The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1863-08-27
a Page ofampnraiaI EEi.lory

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a Page ofHmpnrtiaI History
When the red hand Of rebellion was raised
against the emblem Of civil and religious lib
erty the people were appalled,. The nation,
30 to speak, was apparently poWerless for
time Our big ships of-war had been sent to-
distant waters. Our arsenals and forts in the
North had either been robbed or relieved of
their little garrisons. The small army of 2, 4
500 United States Regulars had been sent
South under the command Of the
meanest Of the traitors, Gen. Twiggs
by the order Of the band of con-
spirators, who though soIemnly sworn to sup
port the Constitution, were plotting to over
throw It, The country then was impalled in
gloom. President Lincoln had very recently
been sworn into his high and very response
bic position, surrounded, as he was then, by
few armed soldiers and patriotic citizens
VINO sprang to such arms as they could read
ny obtaIE. Treason Haunted its red flag ali
over Washington at that period. 1t was then
that President Lincoln called around him the
Governors Of the loyal States, to advise with
them on the desperate nature Of the emergen-
cy.
They met in the White House 1t was a
sort Of premature, mental Valley Forge
.GentIemen,' said the President tn that
little party Of patriotic men, ''the machinery
Of the nation is out Of order. We must run
it as we findit. It's 5r.CeIIigent wheels, its
rods' DEUS are separated, but the boiler seems
70 ~ Pe III W must repair the work with
such SKIN an" ingenuity as we possess. There
Is VISION in council and therefore | have
called you that we may reason together
What shall we do to crush out this foul Re
bellion and preserve the country from wreck =?
i
hdence in an everything Providence in all
emergencies that may arise. 1t is time for
work." continued the President ''What shall
l do about issuing proclamation to the peo-
ple?"
The President with his bands folded behind
his back, paced up and down the apartment.
The six or seven Governors, who formed his
auditors, We're wrapped in the mantle Of deep
meditation. Each expressed his opinion, but
they were punctuated with too many Ifs or
ands."
While all this was going on, Gov. Andrew
G. Curtin, fresh from his Blue-Mountain home
was standing at the window looking through
the panes, upon which he was drumming,
and at the same time he was humming ''Hail
Columbia" He was an attentive listener to
all that was going He had not yet been
approached by the President. Presently there
was profound silence in that small but thought
full party OF distinguished gentlemen,
Mr.. Lincoln finally broke the silent spell,
and, standing erect in all the pride of West
ern gentleman, turned to Mr. Curtin and
said: candy, what will Pennsylvania do if
issue my proclamation p
Silence still more profound prevailed. 1t
was momentous question. 1t seemed as if
the fate Of the country depended on the reply
about to be made. Manifest destiny trembled
in the balance.
Gov. Curtin, still drumming on the panes
with his fingers as aforesaid, turned, faced the
President and with uplifted hands said
"What agjU PeaaSylCania 10 ?" Here he
paused
dol" another pause.
"HhB sir" with emphasize ifyou issue
yo~r proclamation, Pennsylvania ujU furnish
go" q hu1dred Housaad men IN a a9eek''
Give me your hand, Andy" said the Pres
ident, and as heconvulsively grasped the same
and then throwing his arms around him, he
calculated: 'Ibaak God .tor tbot noble reply.
'9tL at once issue mig proclamatjo@."
The President of the Great American ma
honIshed tears-they were tears of ioy-which
mingled with those that suffuscd the cheeks
OF the patriot Governor ofthe Keystone State.
The gloom that enshrouded that concave of
men now passed away like the morning mist
'ARS
revived the dropping spirits, Joy took the
place OF sorrow the Governors sprang to their
feet and with one accord congratulated Mr.
Curtin
The Governor of Pennsylvania telegraphed
the fact Of the forthcoming proclamation to
the capitol of the State, from which it radIa-
ted to all parts. 1t was announced on the
newspaper bulletin boards in Philadelphia be-
fore the ink of the immortal document was
dry, aud thus the yeoman population of the
old keystone of the Federal Arch were arous-
cd to wholesome enthusiasm.
Two battery companies, of Reading and
Pottsville, on the receipt of Governor Curtin's
dispatch, Scaled the roll" at once. and the
next train bore them to the defence Of the
capital of the nation. We well remember
when those hardy men from the interior. some
even in their shirt sleeves, passed through
Philadelphia, and took the cars at Broad and
Prime streets. They arrived in Washington
so quickly, that the red-mOuth, bloody-mind-
ed traitors that surrounded the patriot Presi-
dent and had Washington within their grasp,
were struck with establishment upon the sud
den appearance ofthe batteries They thought
that they had been deceived They were
seized with the idea that PENNSYLVANIA was
at once ready for the emergency. The foul
conspirators were paralyzed from their own
fears.
The next day the famous Massachusetts
9th, the Washington Brigade of Philadelphia,
passed through Baltimore, when a nurderous
outrage was committed and the first lovaI
blood was spilled; then followed the New
York 18th; then came the Massachusetts, Sth.
The capital Of the nation was saved, much
to the surprise of the consprators. and to the
qualification of the loyal people Of the coun-
try,
Truly, Andrew G. Curtin was the right
man in the right place. Noble, brave OAR
ing, patriotic, honest, he alone fixed the shark
Of patriotism in the bosom of President Lin
coin, and aroused the nation TO enthusiasm
and deeds of valor. He is the Richelieu that
thwarted the conspirators of the great Amer
lean Rebellion
Had he equivocated had he put in an if or
an and had he said, well, don't know
Pennsylvania is the keystone Of the arch-a
brave and trusty people within its borders
they may respond, l suppose-can't say, but
guess they will'-the deep gloom that shrobd-
ed the White House that moment would have
been made backer, indeed, and the capital
oI the nation would have been Iost-Ptua-I
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