Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1861-12-05
Words spoken at a Momentous
Time

Shortly after Abraham Lincoln assumed
the duties of President of the United States,
while traitors infested the National Capital,
and the gloom of rebellion was fast thicken-
ing over the face of the country, he was Wis
tied by several Governors of as many States,
among whom was the chosen son of Penn
sylvania, Andrew G. Curtin. The Presi-
dent was contemplating how to act. He
seemed to be selfwilled, and had the nerve,
but something like doubt fingered in his
mind He paced the floor in a meditatiye
mood some time. and said but little. There
was soemnity in the crowd of intelligent
men and statesmen around him, that indl-
Gated deep, thoughtful contemplation.
Each of the limited party present had
already expressed his views upon the i'm
portance of the occasion. The whole ma
chinery of the Government was in bad or
der, and in the several departments there
were traitors still clogging the wheels.
An unbidden tear started down the cheek
of the patriot President, but be nerved him
self for the work before him. The Temple
of Liberty was tottering indeed; column
after column was falling. His mission
was the arduous one of rebuilding it. The
President seated himself in chair, once
adorned by Washington, the Father of his
Country, when all at ance he sprang to his
feet, and exclaimed: "Gentlemen, the Un-
ion and the Constitution must be saved
have been contemplating whether the States
will respond to my proclamation. if | issue
it now. Governor Curtin, what will Penn
sylvania do p
Gov. Curtin, who was standing looking
out of window, turned and confronted the
President, and replied, "What will Penn
sylvania do? Why sir, she'll furnish a
hundred thousand men IN q aoeek, III be ne
cessary." This noble and prompt reply of
the favored son of the blue mountains of the
Keystone State clinched the nail. They
were the right words spoken at moment
Gus time. The eye of the Sringfeld states
man grew brighter, his tall manly form
stood more erect, and shaking hands with
the Governor, said, ''those words encourage
me, they take all doubt from my mind,
they ease my heart of heavy weight, my
proclamation shall issue to-nao1roD."
Joy beamed as brightly in that congrega :
| tion of intelligent men, as the sun ever did,
after gloomy day.
| The proclamation was issued, and when
the unseen electric spark sped the announce
ment to all parts of the country, couple of
companies from the interior of the State of
! Pennsylvania responded, and forthwith
they arrived at the Capital of the Nation.
Pennsylvania was first in the field, almost
before the ink was dry in the proclamation !;
and the glorious old State has now more
men, good, solid, noble, true-hearted. patri-
otic men in the American Army than any
other State in the Union, and has few
more of the same sort left.
But for the reply of Gov. Curtin, or had
he hesitated for single moment, the issu-
ing of the proclamation would have been
delayed at time when weeks were months
and months were years. Pennsylvania had
her hundred thousand men ready by the
time the National Government wanted them,
and thus the words of our own active. pa
triotic, and prophetic Governor have been
well fulfilled to the very letter. He may be
truly considered the "hero of the aoar." I'M
partial history will give praise to Gov. Cur
tin. His name will be as familiar as house
hold words among all patriotic, Union-lov-
ing people, long after the names of the few
miserable wretches who are so lost to all
feelings Of virtue, respect, and manliness as
to calumniate him, shall have rotted with
their carcasses in the grave of deep and
Olank oblivion.
His name is q tower of strength, and will
increase in power as time progresses. Sell
fshness is not in his vocabulary. He
stands this day in the wild sea of public
opinion, like proud, defiant rock in mid
ocean, around and against which the aoaves
are expected to lash, but to 90 back into
calm water again, without doing any harm.
His noble reply to President Lincoln. when
men of iron nerve were wanted, is a stamp
of the true character of the man. 1t was
the musical ring of the true metal, the joy
Gus tone of victory at the beginning, and
the death-knell of thieving usurpation and
foul rebellion = Weekly Neacs.
va The Louisville Journal says: We hear
of more reports from the Confederate States
than the booming of our victorious cannon
The secession press is alarmed, and let's ou
wholesome truths. The Raleigh IN. c..
| Standard declares that "unless the move.
ment (of our naval expeditions) is stopped a
once by the strong arm of the confederate
States, more than half the counties of tbit
State will be attached to the Black Republi-
can government before the Union Congress
meets" 1t seems too that the public officers
| in North Carolina are as ready to secedt
from secession as the people, for the same pa
per says: 1T is very evident that the State
authorities will never make move in tha
direction, owing to the reason that they are
| in tho aama NTH the TInioniafs ~ Thio :,