American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-01-27
GOV. CURTIN'S INAUGURAL.

fett0ic Ctt@eas of me senate ara HoHSe
. Of Representatives:
Called by the partiality Of my fellow
citizens to the office of Governor of Penn
sylvania for another term, appear before
you to solemnly renew the prescribed OBJ
legation to support the Constitution of the
United States and the Constitution of the
State of Pennsylvania and to discharge
the responsible trust confded to me with
fidelity.
When first summoned before you three
years ago to assume the sacred duties of
the Executive Office, the long gathering
clouds of civil war were about to break
upon our devoted country. For years
treason had been gathering in might; it
had been appropriating to its fendish lust
more and more bountifully of the nations
honors; it had grown steadily bolder in
its assumption of power, until it had won
the tolerance, if not the sanction of a
formidable element of popular strength,
even in the confessedly loyal States. The
election Of President in 1860, in strict
conformity with the Constitution and the
Laws though not the cause, was deemed
the fit occasion for an organized attempt
to overthrow the whole fabric of our free
institutions and plunge nation of thirty
millions of people into hopeless anarchy.
The grave offense charged againt the Pres
ident elect, seemed alone to exist in his
avowed fidelity to the Government, and
his determined purpose to fulfil his solemn
covenant to maintain inviolate the union
of the States. When inaugurated he
found States in open rebellion, disclaim-
ing allegiance to the Government, fraudu-
lently appropriating its property, insolent-
ly contemning its authority. Treason was
struggling for supremacy in every depart
ment of the administrative power In
the Cabinet it feloniously disarmed US
Our arsenals were robbed to enable the
armies of crime to drench continent in
fraternal blood. Our coasts were left
comparatively defenceless to fall an easy
prey to traitors Our navy was scattered
upon distant seas, to render the Republic
helpless for its own protection. Officers
educated, commissioned and sworn to pro-
tect the Government against any foe, be-
came deserters. They defed Heaven in
Shameless perjury, and with fratrieidal
hands, drew their swords against the coun-
try of their allegiance. And when treas
on had thus completed its preparations,
this wanton and wicked war was forced
upon our loyal people. Never was War so
causeless. The North had sought no sec
tional triumph, invaded no rights, and in
flicted no wrongs upon the South. 1t aim
ed to preserve the Republic, not to des-
troy it and even when rebellion present
ed the sword as the arbiter, we exhausted
every effort consistent with the existence
of our Government to avert the bloody
drama of the last three years The inso-
lent alienation presented by treason of
fatal dsimemberment or internecine war
was met by generous efforts to avert the
storm of death which threatened to fall
but the leaders of the rebellion Stunned
peace, unless they could glut their intern
al ambition over the ruins of the noblest
and freest government ever devised by
man.
Three years of bloody, wasting war,
and the horrible sacrifice of quarter of
a million lives, attest the desperation of
their purpose to overthrow our liberties.
Mourning and sorrow spread over our en-
tire nation, and defeat and desoation are
the terrible trophies won by the traitors
hand. Our people have been sorely tried
by disasters, but in the midst of the deep
est gloom they have stood with unfalter-
ing devotion to the great cause of our
common country, relying upon the ulti-
mate triumph of the right. They have
proved equal to the stern duty, and wor-
thy of their rich inheritance of freedom.
Their fidelity has been we'll rewarded
In Gods own good time he has asserted
his avenging. power; and if this war is
persisted in, they, the leaders Of the re-
hellion, as has become evident, and slave
ry and treason, the fountain and stream of
discord and death, must soon share COM
mon grave.
In this great struggle for our honored
nationality, Pennsylvania has won immor-
tai fame. Despite the teaching of the
faithless and the hesitation of the timid,
she has promptly and generously met ev-
cry demand made upon her, whether to
repel invasion or to fight the battles of the
Union whenever and wherever her people
were demanded. Upon every field made
historic and sacred by the valor of our