Smyrna times., 1889-11-06
Mr.. Rodney in Marble.
DELAwARE's NOBLE PATRIOT.
4 Monument Raised IN his Honor.

Il AlOflHHGUb llOtSctJ IIG ms honor,
A monument erected to the memory
of Gen. Caesar Rodney, of revolution
ary fame, and the member of the Con-
tinental Congress who saved Della
wares standing in the signing of the
Declaration of Independence, was un-
yelled in Christ church yard Dover,
on Wednesday. Fully two thousand
spectators were present, and among
them were many of the most promi-
nent persons of State. A memorial
meeting was held at the court house
before the unveiling ceremonies, at
which Governor Benjamin Il. Biggs
presided. Bishop Coleman offered
prayer, and ex-Secretary of State Bay
ard, delivered the Grafton, which was
a mastery historical reminiscence of
the history of Delaware from the time
of Penn's arrival in the ship Welcome
up to the day of Rodney's death in
1884. The address lasted over two
hours. There was on the stage with
GeV. Biggs and eX-Secretary Bayard
Senators Gray and Higg ms, ex Cows.
John Ponder, John w. Hall, Charles
q. StOckley, and John p. Cochran,
ex-COngressman John. r. Nicholson,
ID. S. Banning, a descendant of Rodney
Chief Justice COmegys and Associate
Justices Houston, Grubb and Paynter,
Acknowledgement Biggs, Judge Ball
and Mayor Harrington, of Wilmington.
Chancellor Salisbury and ex-members
of the Legislature.
Mr.. BAYARD's ADDRESS.
In his address Mr.. Bayard said at
would appear that William Penn had
been of like mind with my Lord Bea-
con, who held it to be "a shameful and
unblessed thing to take the scum of
people, and wicked, condemned men
to be the people with whom you
plant and, therefore, when Penn came
to let in the sunlight of liberty of the
person in conscience and in conduct
upon the colony he was planting on
these shores, he sought as his compan.
ions and assistants men of character
and substance and he brought out of
England men of good stock and stand
ing and excluded the scum and wick
ed, condemned men, Among those
who IN the same year, but not in the
same good ship, the Welcome. that
bore Penn and his shipmates up the
Delaware bay and river in 1882. came
William Rodney, of Bristol, who soon
thereafter became a landhOlder in St
Jones, as it was then called, but since
November 25, 1852, has been called the
county Of Kent, retaining the same
boundaries. William Rodney was the
American prOgenitOr of the family Of
that name, and his pOsterity had con.
tinued to dwell within the Delaware
State as valued and estimable citizens
contributing important service to the
Commonwealth.
THE SETTLEMENT IN DELAWARE.
HE had married Alice, the daugh
ter of Sir Thomas Caesar, an eminent
merchant of the city of London, and
he died near Dover, Del, in the veal
l1OS, leaving eight children and consid
cradle landed estate, which was en-
tailed, and by the decease of elder sons
hnaily vested in the youngest son
Cesar, who continued his residence as
landed proprietor in Delaware unit
his death, in 1745. The Christian
name of Caesar, the son of William
Rodney, was derived from his mother.
father. Cesar Rodney, the eldest son
Of Caesar, and grandson of William
Rodney, was born in St. Jones Neck
near Dover, in Kent county, Della
ware, in the year 1928, and died at hi:
residence. at Poplar Grove, in the same
neighbOrhOod. on the 26th of June
1884, IN the tiftyseventh year of hi:
age.
Mr.. RODNEY's EDUCATION.
From his early manhood he attrac-
ted the respect and confidence of hi.
fellOw-citizens, and civil distinction
| commenced upon his attaining legal
capacity and continued throughout nj.
life. He served in the legislative as
sembly of the State prior to The
stamp act of Congress in 1865, wheI
his usefulness was extended to a wider
field. From simple and happy pas
toral life Caesar Rodney emerged anC
with his colleague, Thomas Mexican
took his seat in that convention known
as the Stamp--Act Congress, which
met in New York in October, 1865.
SIGNS OF THE REVOLUTION.
"In 1863 lie was chosen Speaker O
the Assembly, and as the unsettled
| question between Great Britain and
the colonies never permitted repose
resistance and discomfort grew apace
and the need of his courageous counsel
became more urgent as the arbitrary
! aggressiOns of the Grown continued Il
| force the reluctant cOl0nist to decide
between resistance or unreserved and
slavish submission. The stamp at
Congress had thus brought about co
| lOnial union. The sacred ties of virtuf
honor and love of country were the
strong cords that drew the hearts O
our foretathers together, and against
such influences were arrayed then, a.
now, the mean and mercenary forces
of society, trading then, as now. upou
the baser and purchasable elements
Unhappy is that nation from who's,
people is banished a belief in the dis
interestedness of public service, whicl
is naturally accompanied by broad anC
liberal views, WHICH do not measur,
or test great purposes by constant ref
erence to one great Obiect-persOna
advantage or profit. This it is tina
makes mercenary politicians such un
safe leaders, and causes national inter
ests so often to be led to their destruc
tion by men of narrow understandings
incapable of taking any but mercenary
and commercial views of questions O
governmental policy.
RIDE LIKE PAUL REvERE's.
''In the year 1776, when independ
ence began to be agitated in Congress
General Rodney, who with Mr.. Nc
Kean and MIR. Read, then represented
Delaware in the Congress, came home
to consult his friends and constituent
on that important question. On Jun,
! z, Richard Henry Lee, of Virginia, of
fered a resolution that the United
States are and ought to be, free and in
dependent States, and that politica
connection with Great Britain ought e
be dissolved This resolution was dis
cussed with closed doors and passed
the next day by the very close vote oil
seven states to six. 1t was felt tha
unanimity was so requisite that the de
termination of the question was post
pOned until July l. On July a vot,
was again taken, and nine colonies
voted in favor, and Pennsylvania anC
South Carolina against it, The vote
of Delaware was not cast because Nc
Kean and Reed voted on opposite side
and the delegates from New Yorl
were excused from voting by reason o
the doubtful nature of their instruo
tions. 1t was at this juncture tha
Thomas Mexican, who strongly advo