Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1876-02-12
Revolutionary CInima nt..

By request we republlsh the follow
ing from the Alexandria Gazette, and
while doing so, cannot refrain from ad-
verting to the fact that during the late
civil war the handsome residence Of the
oldest living descendant of the
mover of the Declaration of Indepen-
dence, aud which had been built by an
officer of the Revolutionary army, was
ruthlessly reduced TO sshrs, by the or
dcrs ola Major General of the United
States Army, aud the owners family
turned away without I shelter, and
Congress has as yet turned deaf car
to their demand for Indemnity =
Why should Virginia rejoice in tue
Centennial Whyi With her fair do.
main laid waste, her children impo,cr-
ished, her sons deprived OF what once
was theirs, and grasping at ANYTHING
which promises TO keep them from beg
gary and sustain honesty-why should
she rejoice Is there not a contrast lie
tween the paltry taxsiions of the past
upon tea and paper, and the heavy mn
posts laid upon Virginia 10y the Federal
Government 1t is asserted that she
pays more to sustain it than all the
Eastern States united. Why should
she rejoice, when even the poor demands
OF Justice for the descendants OF her rev
olu,ionary heroes are denied, d,pcrhaps not
listened to 1t seems 4 mockery-all
this ostertaiious expense, this hosptali.
~ 10 foreign nations when the very
sgners OF this Wanted Declaration II
Independence might, were that possible,
rise from their honorrd graves aud
pointing to their descendants ask why
this great and prosperous country should
permit these their representatives 10 feel
the hard hand OF poverty resting upon
them aud upon their children ? Why
their expenditures OF time. and money,
and intellect, and health their losses.
exposures and domestic sacrifices are all
forgotten : One of the ramcs on tha,
record, now SO gloriticd, is Thomas Mel.
son, junior, afterwards General Nelson
and another, though not signcr Of III.
Declaration, yet one who bra,ely fought
to win the Independence then mcrly
declared, was first cUusin Of the abov,.,
Colonel William Nelson. The gallant
soldiers were the sons of the President
and Secretary of the Kings Council in
Virginia. They were sent to England
in boyhood and returned, in manhood.
educated and polished gentlemen but
in the crisis OF &c they renouncei ail
past associations and offered their "lives,
their fortunes and their sacred honor"
to the country OF their birth. The arai.
i,ude OF that country hs, slumb,rcd
nearly one hundred years! Cannot Mr..
Cox Or Mr.. Tucker arouse this slumLer.
ing feeling! What more iting time
than the present, when remembrance is
searching every record of that period
General Nelson remained IN the army
until the close OF the war. Colonel
Nelson's health became so impaired by
exerlion and exposure that he could
not discharge the duties of his colonel.
cy aud resigned not long before The
conclusion OF the war scoruing n sine
cure, but being fully aware OF the value
OF lis services and sacrifices, kit tIhs
claim 10 his daughters on his death bed.
That claim is on the iles of Congress
and has been for many years Congress
has resolved that those who only served
ten days IN the war Of 1912 shall re.
ceive pension. Why should the sol.
disrs "i l776 ard onward, after serving
aud suffering for years, bs excluded be-
cause exhausted nature cou.d hold out
no longer
The handsome mansion of Secretary
Nelson, at Yorktown, was occupied by
British officers during the siege, aud To
that point the Americ2n batteries were
turned. The sons Of tho Sscrctary
brought their father out under n ilag oi
truce, an'' the work Of demolition con.
tinued. At iis close nothing could be
brought from the wreck, but the broken
marbles. a proposition has been made
10 erect monument nj Yorktown, tho
birth place of these noble men, and once
the seat Of wealth, refinement and intel.
lect. Perhaps u more suitable place
could scarcely be selected 10 comn,emo-
rate the public ostentation, private iu.
justice, aud cold ingratiIudc Of our conn-
try. A million Of dollars for the Cen
tennial Not a criit 10 The claims Vt
justice and gratitude.