Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1862-09-04
The Grand Opportunity.

| The following article from the Boston Jour-
nal is to the point, and strikes with force
Young men, read it
| We often think as we look on the mutitudes
of hale young men, without families, who are
| thronging our streets and filling up every place
OF amusement, whether they are conscious that
in rejecting the invitations to join the army Of
the Union, they are letting slip grand op
| portunity for which they may feel deep regret
aud chagrin hereafter. However they may
| have duled the sensibilites of youth, then
hearts still warm at the memory OF the great
ages and actions of the past. Can they read
the pages of Bancroft Prescott, or Morley, or
the stories Of the memorable epoch of England
and France and not feel the wish that they,
| too, had lived in the heroic times when immor-
taI3honor was won? And can they Eee that
| precisely such times are now passing around
them? Never in the history of this country,
at least, were there such abundant chances for
gaining honorable distinction are now open,
ed up to every young man Of strong arm and
! clear head and of ambition fit for anything in
this life.
| And hereafter, when the Union shall have
risen redeemed aud renewed from this bap-
| tism Of blood, how will these delinquents feel
! Will they want to rehearse to their children
any of the stirring passages Of this drama
which will then have almost supeiceded in in
tereSt the story of the1Reyolution Of '7G2 Did
! you ever see battle 2" What part of the
army were you in p "W hat ? d million of
soldiers called for, and you not go at all
why ?" Who wishes, il his declining years, to
| face battery of such questions ? Bat it is
rot alone in domestic circles that the heavy
| penalty Of present recreancy will have to be
paid We may be sure that hereafter, in
| politics, in business, aud in the regards Of the
| community, wide distinction will be drawn,
| separating from all others the young man who
| had no valid excuse for staying away from this
war and yet did 50. Common rectitude and
! common sense require that this should he So
! What, the country i'll imminent peri! aud say
| ed on!y by the blood Of thousands, yet those
who turned their backs upon her to be regard
| ed as well rs those who ran every risk in her
service? Never. Let 10 Young nan dcIudc
himself on this point.
! But We trust there will be little or no dis
position to look at the matter from this mega
| tive point of view. So far as volunteers are
concerned they should come forward willing,
! Is stimulated bytheir convictions aud hopes,
rather than pushed OF by warnings aud fears
! There is enough that is posi- tive TO allure men
into the ranks now 50 rapidly forming. Is any
| one ambitious Of Merrilcd honor All other
avenues are worthless compared to this
Does any one dcsire to be useful to the utmost
in his Gay aud generation Here is the path
marked out for bin beyond all mistake Does
any Que desire 10 strengthen all those qualities
! which communal success in life Where can
| it be done 50 well as amid the responsibilities,
active duties, dlscIp aud self reliance OF the
camp /! the man ouIy has the right stuff
! IN him, year or tWo'S service in the field
| makes bin twice aS much of man for all The
ordinary pursuits and professions Of life Bat
there are hardshipS to be encountered So
| much the worse, than that you should beliber-
atcIy throw them on the shoulders of Others -
But what are hardShipS TO a live American ?
1t is our glory that we have lived and thiiyed
on them, aud made them our beuelactorS-
Sinking du;y is about the hardest thing our
! cOuGtrYmcn can ever undertake.
But death is found on the battle field. But
where Is be not found He is the one uua
| vOIdable, inevitable enemy Of our lives o. all
| the uncOnnted myrIadS Of the human race, but
two have escaped his Scythe. 1t is no use to
/ think OF Guiding his presence for he would
even 90 with US, aud might even be plotting Us
| into his very SnareS Think Of what occurred
IN the family Of eX Governor Briggs-the sou
has been IN many battles aud is yet safe, while
the horored luther was killed by the ace den
tai discharge of gun in his own house Less
SrIkIng bat similar instances are aiFarOund US
But where can brave mau die better than on
The Held 0i glorious service to his country 2
But the deaths III battle are really few and
disease, whith has been much more destruct-
i've, will henceforth be greatly mitigated by
Increased experience and care The season of
the year in which the new Ievics will take the
field and flush the rebellion, will be ennent!y
favorable. All things, in fact, are now favor,
able for enlistment Thousands Of every CON
ditOn and rank in life are coming forward, so
that every one can select his own comrades, of
like characters, and of the same ntghborhood
They will give tone to all with whom they ara
associated, thus escaping the evils which beSet
ordinary camp life They will carry with them
the safe guards of home, aud a generous rivalry
that will but strengthen and adorn the incen-
tiveS of soldier. Nothing, in short, is now
wanting to the brilliant opportunity for useful
ness and distinction held out TO the loyal young
men Of America, but that they should accept
it in the spirit of genuine patriots, and press
onward in the enabling discharge Of its
duties. Let none neglect it, for once passed
it Will never return.
ESg@ Gov CURTIN has been urging upon the