Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1880-03-10

With cslonlal restrictions which iettercd COM
meic, and almost prohibited manutsc ures.-
The colonlsss 10 A!exandria, like Apglo Saz JOS
every where, had Irofould respect for lao.
They snbnl:ted to these restr.oions BECAUSE
they were sc,us'om ID to them, and as they
were pressed by French power, and in CONSTANT
dread Of the Iodians. who still fingered near,
they expected British aid, and thought these
profits, which England made by monopoly of
their trade, wss high PREF to pay for such
sssistaucc-bus il was OF least prio> bald Tor
sonethmg. Bat whcn Braddeck came, and the
British troops Instead Of protecting the ooInnists
had been compiled TO rely 90 tho Col,uial
troops to protect them, tho feeling changed
Braddock had cone ADD gone-tke town folks
and country people having relied upon them
selves Tor defenoo against the Indians aud
trcnch. felt able, 10 Just cause, to meot the
worli 10 arms Gviaobe Ga their owa s,il to
any lc1cltho enemy c)u.d sind agaiust them
tienoo ihcso restrictions on navigation nnd
mauufEc u;cs annoyed thcm. l hoy tolt that
Tor nation to bs free it would be sufficient that
she wilcd It. ] y boro tho load because they
Sera accustomed 10 it. but ono straw to 9hich
they we're not used would break tho clmeI' 3
back
That straw e'ro 10 the stamp oct and VIC
may lock with Just p,lie at Alex andrla apart 10
that day.
Tho stamn to- was to I'D pnt 10 operation on
tho lat CT November, l7G5. Alex ,ndria was
then represented in tho House OF I,urgesscs by
Georges Johnston, ho was ono If tho iowa
trustees. and at his homo On tho cIrncr OF
l'nnce and ire streets no prepsred resolutions
| Tor naIlifyl7g that act of Parliament.
lis tho ira Hilton OF his family that tho habit
| nal CRAFTY OF hiI domoanor seemed after the
! COWS Of Tho stamp act reached Alrxandria, to
| grow yet more intense, and that after q long
examination OF tho English law, he wrote the
resolution which Patrick Henry. shortly al
| forwards. Introduced into tho llCuo OF Burgess.
see. Il Is said that GA completing the resolu.
| lna he showed thopaper to his wife. eayir G.
ibis parcr may cost me my life, yet it is the
truth aHd whether CT not aDy ono suatains mo
| Will not turn back" lie went with Wssh-
lleton who was also n delegate, TO Williams
burg in May. Mr.. Writ narrate9, and he is
| universally followed. that Henry drow his re-
| solution upon tho blank leaf of volume OF Coke
upon Littntop There en- be no doubt what,
ever that Johnston came from Alcxaudr, to tho
lltuso determined to offer snch resolutions and
| thortushtly prepared with copious arsum .nt
| and authorities TO support them.
Certain II IL that when lleDry'a vehement
| Soic, was rais on that memorable OCCASION,
! end 'Iroasopl rrcasonl" resouudcd amid tho
| excited crowd, Johuston took his stand along
sid; Patrick Henry. When Henry stepped to
| tho front, Johnston stood beside him. Whom
llcnty spoke tho startling words. whose cohoes
| are yot unspent, Johnston chimed calmly, 10 as
Logical a. clear. identc.l 10 spirit, ono 10 tone,
not AZ brilliant. but moro practical, as when
After tho tooaiu's alarum-
Dstir ely tho clnck Strikes
This was AK ,Dhlia'S share on that moment
Gus day. George Johnston died tho year fol-
loving. Had no lived ho would have been one
OF the Leading statesmen Ct the Revolution. He
vas succeeded 10 your Council. Mr.. President
OF tho Board of Aldermen. MIR. President of
| tho Common Council. by George Washington.
There was inr awhile lul 10 towu-a lull 10
the British Empire. But TOW ciro!ing yoars,
| and agaio the omnipolcno, of Parliament was
| osscrted-tEo tea was overheard, the port Of
Bason cicseG, and the gallo which sgert from
| tho NorihRard broul TIT the 'clash of rosounl!-
| ing arms.
Amid thI' tumot of anxiety caim Sabbath
daWhud 90 Aitxandrla. Tho hot July skv was
| lair overhead, and tho grass VAS pretn 10 Christ
Cbmci yard. Tho scrmon was just ovor. aud
men lolterrd TO listen 10 what Colonel Wash
iuGo1 would say. Ito wss known 10 bo An
| ardent pallot. tut it was knowo. too, that he
| wss opposed 10 Inc 70 Gle cion OF Colonel Broad.
| water, Who was Ia favor of resistance, and no
was i, ciGed to support his friend, Bryan Fair.
lex, who o7unsood submission. Is loitcrcd
| awhile, abd taxed IS Ito loittred to q party of
gentlemen upon the green. lie IVES chairman
ol tho c}mml!io'e appointed at tho last Juro
court to craii ,lssfurn on which Fairfax and
a lrv. nI1 al, Il
| cay < asks bystandcr. Vie IS for resistance
That msaea FIGHT" And thou, there on
Chrst Church green, NATION WAS CON
CEIVED.
AS Tao magcct draws tho iron, another sc,pe
10 Christ Church yard leaps the barrier of q
hu0drod years end demands that spcak Of il.
IL is another Sabbath morn. tho Same skv il
! overhcst; tho fields aro tsh With the h,wers
OF May; tho grass is still green.
arH7a. rtvered commander who HIS
| shesthtd his sword that hn may haze time TO
thins, Tina ia consider. lima 20 pray. comes
out Of the halioWed cdiEc'. A party of gentle.
nen appro; ca him; thsy prees upon him the
nclil OF tho time; they urge upon him that
Whcn al other swords are drawo hi must lean
QUE. or else. like imprisoned lightning. it would
melt lta &c. bbard. Th"u, Oh tho SINE Christ
Church giecn Robert Il Leo gave his tacjt &c
ccpiAuee of the commaod, which he afterwards
put into words before the General Assembly Of
the Commonwealth. "Truslug 10 Almighty
GOu, an approving oJnSoienc3. and the aid Of
my fellow citz,us, | devote myself to tho SER
Woo OF NY native State, in whose behalf alone
will over egain draw my sword" And there.
Oh Christ Church greco, where Washington
probouOctd Tor rs stare C, to British arms.
Rotort lIee accepted tho command of the
armies of the Commonwealth.
Come Kings with thy field of tho cloth If
gold, and this field Of grass that waves above
our dead beside Christ Chnlch shall Give us
nohler leasoos. stirring tho hearts Rs the field
OF Maralhoa-l Of freedom as tho plain of
Ruouymedo: 1t is hallowed erouod. Not be.
cause Washington 10 victory founded nation
not because lac 10 defeat loft-orly a grave,
but because two honest mon lifted by lroyi.
deco, as sol les TO tbclr people. each hero, saw
duty demand personal sacrifice, and threw thcm,
selves into the fire that burned mn tho altar Of
their c'unly. tApplause.) Not cloeer does
the IVY cling to the walls Of that voneratcd piIe
than hnnoa around n Tho r.