Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1863-06-10
Secretary Seward OH the War.
A Welcome to Returned Soldiers.


eran New York 18Th, whose term of ser
vice had expired, returned. On being
called upon to address them, he made
oriet speech OF welcome, from which we
perusal:
When nation is assaled by Treason,
the interest, duty aud virtue it is called TO
exhibit, are precisely the same. 1t will
look back to inquire through what posi-
ole errors, faults, Shortcomings or even
| crimes il has fallen into such strife but
with the purpose of drawing from the in
| quiry the wisdom necessary tor extrication
| from the Calamity.
Having done this it will look forward,
! not sIraInlDg itself TO rec how it shall
govern Itself aud regulate its action at
| long distant periods, but To ascertain where
| TO find the enemy ard how most etfectuai-
| ly to battle. overthrow and bind BIN 30
| that the Nation can yet safely live.
| Civil war divides the community, even
| in those places where the Government re-
tains It's accustomed strength and authori-
| ty, into two classes. One that has the
courage adequate to the crisis, the other
that has lot. Those that have tie cour-
| age, in other words the virtue, adequate
! to the crisis, rush TO the field.
| This country has seen SOC, 600 men rush
| ia this manner to confront the Public En-
| envy, and this town of $4,000 souls has
/ sent out 1000 such, of whom you are the
| first installment which has returned
Among the 800, 900 as well as 1000 there
WAS not one coward nor one traitor
| There were none whose minds were troub-
| led about the causes of the conflict, the
manner in which it is conducted, or the
consequences which shall follow II. Hav-
! ing devoted their strength, and their lives
! II necessary to the cause OF their country,
OF humanity, they leave the rest to the
| care of that Providence which arbitrates
at last in all the issues of human strife -
| The other class are those who stay at
home 80 consider. Many of these, multi
tUdes of them, as loyal and brave as their
| compatriots in the field are prevented by
sickness, infrmity and age from Joining
the ranks, and others have duties hot less
| important than those of the field. These
| study only how to sustain, cheer, encOur.
| age and reinforce their cOuntry's armies.
| But beside these and among them, min
| gled with them as the taTes with the
wheat, are all the towards, all the traitors
that the community has and 1t has such
|
vice as well as virtue inberes in humanity
la this large assembIage which has come
| out TO greet you, or to witness this solemn
, ceremony of your dicharge from the pub
lie service, both these classes are found
! We cannot distinguish, nor is it worth our
! while to attempt to distinguish the one
from the other. BY their actions hereat-
ter they shall oe known. Those who are
wise and virtuous will be found urging
you TO return TO the tield, and persevere
until the battle Is won, and will spare no
pains, going themselves, 1t possible, to re-
| crult the rauks which death honOrably met
has decimated. Those who are otherwise
will be found still caviling about the caus-
es OF the war, about the responsibilities
OF It's unavoidable defeats, about the dis
| trlbutlon OF houors tor the victories glori-
ously won; they will be found accuululat-
ing treasure with one hand and storing it
| away from the tax gatherer with the
other, that they may enjoy it after the
| patriotism and heroSm OF better men
| than themselves have secured the triumph
| which will enable them 10 enjoy it in
safety. To the young men who | see
| around me l have to say it is FOR you to
! choose to which OF these two classes OF
the community you will attach yourselves
IL you are prepared to join the former
the greeting you give to these our brave
neighbors Te1urEed from the field, are as
honorable to you as gratifying to them.
| If, on the other hand, you think more of
| your lives, more of your fortunes. more
OF your personal expectations than you
| think OF your country, your salutatiOne
are mockery, and the sight OF these war
worn veterans ought to strike you with
| confusion and shame.
| For myself ii | were within the ages
and other conditions of the military ser
vice, | would not have appeared here on
| this occasion unless it WAS 10 take up the
| fire lock that Ole of those our honored
neignbors has now come to lay down.
l love the man that will not allow his
name to be written upon the register OF
the Provost Marshal 1t is bad enough
TO be baloted tor as candidate for civil
Office An honest end loyal man, how
ever, must submit to that sometimes. On
the contrary, my neighbOrs and country
men should never have chance to cast
lots over me a. conscript, so long as they
should leave me at liberty TO volunteer
Fair plsy is a jewel-equaity in risks and
hazards as well rs in profits and honers is
the only true justice.
Fellow soldiers, | am DESTROYS only that |
you shall know that L estimate you as you |
deserve. | am proud OF the whole army |
of the United States. | bear a greatful |
affection to every Division and every |
Corps of it. l am prouder of you and |
cherish for you q more grateful affection
than others, because equally meritorious |
with the best, you are my nearest, truest |
and most faithful friends. | have shown |
this by opening my lips and my heart to |
you,-lips and heart that / have never |
before opened on any occasion since the |
seal OF official responsibility was imposed |
upon me, when this unhappy war first |
broke out.
The honor that you receive this day i. |
but the beginning OF honors which will |
be increasing as you live. In my child |
hood ] followed with love and veneration |
the steps of the heroes of the Revolution. |
| saw that love and veneration become the |
universal sentiment OF the American geo.
pie, so far that be who had differed from |
them or opposed them or denied the hon.
age OF his respect was deemed unworthy
TO be I'D American citizen. Such love |
and generation begin TO cluster upon you
to day, and they will continue TIL they
reach such height that when the hum
Ii