Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1864-01-27
1]IlfSGGLIAATB0T 5
INAUGURAL ADDRESS
Delivered at Harrisburg, Jan 19, 1876.

DeIlFGIeU dG HARRISBURG, an 10, 4coz
FeHolo-citjzenS Of tie Senate and House
Of Representatives:
Called by the partialty of my fellow cit
zeus to the office Of Governor Of Pennsyl-
vanla for another term, | appear before you
to solemnly renew the prescribed obIiga
ton to support the Constitution Of the
United States and the Constitution OF the
State OF Pennsylvania; and to discharge
the responsible trust contided to me with
fidelity.
When first summoned before you, three
years ago, to assume the sacred duties OF
the Executive Office, the long gather
ing clouds of civil war were about to
break upon our devoted country. For
years treason had been gathering in might
had been appropratlng to It's hendlSh
lust more and more bluntIiully Of the na-
tons honors-had grown steadily boder
in its assumption of power until it had won
the tolerance, if not the sanction OF for
mdable element Of popular strength even
in the contesseCly loyal States. The eec
tion of a President IN 1860, IN strict con
formty with the Constitution and the laws
though not the cause, was deemed the hi
occasion for an organized attempt to over
throw the whole fabric of our free insti
tut ons, aud plunge nation of thirty
millions of people into hopeless anarchy.
The grave offence charged against the
President elect seemed alone to consist in
his ayowed fidelity to the Government, and
his determined purpose to fulfil his solemn
| covenant to maintain invlolate the Union
of the States When inaugprated, he
| found States in open rebellion, disclaimlng
allegiance to the Government, trauduIently
appropriating its property and insolently
| contemning its authority,
Treason was struggling for supremacy in
every department OF administrative power.
| In the Cabinet it felonou,ly disarmed us
! our arsenals were robbed to enable the ar
mics of crime to drench a continent in
! fraternal blOod-our coasts were left com
parativeIy detenceess to fall an easy prey
to tratOrs-our navy was scattered upon
distant seas to render the Republic hel plesS
for its own protection-othcers, educated
commissioned and sworn to defend the
Government against any foe, became de
| serters, defed Heaven IN shameless per ury
aud with trairicidal hands drew theirSword>
| against the country of their allegiance
and when treason had thus completed liz
preparation, wauton, wicked war was forced
upon our loyal people
Never was war So causeless. The North
had sought no sectional triumph, invaded
no rights, inflicted no wrongs upon the
South. 1t aimed to preserve the Republic
not to destroy it, and even when rebellion
presented the sword as the arhter, we ex
hausted every effort consistent with the
existence Of our Government to avert the
bloody drama ofthe laSt3 years. The insolen
alternative presented by treason Of fatal dis
memberment or internecine war, was met by
generous effort to avert the storm of deatI
which threatened to tall; but the leaders o
the rebellion spurned peace, unless the,
could glut their internal ambition over tn
ruins of the noblest and freest Government
ever devised by man.
Three years of bloody, wasting war, an'
the horrible sacrifice of quarter of mil
lion lives attest the desperation Ut ,hel
purpose to overthrow our liberties. Moura
ing and sorrow spread over the entire ma
tion, aud defeat and desolatlon are the terri
BILE trophies won by the traitors hand
Our people have been sorely tried by dis
asters, but In the midst OF the deepes
gloom they have stood with untalterln
devotion to the great cause of our common
country ReIying upon the ultimate tri
umpa of rhp right, they have proved them
selves equal to the stern duty, and worth
of their r.ch Inheritance of freedom. Thel
fidelity las been well rewarded In God
own good time, He has asserted His aveng
: ing power; and if this war is persisted /
by the leaders of the rebellion, as has be
come evident, then slavery and Treason