New-York tribune., 1879-08-30
THE WESTERN RESERVE PIONEERS


CLEVELAND, Ohio, ,Aug 27.-The ninth annual an
nversary of the Western Reserve Pioneer Associa-
tion was observed at Burgess Grove near North So
on in the eastern part of this county (Cuyahoga),
to-day. The address was delivered by Colonel John
Hay, of this city, who received the closest atten-
tion from the large audience. The following ex-
tracts will give some idea of the intellectual treat
Colonel Hay gave to the pioneers:
The men OF New-England, who planted this great
Western Reserve of onio were the graduates OF this
OF those wise and unpreteudng rural statesmen who
had been formed by the town meeting; the men who
framed marvellous stitutoEs which excited the
wonder OF students In Europe aud called by
Thomas Paine the grammar OF Politics" Some Of
them had held town offices In the East Some had
learned suffer aud obey in the Continental ranks. All
had brought with them that priceless gem OF true cti-
zensp the innate perception Of the saving fact that II
is brave and honorable obey the laws that the
who master his natural impulses is unworthy to
be free that community who 20 TO church and
TO the polls in the same spirit decencJ and duy; that
murder is Infamous well as criminal among US that
respected than any amount OF swaggerlng
pretence that honesty and honor nseparabe sent
among the OHIO men OF this region we owe TO the
fact fathers bred with these ideas and our
mothers taught them to from cradles. You all
know the story Of the immortal tinman who wrote he
Pilgrims Progress" When he drunken, cursing
rbald reeng before him. he said: There-but for the
grace OF God-g0es John Bunyan." Let us teach our
children study and mediate upon the character or
the men who cleared this wilderness for corn and
civilization with their and their ideas. Then when
they hear OF and terrorism. and awessness and
unpunished applauded assassination In other
regions let them devouty consider that but for the yr
of their ancestors they might be dwelling IN the
midst OF just such scenes Of hesh license.
Never were there seen in the world believes
people superior their circumstances. II Is hack
neyed definition that democracy means the superiority
OF man TO his aceluents II tns De true our latners %
the most perfect democrats mat ever lived When
what their accidents" were IL Is hard TO
understand how completely aud how safely they bore
through those early years and transmitted to their
children the forms of civil government and household
discipline and conduct Rarely has environment exer-
cabins ruder than the huts Of Cetywayo aud his savage
followers: Furniture, in many cases, they had none
axe on the top, and supported on sticks fastened
in augu-holes their beds iOrmed by driving two
pronged sticks In the hoor laying pole upon the ana
this supporting half dozen smaller poles with their
ends stuck between the logs Of the house family
which possessed skillet saucepan and pot all at
had immediate claim TO aristOcracy. The break
ing OF a kitchen utens was serious disaster nave
heard of pioneer family who went into camp for sew.
era week to try 10 Mud an axe winch mad been dropped
I'm creek. pioneer farmer, rebuking a young man
who was complaining that the nearest mill was three
NJ es away, said, scornully, When was your age
usd to take my plough fifty miles to get 1t sharpened
Il hard us to understand state Of things de-
voil OF all we call convenleuces.
~ was the same with what accustomed to con-
suer the pleasures OF life. Children had no toys They
grew up 10 maturity without tasting candy know an
piece of money until he was twelve years od we can
INA the Western Reserve without schools. But
children could enjoy the simple pleas
OF playing truant As they grew older, merry-m
ties were weddings ana young people, whatever their
;ood will could not be marrying all the me merely to
nance IN the courtshp OF those times than we have
taste and leisure for. One Ephrsm stout u mighty
were taken of with the regularity of BlueDeard's
spouses but he found difficulty in filing their places;
once when he asked how he managed to make him.
sell irresistible he said always promise them they
shall live in the timber. where they pick up their
own trewoOd" 1t seemed lure no female heart could
resist
through but have been at many gatherings Of pioneers
and old settlers and have never heard that early e
described hard one II shines rOsily through the
mists OF memory TO the hale old man or woman recall
ing the time when they were young ana strong, when
each morning brought its toll which pleasure for
the mighty muscles and each night the repOse whlch
what FUN is" said old nlnolsin "The only for
TO relish his breakfast is TO get up before cay get
horse and run down your deer before you eat
him."
