Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1865-04-26

/ have also studied hard to discover
upon what grounds the right of State to
secede has been denied, when our very
name, United States, and the Declaration
of independence, both provide for Seces-
sion. But there Is no time for words.
write in haste. | know how foolish
shall be deemed for undertaking such
step as this, where, on the one side, have
many friends and everything to make me
happy, where my profession atone has
gained me an income of more than twclty
thousand dollars year, and where my
great personal ambition in my profession
has such a great field for labor. On the
ether hand, the South have never beslow-
ed upon me one kind word place now
where have no friends, except beneath
the sod place where | must either be
come private soldier or baggar. To
give up all the to'nlcr for the mttcs.. be
sides my mother and sisters whom ! have
SO dearly (althoueh they SO widely differ
with me in opinion}, seems insane; but
God is my judge love justice more
than | do country that dis0wns it; more
than fame and wealth; more (Ieaven
l have never been upon q battlefield but
., my countrymen, could yOu all but see
the reaLjty or effects of this horrid war, as
l have seen them (m ere1y State. save Yir-
ginia), / know You think like me, and
would pray the Almighty 10 create in the
| Northern mind a sense of right and justice
(even should ii possess no seasoning Of
mercy,) and that He would dry up this
sea of blood between us, which is daily
growing wider. Alas, poor country. is
she TO meet her threatened doom -Four
years ago, would have given thousand
lives TO see her remain Gas had always
known herr powerful and unhroken. And
even now l would bold my life as naught,
to see her what she was 9 my friends.
If the fearful scenes OF the past four years
had never been enacted, OF if what has
been had been but Il irghtful dream, from
which we nOw could awake, with what
OvertiOwlng hearts could we bless our God
and pray for his continued favor How
loved the 0io} jug can never now be known,
A few years since and the entire world
could boast OF none SO pure ami spcii2ss.
But | have of late been seeing and hear
ing of the bloody deeds of which she has
been made the emblem, and would shud-
der to think how changed she had grown
. how | have Iongcd to see her break
from the mist Of blood and death that
circles round her folds, spelling her beauty
and furnishing her honor. But 10, day
by day has she been dragged deeper and
deeper into cruelty and oppression. till
now (in my eyes, her once brigl t red
stripes look like Jlooay gaSics on The face
Of Heaven. | loUl, now upon my early
admiration Of her gIcries rs . dream
My love (as things stand to-day,j Is for
the South alone. Nor do ! deem it a dis
honor in attempting To make for her Il
prisoner of this man, to whom she owes
so much of misery. If success attends
me, | 90 pemuiless to her side. The say
she has found that last ditch " which
the North have So loag dcridrd, and been
endeavoring to force her in, forgetting .hnv
are our brothers, and that il is imDui;ic
to goad an enemy to madness. Should !
reach her in safely and find il true. viii
proudly beg permission 10 triumph or die
in that same q ditch " By her SIDE
4 Confederate, ]o5ng dirty upon lis o,ru
responsibility. J. WILKES Boom