Year: 1860

The following touching passages are contained
in the speech of the Hon. Mr. Boteler, delivered
in the House few weeks ago. We honor the
head and the heart from which they proceeded
The incidents narrated cannot fail to moster
every eye by which they are persuaded. The
language employed for the purpose, is the Ian
guage of elevated patriotism


The district which represent, and the county
! from which cOme-that county made famous 10y
the raid of Brown-was the first, the very first
in all the South, to send succor to Massachusetts,
In one of the most beautiful spots in that beau
tiful county, within rife shot of my residence, at
the base of the hill where a glorious spring
leaps out into sunlight from beneath the gnarled
roots of thunderriven oak, there assembled on
the 10th of July. 1775 the very first band of
Southern men who marched to the aid Of Massa-
chusetts. They met there, and their rail- ying cry
was " bee-lne for Boston,"


That beautiful and peaceful valley had never
been polluted by the footsteps of foe ; for even
the Indians themselves kept it free from the in-
curson of the enemy. 1t was the hunting range
and neutral ground of the aborigines. This band
assembled there, and "a bee-line for Boston"
was made from thence. Before they marched
they made pledge that all who survived would
assemble there fifty years after that day. 1t was
nv pride and pleasure to be present when the
fifty years rolled around. Three aged, feeble,
tottering men-the survivors of that glorious
band of one hundred and twenty-were all who
were left to keep their trust, and be faithful to
the pledge made fifty years before to their COM
panions, the bones of many of whom were
bleaching on the Northern hills.


Sir, have often heard from the last survivor
of that band of patriots, the incidents of their
first meeting and their march how they made
some six hundred miles in twenty days-tbirty
miles day-and how. as they neared their point
of destination, Washington, who happened to be
making a reconnaissance in the neighborhOOd,
saw them approaching, and recognized the lin
sey-woolsey hunting shirts of old Virginia, rode
up to meet and greet them to camp how. when
he saw their captain-bis old companion in arms
Stephenson. who stood by his side at the Great
Meadows on Braddock's fatal fed and in many
an Indian campaign, and who reported himself
to his commander as " from the right bank Of the
Pofomdc"-he sprang from his horse and clasped
his old friend and companion in arms with both
hands He spoke no word of welcome, but the
eloauence of silence told what his tongue could
not articulate. He moved along the ranks, sha-
king the hands of each, from man to man, and
all the wbile-as my informer told me the big
tears were seen coursing down his manly cheek.


Ay, sir, Washington wept And why did the
glorious soul of Washington swell with emotion
Why did he weep? Because he saw that the
cause of Massachusetts, was practically the cause
of Virginia because he saw that her citizens
recognized the great principles involved in the
contest. These Virginia volunteers had come
spontaneously. They had come in response to
the words of her Henry, that were leaping like
live thunder through the land telling the people
of Virginia that they must fight. and fight for
Massachusetts,. They had come to rally by
Washington's side, to defend your fathers, fire
sides, to protect their homes from harm. Well.
the visn has BEEN returned. John Brown selected
that very county as the spot for his invasion
and, as was mentioned in the Senate, the rock
where Seeman fell was the very rock over which
Morgan and his men marched few hours after
Hugh Stevensons command had crossed the
river some two miles further up.


May this historical reminiscence reklndle
the embers of patriotism in our hearts Why
should this nation of ours be rent In pieces by
the irrepressible conflict? Is 1t irrepressible
The battle will not be fought out here. When
the dark day comes, come it may, when this
question that now divides and agtates the hearts
Of the people can only be decided by the bloody
arbitrament of the sword, it will be the saddest
day for us and all mankind that the sun oil
Heaven has ever shown upon.