Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1860-10-31
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-
tion with military instructon-the 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 armory, 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.
m:nts. This plan meets with our hearty
appreciation, believing as we do that,
If properly carried out, it will confer
lasting tenefit upon all connected with it.
One Of the most striking features of the
institutions of our country, is its voun.
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
n 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 every.
y 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, 10y learning that, with
an army of fifteen thousand men, al told,
N we are able to defend a sea coast many
N thousand miles in extent, and keep in
A HsubeCtion various tribes of turbulent and
Srestless Indians in the interior. And we
81 lare say his astonishment would be more
#augnemtod still, if he were to accompany
"a hostile army des gning to land upon our
Hshorcs for howouldlthen see an army
2ijse a. were out of the calth armed,
Ikclupped and disciplined, ready and able
" TO encounter the veteran soldiers, man
# for man. of the powerful and warike ma
tons Of Europe whose pastime is war and
8conqucst. And yet stranger, unacquain-
tied with ou institutions, might travel
from Maine to Texas--in fact many for
Weign tourists have done so--without meets
Ding with a single body of armed soldiers
y ct there is a military force in the Repub-
&llc, which, although not daily exhibited
Scn parade, is ever ready and amply aole
ITO resist invasion or avenge aggression -
Like the faithful clan of the brave High.
land Chieltain, Rhoderick Dhu, although
ho sound broke the silence which rested
Munon mountain and glen, and no living
thing appeared in sight upon the hill
sides, when the signal Of the Chief was
Bounded, every bush and tree seemed send
forth an armed warrior, until vale and hill
#wtre garrisonod with an army, eager to be
led to battle. Solet a 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 .....
The latent military prowess OF the Amer.
lean people has been signally manifest
ed, 10 the discontinue of the veteran
troops of Europe, on more than che san
culinary battle field, during the different
vars in which we have been engaged
md on every one in which they pariici-
Dated, it may be proudly asserted that
Pc volunteers of Pennsylvania were sec
nd to none in the rank of brave soldiers.
ket it, then, be our aim to maintain and
Pltivate this spirit, for we know not
4pw soon it may be called upon to defend
nc rights or main tain the honor Of the
opuntry. We know that TO no 9TH
source can the government apply in a
PIE of danger, and that no other power
hich they could invoke, could render ci>
ctual aia. 900
We may have something more to say in
oturc upon this subject. For the present
these remarko suffice adding, howev-
tho recommendation, that every COM
unity in our county, possessing the re-
lsite population, and not having done
already, will at once set about organic
volunteer company.
ks1~ During n trial Cor assault, at Passa-
last week, counsel asked the compai-
nt how hard the accused shook him.