Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1864-07-02
General McCIcJlnu's Speech n
Lake George,


We give below the speech delivered by
General Mcclellan at Lake George last Sat
urday night. He said
l thank you my friends, for this welcome
and pleasing evidence of your regard. 1t is
a most happy termination of the delightful
week | have passed in the midst of this
beautiful region among such warm and
friendly hearts. When men come, rs you
have done, some many miles from the noun
tains and valleys, it means something more
than empty compliment or idle courtesy.
At all events, | so regard it; and understand
this sudden gathering of men who are in
truth the strength of the nation, as intend
cd to show your love and gratitude to the
gallant men who have so long fought under
my command, and as an evidence to any
who may dare to doubt whether abroad, at
home, or in the rcoclliOns States, that the
people of this portion of the country intend
to support to the last the Union of our great
nation, the sacredness of its Constitution
and laws against whoever may attack them.
do not fattcr myself that this kind de-
monstration is mark of personal regard to
me, but that it means far more than that.
You add to the cogent arguments afforded
by the deeds of your sons and brothers in
the field the sanction and weight of your
opinion in favor of the justice and vital I'M
portance of the real cause for which we are
fighting, and the cause which should never
be prevented or lost sight of. 1t has been
my good fortune to have had near me IN
very trying times many of your near rea-
tions. In truth, there must be among you
now men who went with me through the
memorable seven days battle that COM
menced just two years ago to-day. 1t is
ins hot / oh f,v
the yalor and patriotism of your sons and
brothers, who were with me in the Army
of the Potomac from Yorktown to Antictam.
Yet, how could they be other than brave
and patriotic, for they first saw the light
amid scenes classical III our earliest history,
and sprang from ancestors who won and
held their mountains in hundreds Of COM
bats against the Indians, the French, and
the English. After gallant defence of the
now ruined ramparts of William Henry, the
blood of many of your grandsires moistene d
the very ground on which you now stand
in butchery permitted by the cruel apathy
OF Montcalm, who, two years afterward. suf.
tered for his crimes in the great battle un-
der the walls of Quebec, where others OF
your ancestors bore most honorable part
Iiconderoga, Crown Point, Saratoga, and
all names made sacred to you by the brave
ry OF your fathers, who there made i.lustri-
Gus the name of American troops.
In this latter and more dreadful war YOU
and yours have proved worthy of the repu-
tatlon OF your predecessors. And whatever
sacrifice may yet be necessary, am conf
dent that you will never consent willingly
to be citizens of a divided and degraded ma.
tion, but that you will so support the &c.
tions of your fellow-countrymcn in the field
that we shall be victorious, and again have
peace and a reunited country, when the
hearts of the North and South shall again
beat in unison as they did in the good old
times OF the Revolution, when our Union
and Constitution shall be as firm as the
mountains which encircle this lovely lake
and the future of the Republic shall be as
serene as the waters of Horizon when nc
breeze riDples its surfacc