American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1866-04-18

war. | am opposed to war. | trust our
country may never be called upon again
to engage in war. We have shed blood
enough; but if war should come again,
here are the boys to fight our battles
They would say, "My father died for his
country the State pledged itself that his
sons and daughters should be maintain
ed at public expense; that pledge was
redeemed would be nu migrate to my
country and my State if failed to offer
my life on the same shrine with my brave
dead father" Cheers
| knew that State SO great, so grand,
50 noble as Pennsylvania, would not turn
these children ont l know that it will
not turn them out-the boys to crime
and misery, the girls to worse-God for
bid it should. One morning, when the
: people were gathered in their places of
worship, in obedience to my call, to give
thanks to Almighty God for the victor
les vouchsafed to us, three little ragged
children appealed to ne for aims as /
stepped from my doorway. l learned
they were children of soldiers who had
fallen in defence of the country. What
was my train of thought then I said
TO myself, is it possible that the people of
Pennsy lyania, thanking God for victory,
can do SO when the children of the brave
men who brought us the fiuts of hard
fighting, and gained US our victories, are
on the streets begging for bread. Gap
plause,)
This benefcence, gentlemen, is the re-
suit. Pennsylvania has something where
of to be proud; she has taken the lead in
this matter Other States have followed
her. Ohio has such a system. Connect
icutis about inaugurating it. 1t was only
to-day we forwarded to her lGovernor,
in obedience to his request, the plan en-
Traced in our system. Other States will
soon follow our example What thing
to be proud of. All over the Common
wealth, after great war, the greatest the
world has ever seen, exhausting our en-
ergies, attacking our borders and Grip
pllng our finances, we have been able 20
pay our debts, and at the same time take
care Of our soldiers children. We boast
Of the liberality Of our people, we boast
L
beautiful they sound and how noble they
really are but no charity of this age or
of the past can compare with this. Gap
plause.)
Were itnot for these soldiers, my friends
this Capitol would be in ashes, the whole
State would be sacked, burned and ruin
ed death, and fire, and desolation would
have passed over this good old State, and
the fair land would have been smittcn
with It, ! am not here to persuade you
These children are not here to affect pub.
lie opinion; they are here only, that the
people may see and Judge for themselves
If you are satisfied, then | ask you to con
tinue this bcnefcent plan, But if you
are not satisfied, let these children 90.
Voices Never, never, never"
| will not say more yes may as well
add something; you may as well know it
now. If this Legislature adjourn with
out doing these little people justices if
it neglect its duties, let me say, gentle
men, have the power to call you back.
Ummense cheering.) Before | leave this
| pray God that the electric spark may
fall upon all that we may all determine
to do justice to the poor orphan children,
and that we may thus do ourselves and
our great Commonwealth an honor
(Cheers.)
After the exercises the children flock
ed around the Governor, to whom they
were introduced, anG who manifested
great interest in them. The boys then
adjourned to the public grounds, where
they were engaged in drilling and mill
tary tactics until supper time,
, On Friday morning all the schools,
with their teachers, called upon the Gov
ernor at the the Executive Chamber,
and had most delightful, and to them
memorable interview. There was no
speech making or other cold formaity ;
but the Soldiers Orphans were received
by the Soldiers friend, in manner which
evidently made,a deep and the right i'm.
preston upon their young hearts. 1t
was very cheering to them to be told, by
such high authority, that their visit was
not only a pleasure to himself, the Legis-
lature and the citizens of Harrisburg,
but their own conduct had beeen such as
to reflect credit upon their heroic fathers
and the State
After the termination ofthis reception
the schools repaird to the Court House,
which was crowded to its utmost capacity
and repeated the exercises of the prece-
ding afternoon with several other address
es, to the evident satisfaction Of the aud
ience. Again Governor Curtin addressed
the assemblage, as did also Col Allen, a
soldier and member of the House of
Representatives from Warren county.
and Mr. Lee a member of the House
from Philadelphia. Want of space pre-
vents the giving even of brief report
of the eloquent and appropriate remarks
of these gentlemen but they were fully
appreciated by those to whom they we're
so kindly and cheeringly addressed.
1t would be as pleasant as it would be
credible to the schools, to insert here the
addresses of the pupils, but want of
room again forbids. We cannot, how
ever deny the reader the pleasure of pc
rusing 'Thc Soldiers Orphans Appeal" +"
written for the occasion by Mrs. n. Eys-
ter, .of Harrisburg, and recited by Geo.
Jacobs of the McAllistervilie school
L. i IL -