Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1862-06-26
REMARKS OF GEO. D. PRENTICE.

At banquet given by the citizens
of Louisville, to Gen. Rousseau, the
following volunteer toast, sent to the
banquet, by Miss Sidney oarel, was Of
fered: 's13 I1o7a ,'s"3HCsE
"Geo. D. Prentice: He has proved
himself not prentice, but a master
mason in The reconstruction of the
Union" "a DC
Mr.. Prentice being loudly called for,
rose and said; -ss-'sS Pd 3
Ny friends, I rise simply to thank
the beautiful and accomplished young
lady for her fattering toast, and to
thank you for the honor you have done
me by your manner of receiving it.
This is one of thousand honors you
have done me, and 1 thank you for
them all. Whilst villifed and pursued
by myriads who know me not, it is
much to receive the hearty applause Of
the few who know me best. You will
not expect a speech from me; have
facilities for talking to you every day,
and therefore, upon such occasions as
this. it is fitting that / should stand
back for others. ~
But, my friends, 1 cannot resume
my seat without telling you how much
my heart is in this festival. We have
come together to honor man, patri-
OF, hero, whom we can scarcely hon.
or too much. A great debt is due to
Gen. Rousseau from our city, from our
State, from our nation. At the hands
of Louisville he deserves civic wreath
and a marble statue. He has stood
between her and .desolatioh. We all
know what bitter hostilities on the one
side, and what deep apprehensions and
misgivings on the other, be had to con-
tend against when he undertook the
bold enterprise Of raising a brigade to
resist the rebellion. The best patriots
among us doubted, and besitated, and
faltered, and attempted 10 divert him
from his purpose, and he was even
constrained by their appeals to go be-
yond the river, and erect upon the soil
of another State the glorious standard
around which he invoked Kentuckians
to rally. Denounced. maligned, and
cursed by all the rebels, he received at
best but a cold and reluctant and tim
id support from the masses of our loyal
men. : When he came one day from
his encampment, with two. full and
splendid regiments, to pass a single
hour in our city, the city of bis home
and his love, he marched bis cleaning
columns through our streets, amid an
almost deathless stiffness, his enemies
awed to silence by the appalling spec
tacle before them, and his friends
scarcely deeming it prudent to give ex-
preston to the enthusiams secretly
swelling in their bosoms.. It must
have been with Q keen sense of disap-
pointment, if not Of injustice and in
gratitude that heHetufned to the Indi,
ana shore. But ere long there came TO
us all night Of mystery and terror
Suddenly the electric telegraph be-
tween our city and Nashville ceased to
give forth its signs, and The railroad
train, anxiously awaited for hours,
came not.a In everylaleyal soul there
was deep .presentiment of impending
calamity. 1t pervaded and burdened
the atmosphere.vfBrave men gazed in.
to each others faces Jsnd whispered
their fears. Then it was that all loyal
eyes and hearts turned instantly Ito
Gen. Rousseau and his brigade. A
signal apprlsed him a Of sapprehended
danger, and, In an incredibly briet
space Of time, In less than two hours
he crossed the, Ohio and passed Hitt
his brigade so noiselessly through eul
,streets5 that even our citizens, iiyiuf
within thirty yards of his route. heart
3-t',i I.s.3