Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1864-02-03
CURTIN'S INAUGURAL ADDRESS.
Ealoso-estizeas Of the Senate and House Of
Delivered, Jan. l9, 1864.

oesus 4Os AOOI'
E6liot0-cittzens Of the Senate and House of
Representatives
Called by the partiality of my fellow -citi
zens to the office of Governor Of Pennsylva-
ala for another term, appear before you to
solemnly renew the prescribed obligation to
support the Constitution of the United
States and the Constitution OF the State of
Pennsylvania. and to discharge the respon-
sible trust confded TO me with fidelity
When first summond 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 has
been gathering in might-had been appro-
priating TO its fiendish lust more and more
beautifully of the nation honors-had
grown steadily boder In its assumption OF
power until it had won the tolerance, if not
the sanction of a formidable element Of pop
ular strength even in the cOnfeSsediy loyal
States The election Of President in 1860,
in strict conformity with the Constitution
and the laws though not the cause was
deemed the tit occasion for all organized at
tempt to overthrow the whole fabric Of our
free institutions and plunge a nation of
thirty millions of people into hopeless an
archy. The grave offence charged against
the President eject, seemed alone TO consist
IN his avowed fidelity to the Government,
and his determined purpose to fulfil his sol
emn covenant to maintain inviolate the u
Mon OF States. When inaugurated, he
found States in open rebellion, disclaiming
allegiance To the Government, fraudulently
appropTiating its property and insolently
contemnlng Its authority
Treason was struggling for supremacy in
every department Of administrative power.
IL Ill. Il i
our arsenals were robbed to enable the ar
mics Of crime 10 drench continent in fra
ternal blood-our coasts were left compara-
lively defenceless to fall an easy prey to trai-
tors-our navy was scattered upon distant
seas to render the Republic helpless for its
own protection-Ofhcers, educated, commits
stoned and swGrR TO defend the Government
against any foe. became deserters. defed
Heaven IN shameless perjury, and with frat
rcldal hands drew their swords against the
country Of their allegiance, and whea trea-
son had thus completed its preparations,
wanton, wicked war was forced upon our 10y
al people.
Never was war so causeless. The North
had sought no sectional triumph, invaded
no rights, inflicted no wrongs upon the
South, 1t aimed 10 preserve the Republic,
hot to destroy 1t, and even when the rebel
exhausted every effort consistent with the
existence of our Government to avert the
bloody drama 81 the last three years. The
insolent alternative presented By treason of
fatal dlSmemberment or interneclne war,
was met by generous efforts to avert the
storm Of death which threatened to fall
but the leaders Of the rebellion spurned
peace. unless they could glut their Internal
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 eff million
lives attest the desperation of their purpose
te overthrow our liberties Mourning and
sorrow spread over the entire nation, and
defeat and desolation are the terrible tro-
phies won by the traitor hand. Our peo-
pie have been sorely tried by disasters, but
in the midst of the deepest gloom they have !
stood with Unfaltering devotion TO the great
cause Of our common country, Relying up
on the ultimate triumph of the right, they |
have proved themselves equal to the stern |
duty, and worthy Of their rich inheritance |
of freedom Their fidelity has been well |
rewarded In Gods own good time, He |
has asserted His avenging power and If |
this war is persisted in by the leaders of the
rebellion, as has become evident, then sla- I
very and treason, the fountain and stream of |
dlscord and death, must soon share COM
mon grave.
In this great struggle for our honored ma
tionality, Pennsylvania has won immortal
fame Despite the teachings of the faith
ess and the hesitation of the timid, she
has promptly and generously met every de-
nand made upon her, whether to repel in
Easion or to fight the battles of the Union
whenever and wherever her people were
demanded Upon every field made historic
and sacred by the yalor of our troops, some
IF the martial youth of Pennsylvania have
ALLEN. There is scarcely hospital that has
rot been visited by our kind offices to the
,ick and wounded there is not department
n which brave men do not answer with pride
o the name of our noble State, and while
history endures loyal hearts will turn with
ceilings of national pride to Gettysburg,
where the common deliverance of Pennsyl-
-ania and the Union will stand recorded In
he unsurpassed glory of that bloody field,
need hardly renew my pledge, that du
ing the term of office on which / am about
o enter, will give my whole moral and
fficial power to the prosecution of this war,
md in aiding the National Government In
very effort to secure early and complete
uecess over our malignant foes