the wide earth one who feels
no love for his native land, and, if such exists,
bids
MARX him well,
For him no minstrel raptures swell,
High though his titles proud his name.
BOundless his wealth as wish can eli 81.
Despite his titles power and peIf,
The wretch. cOncenter'd all in self,
Living, shall forfeit fair renOwn,
And, dOubly dying. shall go down
To the vile dust from whence he sprung,
UnweIt, unhoncred and unsung.H
When we meet one of our cCuntrymsn in a
foreign land the question is never asked whether
he be a Mary lander South Carolintan or New
Yorker, but is he an American: lfthe latter we
take him unhesItatingly TO our bOsoms and en-
brace him brother And, what nobler title
than that OF American ," To be a Roman citi-
zen in the days Of the Pagan Empire was doomed
the highest earthly honor. How much more Of
advanced Christian civilization, Of all that dig
nines a2d eleyateS human nature, is conveyed in