The state chronicle., 1891-10-09


an production of the theory and the
practice Of free government which
had stood the test of over a century
of use and borne the stress Of that
most fearful of calamities, a fierce
civil war. 1t was, in his judgment,
the most wonderful production that
had ever emanated from an unin-
spired mind, and would always re-
main among the intellectual marvels
of mankind.
Virginia had her Patrick Henry,
too. whose heroic defense of the |
liberties of the people in opposition
to royal prerogatives, electrified a
universe and whose words. off this
be treason make the most of it,"
will 90 sounding on and on, down
the annals of the ages to the
last moment of recorded time.
The time is wanting, even had l
the ability, said the orator, for me
to speak in fitting terms of her great
sons John Marshall, the wise ex-
FOUNDER of constitutional law,
Madison, Monroe, Tyler and Maury,
and host of other statesmen, pa
triots and scholars whose fame had
added an ever enduring luster to
the pages of not their States only,
not to the country's only, but to the
history Of humanity itself. They
have gone from us, those heroes of
other days, they have departed, but
though their forms are lost to our
sight we may we'll believe that their
spirits still hover over US, watching
over the destinies of the State
they loved in life SO dearly and re-
joicing with exceeding happiness at
the onward march of the material,
> moral and intellectual development
which marks the present career of
the Old Dominion as the brightest
: epoch in her history.
Although our motto is, continued
the speaker,
"Let the dead pas bury its dead"
'Act IN the living present,
a "Heart within and God o'erhead.'
: Yet it is very proper te
A speak at length of these distin.
: guished men of the past, fol
: it was to come and live among the
5 descendants of such men as they
were that we are here to extend {
a most cordial invitation. Virgini;
{ still boasted Of her great men, sucl
0 as John S. Barbour, John W
: Daniel, John Randolph Tuck ker
= John Goode, Commits ioner White
e head and Maj. w. I. Southerlin--
e men who took high position il
{ directing the affairs Of the country
e and whose opinions we're full o
: weight in the councils of the nation
IS and who were giving their Who'll
hearts and minds to developing tn
Is wonderful resources of our South
If land.
-e The speaker then gave his after
h ton to making a resume of the mai
n velous growth of Virginia in recen
e years, particularly in tide-wate
n Virginia and especially of the rapi
le increase in wealth, population, etc
il of Newport News, Suffolk, Norfol
n and Portsmouth. He spoke a
ia length of the many advantage
us which Portsmouth had to otft
n home-seekers and especially to thos
Of who wished to come there for th
IN purpose of locating manufacture
of for which Portsmouth's transport
Id ton facilities afforded the very be-
ng opportunities possible.
on In concluding, Mr.. Wilcox e
of tended to all who might wish 1
or come to Virginia, either as visito
lal or as home. seekers, the heartiest
old Virginia welcomes, and pr
IN, dicted the greatest success for t
rst Interstate Exposition, which :
= ready reflected SO much credit up
nd the ability and judicious manae
7er ment of the men who were at t.
ms head of it's af.sirs.!
RI Mr.. Wilcox's address was del
=, ~ cred without notes or manuscri
,oa and was bapDily and pleasantly