American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-04-26


virtue of the whole Republican party
Strange transm'grationl Ere o become
a efssae, simply beeause more indulge IN
it. s-vs Ng
I thought then, as now, that the
Abolotionists Vere tie only trdstorc
in tho land, and that the entire
party deserved the same fate Of poor
old Brown, not because they wish to
abolish Slavery, but on account of
the means they have endeaeored to
use to effect that abolition. If Brown
were living | doubt whether he him
self would set Slavery against the
Union. Most or -many-'n the North
de-, and openly curse the Union, if
the South are to return and retain a
single right guaranteed to them by
every tie which we once revered as
sacred. The South can make no
cheice. 1t is either determination or
Slavery for themselves (worse than
death) to draw from. know my
choice,
l have also studied hard to discover upon
what grounds the right Of State tc Sc
cede has been dehied, when our very name
United States, and the Declaration OF
Independence, bath provide for Secession.
But there is not time for words. | write
in haste. know how foolish | shall be
deemed for undertaking such a step as
this, where, on the one side, have many
friends and everything make me happy,
where my profession alone has gained NE
an income Of more than s20, 200 a wear,
and where my great personal ambition in
my profession has such a great field for
labor. On the other hand, the South
have never bestowed upon me- one kind
word a place now where | have no friends
except beneath the sod; place where |
must either bea pr.v tesold or beggar.
10 give up The Jormer for the latter, b.
sides my mother ald sisters whom | love
50 dearly (although they so widely differ
with me in opinion, seems insane but
God is smy judge. / love justice more than
| do a country that disoYns it more than
fame and wealth more Heaven pardon
me it wrong) than happy home. have
never been on battle field but Oh, my
counhymen, could you all but sec the re-
ally or effects Of this horrid war, as
have scen them Gin every State save Vir-
ginia,) know you would think like me,
and would pray the Almighty to create
in the Northern mind sense of rt1ht and
justice (even should it possess no season
ing Of mercy Letween us which is daily
growing wider. Alas poor country, is
she to meet her ever threatened doom
-Four years ago, | would have given a
thousand lives to see her remain Gas had
always known herr powerluland unbroken
And even now | would hold my life as
uaught to see her what she was. Oh my
friends if the fearful scenes of the past
four yeaIs had never been enacted, or if
what has been but frightful dream.
from which We cou.d now awake, with
what oyerdoYing hearts could we bless
our God and pray for his continued favor,
How | have loved the old Rag can never
now be k'own. A few years since and
the entire world could boast of none so
pure and spotless. But / have Of late
been seeing aud hearing of the dLooclQ
dee4S Of which she has been made the en-
Jlem, ana would shuddcr to think how
changed she had grown Oh. how |
have longed to see her break from the
mist OF blood and death that circles round
her folds, spelling her beauty and taruish.
ins her honor. But no, day by day she
has been dragged deeper aud deeqcr into
cruclty suppression, till now an my
eyes her once bri- -ht red stripes look like
6loooy goshes on the face Of Heaven. l
look now ulon my carly admiration of
her gloIies as dream Ny love (as
things stSnd to day is fol the South alone.
Nol d. | dc1m it dishonor in At.
tempting to make for her prisoner of
this man to whom she owes 10 much Of
her misery. lfsuccess attends me. 20
pennicless to her side They say she has
foam 4 that last ditch" which the North
have 50 long deridcd, and been cndeavor
ing 80 force her in, forgetting they are
our brothers, and that it's impohtie to
soad an enemy 10 madness. Should
reach her in safety, and find it true. |
will proudly beg permission to triumph or
die iu that same ditch, by her side.
Il CoJederdtc doing dhgy upon his o,ga
responsibility.
J WTTKES PnnTu