Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1879-11-25
HON. JAS. b. GROVES
Address Of Releone TO Me Members of he
w. Va. State Grange, at Meis Meeting
in Mertinslwg, Nog. 4th, 1879.

r
Brother, Of Is. State Grange The pleasant duty
has been assigned me of extending to you. upon
the part of our brethren and citlzens, q hearty
Welcome .oI R 4st t fns Wecome to our
homes and hearthstonee. With. hope, a COM
4a and ap enoy WITH ar
we invite you to look around. Behold this sec
ton of our noble State where nature hns eI-
pended with lavish hand. beauty and fertil
fly. Our mountains are rich in minerals, our
valleys fruitful and lovely and the whole bean
Etifnlly interspersed and interlaced with abund-
ant springs aud graceful rivulsts.
This. the eastern panhandle Of the State.
Potomac. and the beautiful. historic and re-
nowned Shenandoah. which as a willing bride
pcr's Ferry, that classic and romantic spot.
gives up her name to tho stronRer stream. Oh!
the North and Blue Ridge mountains. tins ST pro- Ss
tected from the storm. whilst the winds. the
grateful messengers of nature, bear upon their
INVISIBLE wings the abundant vapors and dis
tributes them over our fields:
This is the key to the great valley of the
Shenandoah. famous in the history of Virginia
and rendered more noted by the late civil war.
But recep tly, the bugle note in our valley sum-
"a pid are providing and passing events, so &C
tive the shuttles of thought and action. weav-
ing in the loom of time, moments passing
thread that scarcely had the last sound of the
buEle ceased to reverberate along our mountain
sides. and mellow INTO death-like stiffness.
message Of peace. Hope again plumed her
wings and this lovely. though torn. dismantled
Marius from the ashes Of the Grachii. fully
equipped in wealth. beauty aud GRANDEUR
Ser tb ho;ts once lay where
hillsidss were channeled by tho best blood of
brothers: where all surrounding objects bore tho
marks of desolation, where the veil of doubt
and uncertainty hung over the energies of the
husbandman. now can be seen the peaceful
houses of tho farmer, nestled in natures most
charming retreats; the merry songs of the
plough boy takes tho place of tho war cry, once
SO dolorous and full of tho desolation of death
- activity lie Tyh ar anti u
hold high carnival. Generous nature has drawn
her green garb DER tho frightful scene. raised
her mounds of evergreen, and plant ed her flow
thought and view. Let US profit by this fact
ship, love and truth, determine to rcncryate
nature itself. in blotting out forever every vcs-
the waste places. rene berine that peace hath
her trophies more lovely than war.
toric, fertile ard beautiful section of our State.
And what refreshing reflection it is to know
that body of men: such as sec before me,
cam in this cold, calculating age, rect toget her
for no object than to promote the advancement
and general welfare of tho whole people. un-
trammeled by party fealty. nndisturbed bv any
political ascei bity. to consult and devise means
bv which ali can be benefited. bv which tn c
poor man and the rich man may abide together
in harmony of interests. bv which social
aud political states may follow in the track of a
by which our youth may be melted to noble
rivalry of cur good examples.
All honor then 10 those whn denied the tolls.
the cares and tho excitement incident to the
age. would rescue the golden hours of the youth
around them from debasing sloth and enable
them to sot to the world in great crisis of it's
moral condition, glorious example of intel
lectual courage and physical progress. by which
to dignity and exalt the great Agricultural and
world with wonders Is not this fact of itself
charged with volume of commcnt7 What is
it but setting of the distinctive sca! upon
these God-g:ven emplnyments an advertise
mcnt that society has risen to occupy a higher
platform than ever before: pr0clania ton an
nouDclne honor immortal 10 the working men
who ill this world with beauty. comfort and
power. In word, to plan and devise the
benefited. our calling exalted. for these high.
lofty and noble pu poses sou have met.
May your labors be crowned with that sue
cess which your objects justly merit
Brothers. again we welcome Won to our houses:
linked together in truth. faith. hope and
charity.