The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1866-08-16
The Voice Of the Dead.

Under the shadow of the old Lutheran
Church of this city and close by the door
where the worshipers from week to week
go in and out, lies the body of a dist:n-
guished Pennsylvania officer, who fought
under Washington in the war for lnde-
pendence. The mural tablet which tells
the story of the sleeping soldier reminds
US strongly of the scenes Of to-day:
THOMAS MIFFLIN,
Major &c aeral in the Revolutionary Army of
the United States, and
Governor of Pennsylvania"
1t seems, then, that it is not a new
thing in our history for grateful Repub
lie to reward her patriotic children with
civil honors. Connecticut, in rendering
her Governorship to General Hawley Of
Richmond fame, and Rhode Island, in
offering the first position in her gift 70
fighting and persevering Burnside, were
only doing in 1866 what Pennsylvania
had done in a past century.
And shall Pennsylvania do less to-day
for her fighting sons than in years of
Revolutionary story? Shall the children
be less grateful than their fathers? What
Major General Mifflin did IN 1776, Major
| General Geary has done in 1861. Alike
they have trodden for the Common wealth
the bloody wine press of war. Alike have
they held in their hands the most precious
| trust of the S:ate-the lives of her young
men. In the time of peril, in the hour
of danger, alike their manhood was the
bulwark of the Commonwealth. Our
fathers, the fathers of the men who walk
| the streets of Lancaster too day, who will
vote at the polls OF Lancaster this fall,
our honest, upright fathers, as a matter
of simple justice, made Mifilin Governor.
Shall we DO less to-day? Shall our rec
| ognition of such services be less su5stan-
tial, our gratitude less prompt and grateful
| because our strife was bloodie.?
Doubtless IN those days there was
opposition. Doubtless Gen. Mifflin had
his Clymer, some tory sympathizer, some
cold, polished gentleman too respectable
to associate with the ragged Pennsylvania
/ line, or feel for the martyrs of The common
! people at Valley Forge. But the people
of those days bsiiaVed that the men who
/ fought for their country were the safe
ones 10 govern it, and that those who had
represented them on the battle field were
the proper representatives in the Council
/ Chamber. History applauds their decis-
ion. In honoring il patriotic citizen,
they did honor 10 theaIselvcs and left
| their action for lesson ID their posterity.
That ancleut grave, IN the churchyard
Fof Old Trinity, is standing appeal for
/ the Republican cause. 1t is an admoni-
/ tion from our ancestors, ever reminding
| Gs to be true to the cause and the men OF
/ the Union. 1t was erected in perpetual
memory of the soldier governor of cur
patriotic forefathcrs, and TO remind Us
forever, By their example, of our duty.
Yes, this grave, and the grave Of every
soldier In the Commonwealth, pleads for
/ Geary. He represents not only the living,
/ but the dead of all the State We honor
them in honoring him. Aud truly, when
we think Of the great army of our martyrs
who have given their lives that the
| Republic might live, and how they died
on bloody fields, IN CHASTITY hospitals, and
| spectral prisons, we Teel, that we can never
too greatly honor or do too much for
those men who were the comrades Of our
dead
What community of feeling or interest
| has Clymer with the dead of the people
Consistent only in his cold opposition to
his country and his country's army, is it
not revolving to mention bis name with
/ the sleeping children of the nation? Is
it not wrong to spe ak of him when We
mourn for fallen manhood, and deplore
the fate of generous patriotism
No; the great armies Of our dead,
whether of Revolutionary or co.empora-
neous memory-for they fought for a
common cause ana fell for common
country-implore US in language that
cannot be unheeded, to stand by the men
who, for us, in the great extremity, stood
by them even unto death Lancaster
Express.
IMPORTANT POSTAL CHANGES The