Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1895-07-10
speech OF I'm H. wilson.

Col. B. d. Gibson was to haze been the
Fourth of July speaker at Shannondale, but
circumstances i%nterposed, and Mr.. William
H. Wilson. son of Postmaster General Will
son. kindly consented to be his substitute.
Our reporter was present, and caught the
admirable double-barreled speech-a patrl-
otto Grafton and charge to Sir Knights
"on the fy"-leaf, so to speak, and we are
pleased to be able to reproduce it. Mr..
Wilson was felicitously introduced by Mr..
Braxton Davenport.
Sir Knights, Ladies and Gentlemen, Falo'c Citizens;
We are met together to commemorate with
fitting exercises the day which of all others Is
and mnst ever be, dearest and proudest to the
heart of every American citizen. 1t is the
birthday of our independence as a nation, ana
birthday of mans freedom as a man the whole
world over. On this day one hundred and
nineteen years ago the Old Liberty Bell in
Philadelphia was swinging to and fro telling
the people in iron tones that freedom had been
born, and calling hen to arm themselves ana
stand guard over its cradle. All heard the
sound, and men on the northern lakes, in the
western forests and the everglades and marshes
of the south lifted up their voices and cried
that the reign of despotism and of Tyranny had
ended and the rule of liberty begun.
But the echoes of that bell did not die here
in our own and. They crossed the sea and
fell upon the ears of other nations. And they,
too reioiced that freedom had been born in the
world. In Europe it fell upon the ear of the
peasant in the field, and set him dreaming OF
the dav when he should till his WI soil and
be his W master. 1t fell upon the ear of the
monarch on his throne, and he trembled and
turned pale at the menace which he heard in
its tones. It rang out he wide world over
rang out in different notes to some 1t came
like a peal of sweetest music-to others 1t
sounded as solemn and as awesome as the toll
ing of a funeral knell. 1t rang a birth and a
death. The birth of freedom and the death Of
tyranny. Here in our W land before its
echoes had died away men were arming them
selves and pledging their lives, their fortunes
and their sacred honor to the defense of free
dom. America, then the weakest Of nations,
threw down its gage of battle to the strongest
power and waited, pale but r%esolute, for her to
take it up.
In the long years of war which followed the
men of this county fought with unceasing val
or, fought and conquered, and never once ask
ed quarter. Their hands, taken from the
handles Of the plow, grasped guns and sabres,
and the fire which liberty had kindledi in their
hearts showed them how to use these weapons
better than the best of England's soldiers.
There were 23l, 791 men in the Continental
Army Of these 23l, 100 were heroes, one was
a traitor. The traitor was an officer, Benedict
Arnold, and the men who checked the accom-
plishment Of his shameful purpose were three
young men, sons of farmers-poor in every
thing save honor.
When Major Andre was captured that day
he carried with him the compact made with
Arnold for the surrender of the fortress at
West Point. He had passed the last American
svItnel, and was nearing his destination when
these farmer boys leaped in the path before
him. and commanded him to halt. In vain
Andre offered money for his release; in vain
he tried to dazzle them with promises of wealth
beyond which any one of bis captors had ever
dreamed in vain he talked to them OF the
honor and riches which England would be-
stow they were poor-poor as the poorest so
far as monied wealth could count, but richer
than the richest in the wealth of their patriot
ism and their honor.
Andre died the death of a SOY. Arnold,
FL go IL H.. Ill =, 90, T,uI.-l ..-
ret, scorned by the men to whom he sold his
treason. His memory is curse and the syn
onym of traitor in our land today while the
names Of Paulding, Williams and VanWart
will live so long as our nation lives, and be
honored so long as time endures and patriotism
is held honorable"
Our independence was grayely threatened
that day. but those who had it in their keep
ing were worthy of their trust, and its enemies
armed with the strongest weapons which men
can bear were powerless before manly honor.
And it was in the keeping Of such men that
independence lay all through those years of
war. And when peace came men were found
TO take up the civic duties of the young repub-
lie. to keep her true TO her course, and to guide
her onward and upward along the path Of
progress and Of right.
The progress We have made as a nation has
been been beyond all parallel in history and
When the Old Liberty Bell rang out in Chicago
at the great fair her notes no longer summoned
men to battle for their freedom, but called on
men-the length and breadth Of our land-to
come and rejoice in the progress of a country
young as measured by the life time of other |
nations, but old in experience and wisdom
a country over which no foreign tyrant holds
rule, but a country home-goyerned, free-gov-
erned, happy and prosperous.
These hundred and nineteen years have
brought Us many dangers but we have escaped
them all. War has come with its curse and its
curse has brought its blessing. Teachers of
wrong have dom their harm for a day. and
teachers of right taught lessons which will last
forever. To the oppressed of other lands we
have given refuge and a home when they ask
ed IL. To the dOwntrOdden of all lands we
have been a guiding star Of hope and Of effort.
There is not a throne anywhere on the globe
that America has not made lower kings and
peoples have been brought nearer together
DespOtiSm is dying, and monarchy but a name
where a few years ago il was a dreadful reality.
good that America has done in the world
is beyond all estimate Aud the time is com
when every king who rules over a white
race shall be forced TO lay aside his robes of
purple and throw down his scepter. Liberty
IS Speeding. America is sending out the seeds
OF her " rich harvest into all the countries
of the earth. Let US thank God that we live in
a land, and pledge ourselves anew on each
recurring anniversary of this day to do all that
in us lies to perpetuate and strengthen our
Men can be heroes in times of peace as well
as IN times of war, and many battles NAV he