Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-07-11
speech Delivered at Harrisonsurg, July
lth, by Gen. Jas. H.. Williams.

Speech Delivered at HarrisonSurg, July
ith, by GEN. Jas. H. Williams.
Fel'ose Citizens: H. sa..i III.
That the men of Ole
Rockingham, and Of this beautiful Val
ley, are here gathered to have an OLE
fashioned celebration Of the Fourth o
July, marks an epoch in our history.
Since we last witnessed a scene Xix,
this, years big with events, aud fraugh
with fearful consequences. years marked
by strife and blood. BY sacrifice ant
TOLL by pfivstions personal aud spoliti
cal, have brought their contributions tt
the grand treasure house of the past.
| Of these years, these long wear,
years, we may not speak, farther thar
as they force themselves on us. or beal
intimate relation to the present., OF have
contributed to our situa ton and position
and have became part of our common
history, not to be ignored, nor forgotten
Notable days, days of dellverance ane
triumph in national history have beer
celebrated and observed in all the ages
These days beginning with the Jewish
feast Of the Passover and coming down
to the present moment. have been
national holidays.
No mere civic day, has greater
| claims Oh the human race than this.
for joyous observance and enthusiastic
celebration. In resmming its celebra-
ton it may be well to briefly review its
history and enquire how aud why Vir-
ginla ever ceased to celebrate a dav
anda Declaration so grandly interviewer
with her history and to whose memories
and traditions, principles and utterances.
she has always been true and legal.
A little more than century ago.
there were along the western shores of
the Atlantic Ocean, thirteen colonies,
Provinces Of Great Britain, connected to
the mother country through the crown.
existing by virtue of separate grants
and charters, with defined territorial
limits, and separate governments, with
nothing in common but mother coun-
try. They We're sisters born of the
same mother.
The chartered rights Of one Of these
sisters namely Massachusetts, were
threatened and periled by the mother,
when the colony of Virginia, the eldest
born, through her Legislature, appoin-
ted day for fasting, humiliation and
prayer that there might be averted the
calamity that threatened their civil
rights. The Royal Governor dissolved
forthwith the Legislature, and there.
upon it issued call for q Congress Of
the Colonies. To this appeal, there
was a general response and twelve
Populations Of the colonies. assembled
in Philadelphia on the 5th of Septem.
Der IVA. This was the first American
Congress, to it, is directly to be traced
this Grand Union of ours. These depu-
ties, having first settled and determines
that this Congress should be one of
separate and distinct political bodies,
each with an equal vote and voice.
declared by appropriate act the indie.
feasible and individual rights OF all the
co lonies.
Virginia in accrediting her deputies OF
members, declared they were ''to con.
| slider of the most proper and effectua
ma nner Of SO operating on the com
mercial connection of the colonies witt
the mother country, as to produce
redress for the much injured Province
Of Massachusetts Bay, to rescue British
America from ravages and ruin of arbi
trary taxes. and speedily to procure
the return Of harmony and union, SC
ben efcial to the whole empire and SO
ardently desired by all British America.
In similar language spoke South Car
DINA. This Congress recommended
that another Congress of Deputies
should assemble on the 10th of Nav
l776, it met every colony represented
RESPONSIVENESS entreated and petitions
had proved unavailing and reluctantly
they finally promulgated that lmmorta
instrument just read in your hearing
The Colony of Virginia convinced thai
maddess ruled the hour, by the unani
nous resolve Of its convention O.
delegates had On the 18th May l77f
instructed her delegates in Congress,
to propose to declare the united
colonis free and independent States
absolved from all allegiance or de.
pendence upon the crown or parliament
Of Great Britain, and that they give the
asstnt of this colony, to such declara.
ton, and to whatever measures may be
thought proper and necessary by the
Congress for forming foreign alliances,
and a confederation of the colonies a,
such time and in such manner, as tc
them shall seem best; provided, that
the power Of forming government fol
and the regulations of the internal con
Germs ofeach colony be left to the re-
|spective colonial legislatures. Thu
we see our old mother whilst volunteer
ling to make common cause against tn,
power of the British Throne, and ii
faith inviting her Sister Colonies t,
join her in defending the Sister Massa
lchusetts against the assaults of tn
mother. was most particular to insis