Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1860-10-31
CLASS 26.
The Citizen Soldiery.


The Citizen Soldiery.
One of the recent enterprises of the en-
ergetic citizens of our borough, has been
the successful effort among our young
men TO establish volunteer company, or
military association, intended as we have
Understood to combine mental cu.tiya-
ton with military instruction-th i'm
provement of the mind and morals, as
well as the gait of the individual. With
this in view, the association intend con-
meeting with its afmory, club or lecture
room, which will be kept open for the
members at all times as reading room,
and be also adapted to giving public lee,
lures and other intellectual entertain.
ments. This plan meets with our hearty
APPRECIATION, believing as we do that,
ii properly carried out, it will confer
lasting tenefit upon all connected with il.
NJ One Of the most striking features of the
institutions of our country, is its volun.
teer military force The foreign travel.
Ter, accustomed to the presence of the
vast standing armies of Europe, which
yearly drain the best blood of the land to
Keep up their ranks, is amazed beyond
measure, when he reaches the chief cities
and towns of this country, at the entire
absence Of that familiar sight at home
bodies Of armed soldiers which eyeryG
where throng the streets and thorough
fares of the Capitals on the other side Of
the Atlantic. Upon turning to the sta
tisticS of the Federal Government, his sur,
prise is increased, by learning that, with
an army of fifteen thousand men, al told,
we are able to defend sea coast many
thousand miles in extent, and keep in !
subjection various tribes of turbulent and
fostless Indians in the interior, And we
dare say his astonishment would be more
augmented still, if he were to accompany
a hostile army DIES gning to land upon our
shores for he would then see an army
rise rs it we're out of the earth, armed.
equipped and disciplined, ready and ableI
10 encounter the veteran soldiers, man
gior man, of the powerful and warlke ma |
tions of Europe, whose pastime is war and |
conquest. And yet a stranger, unacquain
ted with oui institutions, might travel |
from Maine to 'Fexas-in fact many for
seign tourists have done so-without meets
ing with a single body of armed soldiers
y ct there is a military force in the Repub-
lc, which, although not daily exhibited |,
on parade, is ever ready and amply aoe |
TO resist invasion or avenge aggression Il
Like the faithful clan of the brave High
land Chieitain, Rhoderick Dhu, although
no sound broke the silence which rested /
upon mountain aud glen, and no living
thing appeared in sight upon the hill /
sides, when the signal OF the Chief was
sounded, every bush and tree seemed send
forth an armed warrior, until vale and hill
were garrisoned with an army, eager TO be
led to battle. So let foreign foe appear
in hostile array in sight of our shores, aud
the land would instantly be seen bristling
with bayonets in the hands of our brave
citizens, all ready and willing to defend
the soil to the last. t't.
The latent military prowess OF the Amer.
lean people has been signally manifest
ed, TO the discontinue of the veteran
troops of Europe, on more than one san
culinary battle field, during the different
wars in which we have been engaged
and on every one in which they parici-
pated, it may be proudly asserted that
ihe volunteers of Pennsylvania we're sec.
ond to none in the rank Of brave soldiers 8
LET It, then, be our aim to maintain and /,
cultivate this spirit, for we know not
now soon it may be called upon to defend |
the rights or maintain the honor of the
country, We know that to no 9th
er source can the government apply in
time of danger, and that no other nower
which they could invoke could render Of.
fectual aid. . ,.f1.. Fl
We may have something more to saw in l
future upon this subject. For the present
let these remarks suffice adding, howey, !.
'er, the recommendation, that every com. j
munity in our county, possessing the re, =
quisite population, and not having done
so already, will at once set about organic /,
lng volunteer company.
D6s~ During trial for assault, Mt Passa-
~ last week, counsel asked the complai-
pant how hard the accused shook him.