The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1865-05-03
AestorinN t!Ir flaN:
THE SUMTER CELEBRATION.
Addresses of General Anderson
and Mr. Beechcr.

AT the raising Of The old flag on For
Sumter, on Friday, l4tl inst. when Genera
Anderson had taken the halyar'ls and was
ready TO pull the flag up TO the top o.
the staff, he made this brief address, speak
ing with great emotion
Il am here, my friends and fellow citi-
zcns and brother soldiers, to perform an
act of duty which is dear to my heart, and
which al OF You present appreciate and
feel Did listen TO the promptinSs of my
own heart, would not attempt to speak
but have been desired by the Secretary
0t War TO make q few remarks. By the
| cnasidcratc appointment of the honorcd
Secretary of War. ] am privileged to fulfill
the cherished wish Of my heart through
four long years of bloody war. TO restore
to lis proper place this very flag which
lloatcd here during peace before the first
act OF this cruel rebellion. Thank God,
have lived to see this day. Applause that
| have lived to ho here 10 perform this
perhaps. the last act of duty to my country
in this life. Ny heart is filed with graft
tude to tlnighty God for the signal bless
ings which he has given us--bessings be
yond number. May all the world proclaim
Glory be to God in the highest on earil
peace and good will toward man r"
Saluies from all the surrounding forts
and ships and continued cheers from the
! enthusiastic crowd followed the ascent OF
the flag to the place from which il had beer
taken four years ago at tho demand ol
traitors and after tie singing of the ''StaI
Spangled Banner with thrilling effect
Rev. Henry Ward Beeeher made his al
dress. lie spoke of the joyful events cele-
hrated, briefly recOunting the opening
scenes OF the war, spoke earnestly for con
eilation and peace, and described the con.
dition and necessities of tho South in It's
opening era of freedom aud better civili
zaton.
We can give but few passages, to in.
dicate the stJ lie and spirit of what seems
TO have heon one OF Mr.. liccclers best
e'fo
sin this solemn hour let us pray for the
quick coming of reconciliation and happi-
ness nnder this common flag. Bnt VIC must
build again from the foundations of these
now free southern States. No cheap ex.
hortations to forgetfulness of the past, to
restore all things as they were. God docs
not stretch out His hand as He has for -four
dreadful years that men may easily forget
the night Of this terrible act. Restore
lhiugs as they were? What? the alema.
tions and jealonsies, the discords and con.
tentiOns, aud the causes of them No!
In that solemn sacrifice en- which nation
has Otlcre1 mp for It's sins SO many precious
victims, loved and lauenied, let Our sins
and mistakes he consumed utterly and for.
ever. 1t was not a legitimate
war between the common people of the
North and South. The war was set on by
the ruling class the aristocratic cOnspira.
tors of the South. They suborncd tho com.
mon people with lies, with sOphistries,
with cruel dcccits and slalders, to fight for
secret Objects which they abhorred, and
against interests as dear 10 lhcm as their
own lives. charge the Whole guilt OF
this MAR upon the ambitious, educated,
plotting political leaders Of tile South.
tpllaus''. They have she'd the Iccan of
hiopd. They have desolaird the South.
They have poured poverty through all her
towns aud cities. Whey have bowllcrcd
the Imagination 0{ tils people with fan
tlsIns, and led them to believe they were
lighting Tor their hemen and liberty, whose
homes were mtlrea tened and whose lih-
erty was in no jeopardy These arrogant
lnstigatOrs Of civil var have renewed the
plaques of EgypA not that the oppressed
might go free but HAT tho free might be
oppressed. A day will come when God
will reveal judgment and arraisn vt hishar
these mighty miscVeants, and then every
orphan that their bloody game has made
and every widow Hlat sits sOrroying. and
eN cry manned and woundei sufferer, aud
every bereavcd heart in all the wide re-
gions Of this land viii rise mp and come
before the Lord to lay upon these chief
cnlprits of modern history their awful wit
nessings. Aud from Thousand battle
fields shah rise up armies OF airy Witnesses
who, with the memory of their awful sui
ferings, shall confront these misereants