done so much
honor. On this occasion he was addressed by an assembly of the citizens
of Georgetown, through a special committee of four, in the following
language.*

* The committee consisted of Messrs. William D. James,
Robert Brownfield, Thomas Mitchell, and Joseph Blythe.--

"CITIZEN GENERAL--At the present juncture, when the necessity of public
affairs requires the military of this State to be organized anew, to
repel the attacks of an enemy from whatever quarter they may be forced
upon us; we, the citizens of the district of Georgetown, finding you no
longer at our head, have agreed to convey to you our grateful sentiments
for your former numerous services. In the decline of life, when the
merits of the veteran are too often forgotten, we wish to remind you
that yours are still fresh in the remembrance of your fellow citizens.
Could it be possible for men who have served and fought under you, to be
now forgetful of that General, by whose prudent conduct their lives
have been saved and their families preserved from being plundered by
a rapacious enemy? We mean not to flatter you. At this time it is
impossible to suspect it. Our present language is the language of
freemen, expressing only sentiments of gratitude. Your achievements may
not have sufficiently swelled the historic page. They were performed
by those who could better wield the sword than the pen--by men whose
constant dangers precluded them from the leisure, and whose necessities
deprived them of the common implements of writing. But this is of little
moment. They remain recorded in such indelible characters upon our
minds, that neither change of circumstances, nor length of time, can
efface them. Taught by us, our children shall hereafter point out the
places, and say, 'HERE, General Marion, posted to advantage, made a
glorious stand in defence of the liberties of his country--THERE,
on disadvantageous ground, retreated to save the lives of his fellow
citizens.' What could be more glorious for the General, commanding
freemen, than thus to fight, and thus to save the lives of his fellow
soldiers? Continue, General, in peace, to till those acres which you
once wrested from the hands of an enemy. Continue to enjoy dignity
accompanied with ease, and to lengthen out your days blessed with the
consciousness of conduct unaccused of rapine or oppression, and of
actions ever directed by the purest patriotism."

The artless language of this address wa