Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1906-06-21
Speech of Edward Casper Stokes,
Governor Of New Jersey

Speech of Edward Casper Stokes,
Governor Of New Jersey.
This is one of the DAYS that refute
the notion that New Jersey is out of
/ the Union It recalls the part she took
as a, colony in the long struggle which
ended in the creation of the American
Republic
AS our guests on this occasion, we
/ have the Governor of the State of Will
/ liam Penn, that famous Quaker and
4 founder Of commonwealth who owned
I at one time large portion of Jersey
/ land, the State whose troops made on
this spot as gallant defense as Leon
idas at the pass of Thermopylae
New Jersey. occupied a perilous posi-
ton those times which, as Payne wrote
just before the Battle of Trenton,
tried mems souls" 1t was the cen
trail battle ground of the Revolution.
From his coming, previous to the Bat
tie of Lexington, until his farewell adj
dress to the Armies of the United
States, written at the Berrien House
at Rocky Hill, Washington spent one
quarter of his time in our State. Ly
ing between the cities of Philadelphia
and New York, New Jersey was not
only the necessary highway for the
march of troops and the clash of con-
tending armies, but its farms with
their cattle and horses and grain and
supplies, were a continuous temptation
7 to raiding and pillage and plumber.
Whatever royal sympathizers there
were in the State at the outset of hos
tilitieS a natural condition in rural
Commonwealth where there were no
large cities and where the chief desire
of the people was to be let alone, were
soon transformed into intense opposi-
ton and bitterness to the Royal cause
by the excuses and outrages of the
Anglo-Hessian troops. Governor Liv-
ingston said in an address to the Coun-
Gil and Assembly at Haddonfeld in
1777, 1.-THE rapacity OF the British is
boundless, their rapine indiscriminate
and their barbarity unparalleled. They
have plundered friends and foes. They
have committed hostilities against the
professors of literature and the minis
ters of religion, against public records
and private muniments. and. books of
and against the arts and sciences. They
have butchered the wounded asking
for quarter, mangled the dying weller
ing in their blood, refused to the dead
rites Of sculpture, suffered prisoners
to perish for want of sustenance, dis
figured private dwellings, and in the
rage of impiety and barbarism pro-
famed edifices dedicated to Almighty
Cod" Such bitter language as this
could not have been uttered by the
. Chief Executive of the State without
intense provocation. Massacres at
Quinton's and Hancock's Bridge, at Old
Tappan and at Tuckerton were in
stances that served to strengthen the
American party in our State and make
it highway of rejoicing when Wash
ington crossed on his way to take at
! New York. the oath of office as Presi-
dent Welcome indeed to the happy
I hearts now safe from danger, was this
man who had more than once freed the
State from an insolent and insulting
foe, and the inscription that greeted
him as he entered the city of Trenton,
"The defenders of the mothers will be
the protectors of the daughters" was
declaration of gratitude inspired by
the memory of the sufferings of the
/ people of this colony at the hands of
the British soldiery.
Two names stand out conspicuously
among the influential factors prior to
and during the struggle for independ-
ence. William Livingston, Governor
I of the State from 1776 to 1890. and
John Witherspoon, President of Prince
/ ton College. To these perhaps should
be added their associate. Isaac Collins
i whose newspaper, the New Jersey
Gazette" was the organ of the Ameri-
can party.
Livingston as Governor Of the State
and President of the Council of Safety,
was the Joel Parker of the Revolution
+ in New Jersey He assisted in the
raising and organizing of the troops
and in securing the funds necessary
for their maintenance while in the
j field. He stood firm against Tory IN
fuence and was vigorous in their de
lection and punishment He was
trusted BY Washington, the Continen-
4 tai Congress and the patriots generally
as a pillar of support second only per-
haps to Patrick Henry. He was man
Of culture and fine diction and his con
tributions to the revolutionary cause
under the nom de plume Of Hortentius,
were fine specimens of English litera!
ture and disputation.
j John Witherspoon, the George vii.
! liam Curtis Of that day, commanding
figure in the Continental Congress,