Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1863-06-10
sEcRsrARY SEWARD AND rHE TROOPS.

/ SECRETARY SEWARD AND TIE TROOPS.
On Friday May 29th, the 18th n. 7. S. Y !.
were mustered out OF the service at Auourn-
They were addressed by SIR. Seward. who was
making brief visit to his home. We quote a
portion of his speech
| Civil war divides the community, even 10
those places where the government retains its
accustomed strength and authority, into two
classes. One that has courge adequate TO the
crisis, the other that has not Those tbat have
the courage, in other words the virtue, ade
/ quate TO the crisis rush to the field.
ssIn this large assembage which has come
ont to greet YOU. TO witness this solemn
ceremony OF your discharge from the pnbiic
I service, both these classes are found. We
/ cannot distinguish. nor is it worth our " bile
to attempt to distinguish the one fIom the
| other. By their actions hereafter they shall
/ be known. Those who are wise and virtnous
will be found urging you To return to the held,
/ and persevere until the battle is won, aud VIII
I spare pains, gning themselves. if possible,
TO recruit the ranks which death honorably
met has decimated. Those who are otherwise
will be found still caviing about the causes
OF the war, about the responsibilities of its
unavoidable defeats. about the distribution OF
! honors for the victories giorlousiy won they
| will be found accumuiatipg treasure with one
! hand and storing il away from the tax gather
=
/ the patriotism and hereism OF better men than
/ themselves have secured the triumph which
! will enable them 10 enjoy it in SAFETY
.sro the young men. who see around me
I | have to say il l. for you TO choose TO which
1 of these two classes of the community you
will attach yourselves. Ii you are prepared
! to join the former the greeting You give TO
| these our brave neighbors returned from the
| field, are as honorable to yof gratifying TO
| them. If. on the other hand. you think more
! of your lives, more OF your fortunes. more OF
yonr personal expectations than you think OF
your country, your saluta.ions are mockery.
and the sight of these war worn veterans ought
! to strike you with confusion and Shame.'' 5z.
Mr.. Seward closed these pungent remarks
by saying that if he was within the age and
the conditions of service he would not have
appeared on that
s.Occasion unless it was to take up the fire.
| lock that one of these our honored neighbors
mas now come to lay down. love the man
! that VIII not suffer his name to he written up
on the register of the Provost Marshal. 1t is
( bad enough 10 be ballotcd 70, as a candidate
| for civil office. An honest and loyal man,
however, must submit to that sometimes. On
! the contrary, my neighbors and countrymen
| should never have chance to cast lots over
me as a conscript, so long A they should leave
| me at liberty 10 volunteer
| he added ain my childhood | followed
| with love and yeneration The steps OF the he
/ roes of the Revolution. | saw that love and
veneraton become the universal sentiment of
| the American people. so tar that he vino had
differed from them or opposed them or denied
| the homage of his respect was deemed nnwor
| thy to be an American citizen. Such love
| and veneration begin TO clnster upon you to-
| day, and they VIII coBtinue till they roach
such hight that when the humblest of you
| finds his last resting place, here or elsewhere.
| under the restored and complete authority of
| our glorious National Union, his will be
| deemed TO have in his father's fame an inner
! itance richer than the treasure thai can be
| transmitted to his heirs by the weaithiest "a
| mong as Our posterity will look out toI heirs
| OF the soldier and cover them with the graft
| tude which the fathers life time was too brief
| to exhaust.