The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1863-08-27
ySBURG, PA, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27> 1868. .


prayer, and at length has given us abun-
dant reason for JOY and thanksgiving
And now, lest our gladness should be
excessive, He reminds us of the propriety
of mingling our lamentations with the
lofty acclamations of victory.
| 1t might be proper to glance briefly at
| the circumstances under which the Ian
guage before us was originally employed.
A wicked and wide spread conspiracy had
been formed that had for its object the
destruction of that government! which was
appointed and set up, and prospered and
| defended by God himself. Many who
| were under special obligation to sustain
| and strengthen the government of Israel
renounced their allegiance, and lent them
selves to aid rebellion which is as the
sin of witchcraft" The Kings own son
brought the guilt of treason upon his soul,
and rallied around the standard of revolt
| an ill-advised and countless multitude
That fearful insurrection seriously threat
ened the stability and unity and very
existence of the Is-aelitish nation. It
was, therefore, an absolute necessity to
defend the existing and legitimate gov
ernment against all its enemies. And
after hard fought battle in the woods of
Ephraim, victory perched upon the ban
ners Of the royal army. The military
success there achieved was decisive and
complete, and was the. death blow to
Absalom's infamous and unprovok ed re
bellion. King David did not accompany
the army On that memorable expe dition,
but still he felt an absorbing interest 10
the issue of the conflict, and was specially
concerned for the safety of a rebel son
who had taken up arms against his crown
and kingdom. When he learned the fate
Of battle, and felt the bitterness of his
bereavement intensified by the reflection
that Absalom had died not only In the
midst of his days but also in the midst of
his sins, the dignity of the monarch was
lost sight of and forgotten, and the feel>
ings Of a fathers heart gained the mas
terry. He was moved to tears, and wept,
and said, 'Would cd that had died for
thee, my son, my SON." The valiant
warriors who had hazarGed their lives on
the high places of the field for the honor
and glory their king and nation were
deeply affected at the sight, "aud gat
them by stealth>th day into the city, as
people being ashamed steal away when
they fee in battle and the victory that
day was turned into mourning"
Is 1t difficult to discover many points of
striking similarity between that nation
and our own ? The resemblance appears
not on ly in the early history and in the
rapid material prosperity, but also in the
perilous times upon which unhappily we
have fallen The conspiracy to destroy
our government conceived and matured
by men in high piaces-the armed revolt
and terrible conflict and immense sacrifice
of human life in order to make the treason
successful, and the signal discontinue of
the rebel army completes the likeness,
and strengthens our conviction that the
issue of the conflict will be like that de-
struction with which Absaleni's rebellion
was overwhelmed and anuihilated
May it not be truly said of the impor-
tant victories with which Providence has
crowned our armies that mourning is
mingled with them all :? Let US contem-
plate, merely for moment, the circum-
stances Of actual battle, and the terrible
consequences which necessarily result
from hard fought engagement between
two hostile armies And here we must
remember that the half has never been
told of the sorrows and sufferings endured
by our country's brave defenders. Cor
respondents On the field can see but
small part of the wild dash aud i,npetuous
charge in which many@a hero falls to rise
no more even what is seen is beyond the
power of human language so to describe
that We can form proper conceptions of
the dread reality And yet enough is
seen and heard, understood and felt to
verify the remark that the voice of
mourning is heard amidst the shouts of
victory. While some rejoice, others feel
the bitterness of wars desolation. Every
victory costs price that is wholly meal
culable. We speak not now of the waste
of perishable property, of fields ravaged
and fruitful valleys trampled into will
derness. Nor do we refer to the immense
slaughter among the brute creation, nor
the countless treasures spentin in sustaining
the deadly combat. There is a. cost in
victory beyond the power of an angels,
arithmetic to reckon in the wounds and
bruises and pains inflicted upon the actual
combatants. None but those who have
gone over the battle field during or imme-
diately after hot encounter can form any
proper conception of the agony felt by
hundreds and thousands recently whole
and hale, now MANNED and bleeding aud
helpless, How would we stand sghas. at