Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1861-08-15
From the Louisville Journal
Speech Of Hon. Joseph Holt,

From the Louisville Journal.
Speech Of Hon. Joseph Holt,
To the kentucky Troops at Camp aJoe
.iais 3g7i Hoh," Indiana. b -
In accordance whith an invitation of the
troops at Camp "Joe Holt, !" requesting the dis
tinguished Secretary Of War to visit them,
the Hon. Joseph Holt went over to the encamp-
ment on Wednesday afternoon. The camp is
beautifully located at the Falls of the Ohio. in
the midst of the remains Of former Forest
An immense concourse of ladies and gentlemen
both of Indiana and Louisville, were present on
this interesting occasion. The troops, uniform
ed and armed. were drawn up in front of the
stand occupied by Mr.. Holt and Gen. Rousseau,
and they presented fine appearance. They
look As if Kentucky martial renown viii not be
likely to retrograde in their guardianship.-
About 4o'clock p. M. Gen. Rousseau very grace
fully introduced Mr.. Holt to the troops. prepar-
which We publish below.
The readers Of this eloquent contribution Of
genius will admire its many and varied beau-
ties, bat in the midst of their admiration We
can truly say what Eschines said of the great
speech of Demosthenes for the Crown. Es-
chimes was the rival orator in this great contest
and the triumph Of Demosthenes was accompa-
MED with the banishment of Eschipes. He
went to Rhodes, and became teacher in that
island. On one occasion he read the two ora
tions 10 his pupils, and in the midst of their ex-
pressions of admiration for the Grafton of De-
mosthenes, Eschines exclaimed. "If you admire
it in my reading, what would you have done
had YOU heard Demosthenes deliver itr' We
had the unspeakable pleasure of hearing Mr..
Holt deliver The speech at the camp, pleasure
that no one can reach from reading or hearing
it from any other source. 1t was listened to
with profound sttention by the immense audi
tory, and it frequently called forth, in its pro-
gress. the most raptsrous applause,
Mr.. Holt leaves here Tomorrow, and carries
with him the profound gratitude of thousands
of the Union men and women of kentucky,
whose hearts have been touched by the elec-
trio fires Of his patriotic genius ard elouuence:
FELLOW. .CrrrzExs AND SOLDIERS: 1 saw citi-
zens, since YOU are still such. it is because YOU
have resolved that no earthly power shall rob
Won of this proud title, or in any manner cur
tail the privileges and blessings associated
with it, that you have become soldiers. Your
soldiership is but the stately armour you have
donned for the purpose of doing battle in de-
fense of that ciiizensbip, which is at once the
most intense and the most truthful expression
of your political life.
No moor words of mine could adequately con-
vey to YOU the grateful emotions inspired by
the kindness and warmth of this welcome. /
should have reioiced to meet you anywhere
How full, therefore, the measure of my happi-
ness to meet YOU here in such presence, and
amid the thrilling associations inseperable from
the scene. you can we'll understand should
have felt proud to have my name connected
with the humblest entrapping of your encamp-
ment, but to have linked it with the epeamp-
mpnt itself, and thus inscribed as it were upon
one of the ll-stones that mark your progress
toward those fields of danger and of fame that
await you, is at once an homer and token of
your confidence and good will for which l can
not be too profoundly thankful.
1t is not my purpose to occupy you with any
political discussion. The cleaning banner, the
glistening bayonets, and the martial music, and
indeed all that meets the eve and ear on this
tented field, admonish me with you at least
the argument is exhausted, and that You have
no longer doubts to solve or hesitating convic-
tions to confirm Your resolution is taken, and
YOU openly proclaim that, let others do as they
will, as for yourselves, unchilled by tie Arctic
airs of neutrality, you are determined to love
your country, and, unawed by traitors, to fight
Its battles, and, if need be, lay down your lives
for its preservation. 1t is indeed transporting
to the patriots heart to look upon the faces of
men thus sublimely resolved, and there is for
me positive enchantment in the very atmos-
phere whose pulsations have been stirred by
the breathings OF their heroic spirits. Now that
the booming of the cannon OF treason and the
cry OF men stricken unto death for hdeiity to
our flag are borne to us on almost every breeze,
it is narrowing to the soul to be dragged into
companionship with those who still vacillate,
who are still timidly balancing chances ard
coldly calculating losses and gains-who still
persist in treating this agonixed struggle for ma
tional existence as petty question of commerce
and deliberately take off their scales and weigh
ia our presence the beggarly jewels of trade
against the life OF our country.
Soldiers. next TO The worsnip OF tne Father
OF us all, the deepest and grandest OF human
emotions Is the love OF the land tnat gave us
birth. 1t is an enlargement and exaitaton Of
al the tenderest and strongest tymPatnies OF
kindred ana OF nome., In al centuries aaG
ciimes 1t has hved' and has dened ehains ana
dungeons and racks to crush IT, II mas streweo
the earth with its monuments. and has shed un-
dying luster on Thousand nelds on when 1t
Thermopvl@ giows like some mountain peak
on which the morning sun has risen, because
twenty three hundred years ago, the hailowlng
passion touched its mural precipices on Its
frowning crags. 1t is easy. however, to be pat
riotic In piping times OF peace, and in the sun
ny hour of prosperity. 1t Ia national sorrow-
Il is war, with its attendent perils and horrors,
that tests this passion, and winnows from the
masses of those no. with all their lore of life
still love their country more While your pres
ent position is most vivid and impressive IL
lustration Of patriotism, peciiar and altogether
its own. The mereenary armies which nave
spread VIGOROUSLY all over the world and nave
gathered so many OF the laureis that history
has embalmed, were but machines Qr1leQ lntO