The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1866-07-19
GOVERNOR CURTIN's SPEECH.

as follows -
GOVERNOR CURTIN's SPEECH.
General and soldiers of Pennsylvania /:
Soon after the commencement of the
late rebellion, the Cincinnati Society of
Pennsy lvania presented to TIE Governor
of the State a SUN of money, which they
asked to be used in the equipment Of vol
unteers. The sum was 700 small to be Of
material service in that respect, and the
subject having been presented to the Leg
islature, an act was passed directing the
Governor to use the money, and whatever
additional sums were necessary. to pro-
cure flags to be carried by Pennsylvania
regiments during the war and with a
| wise provision that the flags should be re-
| turned to the State at the close of their
| service, with proper inscriptions, to be
| made archives Of the Government. The
| ceremony of the return of these flags was
delayed until all the regiments in the SER
| vice from Pennsylvania had been muster
| ed out, and to-day, surrounded by your
| fellow citizens and IN the presence Of high
| officials of the National Government, of
Governors and ficials Of sister States, of
distinguished soldiers of other States, and
of the army and navy of the United
States, and the representatives of the
| government of this Commonwealth, more
than two hundred OF these em5lems of
| our country's nationality, all of which
have waved amid the rapture OF strife--alf
of which have been carried by Pennsylva-
nians-are returned untarnished. In
| their azure fields the arms of Pennsylva-
MIA have been emblazoned, and her motto,
1 yc}1t 7 n T,,<Io hos
been written in letters of fire, with pens
of steel, by the gallant men before US,
and their comrades, living and dead, upon
every battlefield of the war. The record
is glorious, in memories of the past and
in hopes of the future.
If l consulted my own feelings l would
receive these flags in silence, for this oc-
casion is its own most eloquent orator.
My words canEot add to its sublimity.
Human lips cannot express such lessons
of patriotism, of sacrifice aud heroism as
these sacred relics sublimelv attest. The
man is to be pitied who claims to be
a citizen of our America, especially Of
| Pennsylvania, who has witnessed these
ceremonies without profound emotion,
alike of sorrow and exultation- sorrow for
the dead who died for liberty, exultation
in recalling the blessings of God, the laws
| vindicated and enforced by the suppress
sion and punishment of treason, the Gov
| ernment protected and maintained, until
tho last armed rebol was beaten down, and
the redeemed Republic emerged from the
smoke of battle.
1t might be better to accept the mo-
mentous lessons taught by these returned
standards without word. In what ade
quate language can we address you, sol
diera Of the Republic, who live to take
part in this ceremony? We have nc
words to convey the holy sentiment c!
veneration and of reverence for the heroic
dead that wells up from every heart IL
your presence.
To the men who carried the steel, tho
muskct and the sabre-to the private
soldier, to the unknown dead-the demi
gods of the war, we this day seek in vain
to express all our gratitude. If thero be
men more distinguished than others, more
entitled to our highest veneration, it is
the private soldier of the Republic. II
we follow him through all the suferings
and privations of the service, his long
weary marches, his perils on the outposts
his wounds and sickness, oven In the ar
ticle OF. death, we trace him back to thai
sentiment of devotion to his country tha
led him to separate from home and it'
ties, and to offer even his life sacrifice
to the Government his fathers gave hin
and his children AS the official repre-
sentative of the Commonwealth, L canno
take back the remnants of the color5 she
committed to your keeping without at
tempting to gather into ny arms the iui
measure of her overfoWing gratitude ant
lay it at your feet. | therefore presen
| unu With the thanks Of ynnr CheIIshed