The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1907-01-05
GREETINGS FROM
Mr.. ROGERS
His Tribute TO Fredericksburg Thinks
a History OF lis Past Should
be Written.
SAYS IT is NOW A LIVE, PROGRESSIVE CITY
FULL OF PUSH AND ENTERPRISE.
Against federalism Dstrusts Both Of the
Old Paries-A New Party Perhaps,
Needed Etc.

Against Federalism Distrusts Both Of The
Old Parties-A New Party, Perhaps
Needed, Etc.
Edge Hill. Jan >. 1901.
To The Free Lance.
The YuIetide < eetings. a merry Nmas
aud happy New Year 10 ihe Free
Lance and u the people of Fredericks
burg and all the region round about. !
especially desire 10 congratulate and
commend The Free Lance Tor it- recent
tlm,ly and patriotic utterancrs through
its editorial columns as tu thendyHucc Oi
Capitalization Keep up the light along
this line against the propaganda and
prrachments ui the koOsevelts aud Roots
who seem To stand Tor the ohiIteration
OF State lines AMI States rieht-, and
hose recent acts and utteran,r's threaten
by destruction our great magma charta
the constitution, and tO rear upon its
ruins an all-powerful, all-ahsOrblng Fed
eral empire at Washington. Keep up
the fight against this -uake-n Ihe-gra-s
encruachmemt upon our Iibertlc.. "Eter-
nal vigilance il the price OF liberty
IT may be that old fredericksburg may
add To her lllu-triOus glory already won,
M giving our country IN her dlrest need
John Paul JoI.r- aud Hugh Mercer
IN modern Mecklrnburg resolution Tor
freedom. Just here would commend
both for it, worth H. history aud ~ "a
lust need ul praise for it, auth Ir, IA vel
wnteen and interesting biography 81
Gen. Hugh Mercer. 10y judge john I
Goolrick. The author serm- tu have
spared neither time, labor nor pains H.
biz compilation ui historical data to
render honor 10 whom honor Il due
And while u tardy government has but
recently gIveI brlated recognition Ia TIN
merit and fame Oi this distinguished sol
oier by erecting at Fredericksburg his
native heath. a monument ln his melu-
DRY. but, like all monuments, II can tell
but little OF the hardshlps, the struggle
aud the hcrOism that the reared stones
arr intended 10 commemorate. This scan
only be- done 10y the faithful. impartial
and truthful historian or biographer ~
di-interpsted labor Oi love. In record
ing deeds that are more lasting monn-
ments than brass or stone. For 10 Is the
Lives Of great men all remind Us,
We can make our lives sublime,
And departing leave behind u@
Footprints on the sands ol time.
Such is the monument, more lofty and
Respondent with glory than mere stone
or brass. reared up 10y Judg' Il lolrick in
his Lii. aud Times of Gen. Hugh Mercer. -
And | may suggest 1t, "a history OF old
fredericksburg. his natal town, by this
agreeable writer would make interesting
reading and should b. next in order: for
she has history OF which her people
may we'll be proud. Her many sacrifices
for the cause she thought was right in
the strenuous times from iSGl-lS6J,
standing as kind OF halfway house,
whether for the marshalled Zoe with its
cry Of "On To Richmond, or the friend
whose cry was "On TO Washington, she
must bear her bosom to the storm Of
battle.
Cannon to right OF them,
Cannon to left OF them,
Cannon in front oi them,
Cannon behind them,
Volleyed and thundered,
Stormed at with shot and ii ell.
She laid her all upon the altar OF her
country nor counted the cost. Her best
monument then, emerging from war, a
| battle-scarred, devasted, desOlated town
OF ruined homes and blasted fortunes.
Her sacred soil the scene and playground
of the boyhood OF Washington. She has
a monument to Mary, the mother OF
Washington, and to Gen. Hugh Mercer.
She should have many Others.
But her crOwning monumental mon
ument OF deeds indeed-to which her peO-
pie can point with proudest graduation
! is that her sons, or rather what was lett
OF them, (for many had with Jackson and
Stuart taken higher position Upon
fames eternal camping ground,") re-
membering that peace hath her vic
tories greater than war, undaunted
Spartan stoics, phOenix-like, rose trium-
phant from the blackened ruins of heI
despoliation. The hum and buzz OF busi-
ness, push and enterprise took the place
of vain regrets, until every vestige OF the
havoc and ruin wrought by the invad-
ing hosts of Burnside had been replaced
by more commanding and imposing
structure, until what then sc med ire
parable calamity has become, through
thrift, enterprise and the art OF peace, al
most q forgotten episode. Such is
fredericksburg as saw it last fall, with
her waste places all built up and made
to blossom like the rose, "a live, e,prOgressiye
city, full of vim and push and enterprise,
stretching her limits, influence and trade
in every direction. May she so continue
TO spread herself until she shall become
the emporium of the trade OF the cOun-
try for fifty miles around about her, Oi
which she is the natural mart, is the
hope of one who can but wish her well
and success.
But back to my subject in which COM
mend The Free Lance and wish it honor
and success for it's loyalty to patriotism
and the people as against the encroach-
ments OF GENERALIZATION. Where are we
trending, whether Democrat or Republi-
can? From the view point OF a politi-
cal nondescript, | can see no difference
between the preachments OF Roosevelt,
who stands for Federalism I'd who will
do all in his power, aud he thinks he has
the power by construction OF the
Constitution, to cOerce sovereign
State in the exercise of its local laws to
obey Federal laws made by treaty-a
pernicious doctrine subversve OF liberty
And the dogmas OF Bryan, the great
apostle Of Democracy for governmental
ownership OF public utilities. Both OF
these doctrines or preachments have the
same psrnicious tendency in the subver-
sion OF liberty. Each of these great
party leaders by pronunciamento. at
least, are but making for the shortest
cut across to the same goal, Federalism,
Paternalism, Socialism. Will the people,
through mere fealty to party, follow
this wild delusion to the overthrow oi
our liberties? Or will they rouse
themselves at tie tocsin OF liberty,
throw of the yoke OF party, and with
the slogan OF back to the Constitution,
reassert our liberties?
After all, what is Rooseveltism with
it's cry for regulation, stretching the