The pioneer life is apt to lead to a relaxation of the
social and political Those faculties which ind no
exercise the wild aud isolated life OF the wilderness
IN danger Of pershngOften do seem to perln-ior
want OF But is the especial and peculiar glory OF
the pioneers whose memory we celebrate to-day that
they yielded inch TO the barbarizng tenden-
OF wilderness nut In the midst OF adverse cir
Still stendfasty perhaps unconsclousy,
true the high conceptions OF lie vi which they
had left their New-Engand homes. 1t was rug
ged life they leG-bu 1t never was rough one It was
remarked by who visited the country In hseafly
days that approaching clearing in the woods the
traveller might well be alarmed at the solitude the
darkness gathering the rude cabin the gaunt ana
silent family who with few words welcomed him, the
i-iurnshed interior tue arms that hung conspcuously
displayed when he entered but his apprehensons TOOK
flight when they gathered about the suppertable aud
the head OF the house in few erveD words asked the
blessing of Heaven upon the simple repasi. -
OF course there is no claim that in the Western Re-
alone his nign standard OF morals and civil COZ
duct found. In other parts OF the State the sa ne
lofty ideal pursued by whose habit OF lie was
PLAIN living and nigh thinking. The Ohio Company,
which settled Marietta ana the adjoining regions also
carried civilization ready made into TIE virgin forests
They possessed to gh degree the enthusiasm OF COM
mon sense They settled their pioneers IN squads OF
and and defence. The, principles which guided
them In making their municipal laws were
deceucy sODriey, ana sacred observance Oh
the Lords day. Every settler was bound TO release 70
Mt least fifty apple and twenty peach trees within
five years. He 10 keep his gun IN order and ms
powder dry not for the defence OF his private dignity,
but OF the public safety With principles and practices
such these the country prospered how could IL hep
proSperngi Even the long aid anxious years OF the
indian wars could thrust back into even temporary
barDarsm people Ike this who were honest from the
ground up, who were law-abidng from Instinct. who
were Industrious from sheer sanity
In character OF these men, In the spirit which in
formed the Institutions they planted IN this fertile soil,
we trace origin Of the greatness and the prOspery
OF this State We do wish TO infuse one drop Of bit
terness the cup OF our rejoicings to-day by draw.
ing comparisons which may wake the demon OF
controversy, for whom there is DO room IN
the shadows OF this grove, sacred to gen
tier genius But | hope there are some questions
SO finally adJudicated that may refer 10 them III
saw that the ordinance 1887 in great the
occasion OF high civilization aud vast pros
wtteis of the Ohio aud said the emfgrating thou
sands from the Atlantic states-Choose ye tuis day
whom We will On the right bank s free soil for
ever on the bank slavery for while. And the
people who the right chose different faith aud
a different fate from those VINO went to the left
One word in closing To the men OF my own age, and TO
those still younger We have goodly heritage in the
institutions aud the traditions Dequeathed TO us by our
thers We need further back than 17s7 to nnd
The beginning OF pedig gree which Will make any man
who IL worthy Of IL noble enough. great many Amerl
cans know, trace their undouDted descent fOm we'll
known families the Old World. do not refer 10 those
ptable beings who invent OF appropriate the names OF
others but at this a chi0s amusement unworthy
full-grOwn We nave distinction OF classes In
this country believe and hope We never shall have
But descended ~ you from a OF men pre-
eminent in virtue aud capacity, you have the obligation
ld upon you to forget your origin, ana never 20
fall below the standard which they unconsclousy
and instnctively set up. As the result OF their
fruitful labOrs our lives have become more COM
nleX than theirs, our greater, oar duties not
so simply defined. But one or two ideas come out
clearly enough from the study OF their character They
"a tn cr,ar