The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-02-23

slble, the response was even louder and
more enthusiastic. 80
Speech Of Presentation.
Next came the speech Of Mr.TTs n.
Garvin, presenting the Fort Henry
tablet to the city Of Wheeling on behalf
Of the STATE Of West Virginia. Mr.. Car
vim said:
Bve- sines time began, wars have
been Waged among men and nations,
There have been wars for conquest,
for territorial expansion, for defense
Of human liberties, for the liberation
Of the down .trodden from the yoke Of
Eyranny and for civil and religious
rights and prIYileges There have
been .Wars Just and unjust Wars
sacred and wars protane. History Is
4he mighty witness Of all pasF aoeds
OF the world, and time alone can tel Of
Inc wisdom Of those deeds and 7thelf
influence on the LIE and destiny Of q
nation and its people. 1t has been al
most one and one-quarter centuries
since the thirteen American colonies
struck the first blow for independ epce.
The years that followed that strife
have disciosed to US It's results the es-
Establishment of a republic which is
without a parallel in the history OF the
human race. That was not . war
for conquest or political supremacy
It was a war in defense of home. coun-
try and the sacred rights Of man as
expressed in the Declaration Of INDIE
pendence, and based on that great
truth which Is the watchworq OF hus.
man liberty in the land All men are
created equal" The enforcement OK
severe and unjust laws upon the colo
nists by the mother country and the
despotic rule OF the British king was
a burden 10 be borne no longer. Taxa
ton without representation was not
to be tolerated. Groaning under these
burdens, our forefathers declared by
word, and proved by deed, that free-
dom Is the sacred RICH. of all men IN
common. Theirs was no Idle dream
Of liberty, nor was their purpose a
wild fancy, bua 1t was to do, to act,
and on that Immortal day, July 4, 1Il6,
their souls kindled and all atlame with
the spirit Of patriotism, the continental
congress, in the city OF philadelphia,
was passed the Declaration Of Inde-
pendence, and the streets OF that little
city resounded with wild shouts OF
10y, while the peaIs Of a triumphant
beii proclaimed liberty throughout all
the land. Liberty was their Gift to
the nation, but II was a gift OF great
price. It was purchaAed by the shed-
ding OF blood through q conflict that
lasted seven years
We Cheer Their Purpose.
We do not cheer them simply be-
cause they were brave men. nor be-
cause OF their heroic deeds, but be-
cause OF that for which they stood.
fought ana bled. Civil and religious
liberty and the equality Of all men
before the law had been inscribed by
them on oil our institutions. Our ma
tlonal character has been moulded by
their principle OF life and law. The
freedom Of the millions who live and
have lived under the American flag
Is the widest and highest freedom that
civilized man has ever inherited. That
liberty has made II possible Tor man
to develop his activities and usefulness
without limit or fear OF restraint py
any sovereign power, and the result Is;
thar under this liberty, and protected
by us sacred rights, this nation has,
In little more than hundred years
grown from thirteen struggling colo
nlea TO a republic of forty-four states
and over seventy millions OF people
This unparalleled growth OF our union
was made possible only by the sacrt-
fees, trials, sufferlngs and untold hard
ships OF men who welcomed the duty
that led them into the very Jaws OF
death to rescue this liberty from the
clutches OF tyranny. The Invisible
strength Of this nation has been built
upon the foundations laid by them.
Our development, national growth
and Increase OF commerce has been the
result OF their struggle.
In all the warfare Of the world'6 his
tory no higher type OF courage Is found
than thar exhibited by the revolution
airy patriot. What higher devotion. do
the pages Of history witness than that
OF those who serve their country with
out nay, with starvation staring them
in the face, enduring the blasts OF win
ter with but scant clothing, almost
without shelter and leaving footprints
OF blood upon the frozen ground. Such
herulsm Is not surpassed In all fhe cal-
endRr OF heroic deeds,
We cannot pass over these events
without feeling OF reverence for the
memory OF him whose name stands out
alone on the pages Of our nations his
tory, the greatest, the nobleBt, Ameri-
cam George Washington on this an
niversary day OF his birth we hailnW
Ms IlfLLuG hA ull uGNNA ftAAEANEHhlAg nav
done, but all the hDnors TINT we may
here bestow cannot do Justice to his
memory. His name will be Kept green
done, but all the generations Of this land
as "lrHt IN war, frst in peace and first
in the hearts OF his nountrymen." His
name and his deeds are an Inspiration
to q truer devotion 10 our cOuntry's
welfare. His name stands for heroic
achievement and compels us to higher
thoughts Of life and duty.
In the conflict for independence
scarce none Is entitled to higher
praise than the pioneer of the wilder
ness, for his life was only repetition
OF the privallOna and hardghips OF the
army or patriots who met the foe on
the battieholds Of the eastern states.
He built his home in the uneXplored
wilderness, and there defended u
ngnlnst the providing beasts OF prey and
the lurking RaVageS, whose trenchery
and iiendlsh cruelty have not been sur
passed by amy race of people In our
land BY his strong right nrm he f0lled
the forests, and prepared the way for
the westward march Of empire. In the
Btrugglc for independence the sturdy
yeomen Of the frontier played nm I'm
p0rtant part His savage foe OF the
wilderness was allied 10 the foe OF his
liberty. The pT1vationH Of wilderness
life, the trcaohcrous savage and his for
eign OpprasOr were combined foes
which he faced and helped TO conquer.
The Fiercest Conflict.
on the ground where We are now as
Bembled was waBed the hercest COM
fict OF the western frontier. Here stood
Fort Henry. famous IN our country's
history as tho scene or one OF the last
this spot which We hold in sacred rev.