The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1883-06-02

entire company, which numbered several
hundred ladies and gentlemen assem- bled
in the NJ L. Church, to listen to addresses
by several speakers, who We're present. The
assembly was organized by calling John f..
Wilson, Esq, 10 the chair and the service
opened with prayer, by Rev. +. +. White,
pastor of the church. The presiding officer
then made Il few remarks pertinent to the
occasion, and introduced the orator Of the
day, Colonel c. +. Markell, of Frederick
city.
TIE ADDRESS.
Lddies AMI GenNemen:-
Year after year have the lips of orators
upon occasions similar to this given
birth to eloquence sublime with the
same purity of thought and ladened with
the same burthen of song, and void in
deed would be my hopes if expected to
add one tinge of shading to the match
less productions of their pencillings or
chisel one line of beauty to the failtleSs
contour of their carvings: but if AS the
humble violet | am permitted to mingle
one breath with the rare eXhalingS of
rich eXoticS, or like the modest pearl
east one ray of sincerity into the scintil-
liant curruScationS of royal gems, | shall
retire and be content.
To day. as in all anniversaries the
mind ot man is wont to wander Ger the
crumbling centuries and dying de .aties
of a remorseleSs past and with the stylus
of rctrusp. elton inscrihe a line of con
trast which he terms the course Of pro-
gresS. Where the untutored but inSpir-
ed shepherd warbler breathed his own
sweet songs in mellowed cadenceS to the
browsing herd, the mountain goat and
silent star. or followed with ecstatc eve
the trembling course of some emblazoned
meteor. now coils the iron winnings of
our rapid transit, the whispering thread
of metal atoms. and in its mad career
through space, the lightning speed o..
that unguided ;prolite is grasped by man.
its course prescribed and stereotyped
upon the infants atlas.
As has been said, no matter where we
find it, whether seen i'll the fanaticiSmS
of Peter the Hermit, or hideouSly distor-
ted through the red glare of the InQuiSi-
ton fires. by the lonely lamp of EraS-
mus, the restless couch of Pascal. in the
tribune OF MirabCau. at tie cell of Cali
leo, or GA the s"allnld of Sydney. that
progress is the self same progress still
As the eve travels over the adamantine
tablet of the world : record embossed
with bold and rugged characters hewu
from the stubborn rock. the names of
many are found within its calendar:
those who have penned the rhymes of
>lumbcring bards or taught the chord to
breathe the pangS of sentiment and pas
sion: grand old masters whose foot steps
echo through the corridors of time; men
whose names are yoked with centuries
names around whose memory the light of
ages has she'd a ray OF glory which like
perpetual fire burns to immortalize and
honor.
CHANGING ut the architectural beauty of
prouu political structures. perfect IN de
sign. faultlcSS III execution, upon the
facade we find the masters name, and
now, as we raise our eyes to the nohl,,
arch of our loved land, our pride is par
donable when upon its rough key stone
we see traced in defiant unfaIing cipherS
the name of these We love and with
ealted breath bless the hour that gave
them birth.
Though their names are enSh rined
within Il caSket well nigh bursting with
its burthen Of Jewels whose e'fulgence
seems unearthly, yet the proud lustre of
their own seeks in vain Il compeer: With
those gems strung like beaiS upon the
thread of immortality from the korinoor
of earthly prowess to the soft pearl of
religion than oar own We find no purer
stone.
And whNa it is not because they wres-
ted from the mOnarch'S iron grasp the
furnished scepter. or hurled from its tot
teling base the despot's throne: not be-
cause they sprung the fountain of a ma
ton tears, mourning for its cLllren's
blood not because they marched in bat
talinnS through frozen passes and over
burning sands; meath arctic SHOWS and
tropic suns not because they rendered
the alpine height subSeryient to their
purpose or moulded constitutions plant
to their will. No, no, but because they
responded nobly and boldly to duty',
call, and i'll that emergency gave their
lives and their living to the cause of their
country.
AS | stood here to day ami watched the
golden glamour of the glad sunshine
glinting from tree to tree. AS | heard
the merry ripple of childish laughter,
born of purity and yet unembittered with
the faint of knowledge. gurgling from its
infant heart: as gaZed around me at the
MANY faces present and noted tho con-
tour and contrast. the care worn yis,ue
crowned with the honor of are and
snatrbiuo from the insni ration IF tha
hour the tremblinoa Of Mars from, tho r,,
echoinu volitudas of Lis b.ort cro,,,
,h;.b 10 sL,i,,, h.. ,,1;al, ,,,,,,,s
avn taat trn, tLa o,Ir, aa,,,,+,,'',,,
from which the eanerness nf ,,rf,d
hope has fled and athwart whose nail,
the shadows fall earthward. tho y,,tb
with his h,nnv smiIe of bnne ,,d l,ya
and pass;on and even the infant face IT'S
baby lashes bedewed with drn,s Of snr-
row not born of sin.
Thnuoh to.dav We have oatb.r.d here
where he grasses wave thei,. safest and
the roses hioom THAR sweetest. wLera
the pale mother of dreams love. to stay.
where the SIM first shines unon and
whore his RAYS last liuo.,.. tbnnnh I,a
have r,thcraI Lerc =, re,,,,.,+natn :, o,,r
hearts tho memnrv of thnsa ,rln SIaa j.,
tho ,b,mhers If tba daad .nj ,,,;tI, al
H., h,lL,wa6 ,r.,o;.t;nr. oI,,.ta,.;,,,.
around that memory, it is with endear
luz as well as Saddenng emotions that
we contemplate the hour; for in recalling
the events We are here to commemorate
there is no cropinp down the Winding
and GobWebbed stair of memory no ira
vcrsing Of arid GNpanses swept by the
TEMPEST Of life and worn by the paths OF
long pilgrimage; no exhuming from the
MasoIeum the c:umbing ashes of IA
buried past: the light of those olden DAYS
comes not down through Swallowed cor
riders mellowed by the mouldings of age
AMI soitened by its transit through the
STARRED canopys of contemplation nor