Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1864-08-17
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
EXECUTIVE CHAMBER,
HARRISBURG, Aug 8, 1864

GENTLEMEN Il have called you to-
gether in advance oil your adjourned ses-
sion, for the purpose of taking some action
tor the defence of the State. From the
commencement of the present rebellion,
Penna has done her whole duty to the Gov
ernment lying as her southern counties
do, in the immediate vicinity OF the bUrd
er, and thus exposed to sudden invasion
selfish policy would have led her to re-
tain a sufficient part OF heT military force
Tor her own defence. La so doug, she
would have failed in her duty to the whole
country Not only would her men have
been Withheld from the field of general oper.
atIons, but the loans and taxation which
would have become necessary, would have
to a large extent diminished the ability OF
her people to comply with the pecunlary
demands Of the United States. She wOulu
also have necessarily lntertered with and
hampered all the military action Of the
Government aud made herself to some
extent, responsible for any failures and
shortcomings that may have occurred. In
pursuance of the policy thus deliberately
adopted. this State has steadily devoted her
men to the general service. From the be
ginning she has always been among the
first to respond TO the calls of the United
States, as is shown by her history from the
three months men and the Reserve Corps
/ to the present moment. Illus faithfully
/ fulfilling all her own obligations, she mas
! d right to be defended by the national
! force, as part Of a common country Any
other view would be absurd and unjust
! She Of course cannot complain when she
suffers by the necessary contingencies oi
war The reflections that have in too
many quarters been made upon the people
OF her southern counties are most uniuuHd
ed. They were Invaded III 1862, " hen d
Union army much superior to any force Oi
Il e rebe :, (anG on which they had of
course a ri hit to reiy,) was lying in their
immediate vicinity and north OF the Poto
mac. They were again invaded in 1858,
, after the defeat Of the Union forces under
Miiroy, at Winchester, and they have
again suffered in 1864, after the detes; ot
the Union forces under Crook and Averlil.
. How could al agricultural people IN an
! open country he expected to rise suddenly
and beat back hostile forces which had DE
feated organized veteran armies OF the
! Government!
1t Is Of course expected that the luhahi
tants OF an invaded country will Go what
| Is IN then power tU resist the invaders, and
( be facts hereinafter stated will show, |
think. that the people OF these counties
have not tailed III this duty. Ii Pennsyi-
vanIa, 10y reason of her geographical posi-
ton, has required to he defended by the
national tUTce, 1t has only been against the
romruUn enemy. 1t has never been neces
sary to weaken the army III the field by
sending he1yy detachments OF veterans 10
save her cities from being devastated by
| small bands of rutfians, composed Of their
own inhabitants Nor have her people
been disposed to sneer at the great masses
ot law abiding citizens III any other State
who have required such protection. Yet
wnen Il brutal enemy, pursung defeated
Oody # Union forces, crosses our border
and burns a detenceles> tOwG, this horrld
harha-lty, instead Ot firing the hearts OF Ill
the people OF our cOnImun country, Is ac
tualiy III sOme quarters made the occasion
of mocks aud gIbes at the unfortunate
sufferers, thousands of whom have been
rendered houSeless. And these heartless
scots proceed from the very men who, when
the State authorities, tUrseeng the danger
were taking precautionary measures. ridi-
culed the idea of there being any daLger,
sheerec at the exertlons to prepare TOR
meeting 1t, and succeeded to some ex ent in
thwartlng their efforts to raise forces.
These men are themselves morally respon
Slble for the calamity over which they now
chuckle and rub their hands.
1t might have been hoped-nay, we had
"a right t. expect that the people of the
loyal States engaged in common effort to
preserve their Government and all that is
dear to treemen. would have forgotten, at
least for the time, their Wretched local
jealousles, aud sympathlzed with all their
loyal fellow citizens, wherever resident
within the bOrders Of our common country
Ii should be remembered that the Ori. .lnal
source OF the present Rebellion was in such
jealousies encouraged for wicked purposes
ny unscrupuiOus politicians The men who
10; any purpose now continue to encourage
them. ought to be held as puhlic enemies
-enemie> OF our union and our peace, and
should be treated as such. Common feel-
lngs-common sympathies-lre the neces
sary foundations OF common tree govern.
ment.
am proud to say that the people of
Pennsylvania feel every blow at any of her
sister States As AN assault upon themselves.
and give to them all that hearty good viii
the expression oi which is sometimes more
important under the iufiction of Calamity
than mere material aid.
1t is unnecessary to refer to the approach