North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1863-09-09
The Pennsylvania Germans.

AHC EcHnSyIFauia NSermauss
The following is an extraat from an address
delivered by Hon Feorge W. Woodward. on
the occasion of laying the corner stone oi
monument in honor of Gov. Skunk, at the
Trappe, in Montgomery countyp soon after
the death Of that honored patriot. 1t con-
tains we'll merited tribute ro the Germans
of PENNSYLVANIA and we make room for it with
pleasure:
Here, too, let the monument of this man
be built. To carry out its expression and
appropriate associations, this is the place for
1T. The monument to the Swiss who fell at
Paris defending the King in 100, is in the
very heart of the land whose children they
were, and in which their faithfulness was
taught and cherished. 1t is cut out of their
native crags, in the midst of their beloved
mountains. The same law of association To-
Gates Shunk's monument here While its
shadows fall softly on his grave. let it mark
also the place Of his nativity. and where he
mbibcd those noble sentiments and affections
which SO strikngIy illustrated and adorned
his life.
Undoubtedly Governor Shunk's German
blood and language helped his advancement
in public favor. Germans, attracted at an
early day by the fame of Penn, came in great
numbers from tho father land and settled IN
Pennsylvania, and have already formed
large and most respectable portion of our
population. Though mixed with people of
different habits of thought and action, Who
have displayed in Pennsylvania all the activ-
ity, energy and enterprise that belong to the
Scotch, Irish and Yankees, yet the German
have maintained their asccndency both in
wealth and in social and political influence
Love Of country patient Industy sound
judgment, and inhcxible integrity are char
actcriStcs of the people, and how these quail
tiles have impressed the people of other ex
traction III Pennsylvania, may be seen in the
fact that our chief executive office has been
entrusted TO German for more than half
the time since the adoption of the Constitu-
ton of 1880. Snyder, HeiSter Shultz, Wolf;
Htncr and Skunk were all Germans and so
is that incstma BILE man recently nominated
by aclamation, Col. William Bigler. In our
Legislative halls and in government depart
ments the Germans have always had large
representation. In the deveIopement of the
agricultural resources Of Pennsylvania, they
have led the way, and done more to dem
onStratc the wisdom and profitabIeness of
good farming than any other class of our peo-
pie. They love good land and they know
how to make good use it. Where on our
in our world, will you
find more independence, contentment and
solid comfort than in the German families of
our limestone valleys? 1t is a pleasant
thought that a race of Governors has been
nurtured amid the Iich luxuriance and the
exemplary virtues of these valleys, pleas
ing thought it is too, that we have come at
length, to erect in the bosom of one of the
fo7ellcst of the valleys, monument to one
of the nobIcst of those German Governors.
The people may we'll love Skunk and honor
his memory, for he was an exponant, an en-
bodied expression of the characteristics OF
his race-and they may look on this monu
ment as peculiarly theirs, as memorial of
what they have done for Pennsylvania, a
concrete tribute 10 the virtues, the manly
Independence, and the stern republicanisn of
PendSUlrduiu EerUlHu