American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-05-17

subsidiary. But after all the acts of
man shall his fall be perpetuated? +? What
are his acts ? Much praise is due to the
men who aided him. He called able
counselors around him and brave generals
into the field-men who have borne the
sword as bravely as ever any human arm
has borne it, He had the aid of prayer
full and thoughtful men everywhere.
But under his own guiding hands the
movements OF our armies have been con-
Quoted.
Turn toward the different departments.
We had au unorganized militia mere
skeleton army; yet uDder his care that
army has been enlarged into force which
for skill, intelligence, efficiency and bra
very, surpasses any which the .worl has
ever seen. Before its veterans the re-
nowned veterans of Napoleon shall pale
[applausel, and the mothers and sister on
these hillsides and all over the land shall
take to their arms again braver men than
ever fought in European wars.
The reason is obvious: money on de-
sire for fame collected their armies, or
they were rallied to sustain favorite theo-
ries or dynasties but the armies he cali
ed into being fought for Liberty, for the
Union, and for the right of self-govern-
ment; and many of them felt that the
battles they won were for humanity every
where, and for all time, for | believe that
God has not suffered this terrible rebel
lion to come upon our land merely for a
chastisement to us or a lesson to our age
There are moments which involve in
themselves eternities. There are instants
which seem to contain germs which shall
develop and bloom forever. Such mo
ment comes in the tide of time 10 our
land when a question must be settled
The powers of aflIction, all the earth, the
contest, was for human freedom-not for
the Republic merely, not for the Union
simply, but to decide whether the people,
as a people, in their entire majesty were
destined to be the Government, or whether
they were to be subject to tyrants or au-
tocrats, or to class-rule of any kind.
This is the great question for which we
have been fighting, and its decision is at
hand, and the result of the contest will
affect the ages to come. If successful,
Republics will spread, in spite of monarch
ism, all over this earth. Exclamations
of Amen E" "lhank God ~ | turn
from the Army to the Navy What was
it when the war commenced ? Now we
have our ships of war at home and abroad,
to guard privateers in foreign sympathi-
sing ports as we'll as to take care of every
part of our own coast They have taken
forts that military men said could not be
taken, and brave Admiral, for the first
time in the worlds history, lashes himself
to the mast, there to remain as long as he
had pfrticle OF skill or strength to watch
over his ship while it engaged in the
perilous contest of taking the strong forts
of the enemy
| turn to the Treasury Department.
Where should the money come from
Wise men predicted ruin, but our national
credit has been maintained, and our cur
ency is safer to-day than it ever was be-
fore. Not only is this so, but through
our national bonds, if properly used, we
shall have permanent basis for our cur
ency, and they are also an investment 50
desirable for capitalists of other nations,
that under the laws of trade, | believe,
the center of exchange will be transferred
from England to the United States.
But the great act Of the mighty chief
tan on which his fame shall rest long
after his frame shall moulder away, is that
of giving freedom to a race. We have
all been taught to revere the socrrd char
acter of Moses, of his power and the prom
inence he gave to the moral law, how it
lasts, and how his name towers among the
names in Heaven, and how he delivered
three millions of his kindred out of bond
adge, and yet We may assert that Abra-
ham Lincoln, liberated more enslaved
people than ever Moses set free, and those
not of his kindred or Of his race. Such
power or such an opportunity, God has
seldom given to man.
When other events shall have been
forgotten, when this world shall have be-
come network of Republics, when every
throne shall be swept from the face OF
the earth, when literature shall enlighten
all minds, when the claims of humanity
shall be recognized everywhere, this act
shall still be conspicuous on the pages OF
history; and we are thankful that God
gave to Abraham Lincoln the decision,
wisdom and grace to issue that proclama-
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