American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-07-19
For the Citizen.
The 4th of July at Sunbury.

Mr.. EDITOR Never since the old
bell, soon after cracked and now preserved
as a momento in the old State house at
Philadelphia, pealod forth its soul stirring
notes of National Independence on the
day of our Nations birth, have we, as a
people had greater occasion of joy in the
celebration of the 4th of July, than at
| its last recurrence. And no where thro'
out the land, we feel sure, was it celebra-
ted more appropriately than at Sunbury,
Butler CO., place that has never been
wanting in genuine patriotism. There
was a general outpouring of the people,
though the work of harvest was pressing,
and the citizens of the place did them
selves much credit by giving gratuitously,
a sumptuous repast, first to the soldiers
and their chosen lady companions, as a
token of welcome to their homes, and then
to all who wished to partake, and if any
man, woman or child was hungry, it was
their own fault. The dinner was gotten
up in excellent style, and reflected much
credit on those managing the affair."
There was no screw loose anywhere. And
let me here say that it was as orderly and
well behaved an assemblage as could be
found where on that day. We have seen
large gatherings of this kind before but
we have also seen them generally attend
ed with much confusion, dissatisfaction,
i'll manners and disorderly behaviour, but
these did not characterize that meeting.
The ladies', how pleasant they looked now
that their brave defenders had returned
from the war, having crushed out rebel
lion and brought, by the blessing of God,
peace once more to our beloved land. In
deed what face would not be bright and
what heart would not rejoice on such an
occasion? None but a rebels surely
But there was not only provision for the
oulcl, put diSo lpi tue inloi Hidh' IHelc
was "a feast of reason aud flow of
soul"
After dinner the meeting was organized
by the appointment of DIR. II, c. Linn,
Pres't, and w. NJ. Graham, Esq, Secy.
The meeting opened with prayer by Rev.
+. Woodruff. Rev. James Coulter, of
Lawrenccburg, then entertained the audi
ence with good speech, addressed more
especially to the survivors of Co. G. l1th
Regt,, Pa. r. G. After congratulating
them on their fortunate return, he pro-
ceeded TO notice the fact that they had
answered questions and solved difficult
problems that the nations of the world
could not do-that they had demonstra-
ted the doctrine that popular liberty is
capable of universal application. Capt.
W.. I'll. Timblin was called, and made some
pertinent remarks, taking special notice
of the war.worn and war-torn battle-fag
suspended over head, and presented to
his company by a delegation of Butler
co. ladies, on the eve os their departure,
four years ago, for the seat of war. That
flag was never disgraced by them, but
often had been snatched from imminent
danger of rebel capture.
Lieut.. George Fleeger then took the
stand, and in lengthy speech of thrill
ing eloquence, kept the audience in al
most breathless attention, while he ira
ced with the hand of master, the ori-
gin of the american 4th of July, and
swept along our national history till the
breaking out of the rebellion, and then
drew vivid contrast between the cele-
bration of this ever memorable day on
each of the 4 years just. past and tho
celebration of it on that occasion. But
when he spoke of the honored dead, ma
ming each one, the time, place, and MAN.
ner of their death, and grouping Them to-
gether into one sublime picture, few eyes
were dry. The wife, father, mother, sis
ter or maiden, felt that some doar one
was waiting to complete the happiness of
the occasion. The rebel "prison hells"
were depicted in such way as to excite
anything but admiration of Southern
chivalry. 1t has seldom been our privilege
to listen to a more beautiful and impress
sive Grafton.
George A. Black, another war-worn
veteran of the first order, was ext called
and responded in manner worthy of
himself and his country. JEFF. Davis,
and the hanging question, were treated
in manner that had the ring of the true
metal. He did not forget the ladies, and
seemed to think none the worse of them,
though one of their sex did send her gar
ment to the fugitive chief of the fallen
Confederacy. He paid them handsome
compliment by intimating to them that
the influence they exerted in quelling the