Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1866-06-02
TERMs OE ADVERTISING.

watch the precious principles springipp
ron the very nature ofpur glorious form Of
government and never forget that our fall
would involve the fall of the world
But the crime of treason holds such re-
iation TO the memory of our soldiers, that L
cannot do them justice by closing this ora
ton without brief allusion to it, 1t was
his vile and venomous reptile that plunged
its poisonous fangs into the nations heart.
Upon its loathsome and de.esed form the
blood Of the dead must be found.
In it we find the origin of their suffering
and death, nor can recall their trials and
the fiendish purposes of treason and rebel
lion, without expressing my utter hatred of
this mighty crime. l would rot agitate nor
disturb the peace and harmony of this I'M
nressive occasion, but when think of the
men, who in fighting for the nation, fought
and died for me, my conscience, my honor,
will not allow me to pass treason unnoticed.
| thirst net for blood, its shedding is
averse to my nature, am not here to plead
for vengeance; hold commission adorned
with the signature of the Prince Of Peace,
but justice is the immutable rock on which
government rests, and to disregard it
through mere personal sympathy, is to un-
uerminc the foundation, and expose the
superstructure to ruin.
10 announce boldly that treason should
be punished is the duty of every patriot, and
only justice to the dead we revere.
NO class of men lie closer to nv heart
than the immortal soldiers of America. and
now or any other worthy citizen can re-
spect their memory, without in some way,
say not how approving the punishment
ot the high-handed treason, that laid them
low, | fail 20 understand.
l know that the hue and cry of those
whose history during the struggle | do not
envy, is, that by such policy we only mani
fest our revenge; but such is not the con-
tracted selfish view of those who look to the
nations good and are anxious to expunge
that from the land which has drenched it
in blood, and upon which God has flung His
indignant frown.
The citizen that demands that the sword
of justice strike the blow to which mercy
must assent, is no more revengeful than was
the il llustrious Washington, when, with tears
running down his cheeks, he signed the
death warrant of the unhappy Andre; not
more than the elder Brutus, when he gave
his two sons to the victors of Rome, and sat
unmoved on his Judgment seat while they
laid their guilty heads upon the block
Equity is the true, the divine basis of
government, and leniency to crime and
countenance to offenders is an open door
into the treasury where the regalia of ma
tions are lying. l say not what the penalty
shall be, or how it shall be inflicted, but
only respond to the cry of my brave bro
thers' blood when | affirm that treason
should not go unpunished. l know as a
nation, now the mistress of the world, we
can afford TO be magnanimous; let the last
drop of mercy consistent with justice be
py off in
noble-heartedness, or from a less worthy
motive, to allow this crime to 90 unpun-
ished. BY so doing we would stamp upon
1t the seal of our approval; we would hug
to our bosom the very enemy that has in the
most defiant manner sought our destruction,
and more than all, we would fling everlast-
ing contempt upon the graves over which
a nation reigns and lives.
No, my friends, if we are here to-day in
most noble undertaking, treason and trait
ors are accountable for any sorrow that may
wrap the scene. They are responsible for
the bloody wave with which the nation has
been swept, and if you can measure the
depth of perdition, then only have you fa-
thomed their mighty crime.
Respect for the dead and justice to this
great government demand that treason
should have its merited reward. All honor,
then, to our victorious soldiers. All honor
to the wisdom and justice of our govern.
ment But while here enthusiastic to do
honor to the memory of the departed, let US
not forget to give gratitude to that God
who gave us such men and nerved them for
the day of battle. 1t would be a dangerous
error and fatal delusion, if, dazzled by the
lustre of our triumph, we should forget Him
who "maketh wars to cease"
The cloud of war is past; the bright sky
radiates the smiles of peace and heaven the
clash of arms, the tread of armies, the cries
of the wounded and dying, have ceased, and
the nation cemented with the blood of our
sons, stands one and lnseparable-frm as
the everlasting hills. While we bring our
tokens of everlasting remembrance to those
who have been instrumental in securing for
MS these blessings, let US not forget to recog-
nize that God, who, wrapt in the folds of
our banner, caused final and positive VIC
tory to perch upon it and over the graves.
of the dead, and in the presence of the
living soldier will we not fondly hope and
devoutly pray that our course, henceforth
as nation, shall be so in harmony with the
government Of the King of kings, that it
will never again be necessary to chastise US
with the scourge of war; but that we may
become nation, whose God is the Lord,
and continue in peace until that time when
swords shall be beaten into ploagh-shares,
and spears into pruning hooks, and heaven
and earth joins to swell the shout of GLORY
to God in the highest, on earth peace, good
will 20 men,"
But have detained you quite too long
Go on, my brave brothers, raise the monu-
mental pile, and we will gather round 1t,
and baptize it with tears of gratitude; we
will call our children about it, and vow to be
true to our country and our country's God.
Thanking the committee for the honor
conferred, aud the audience for the atten-
tion given, have only to say-peace to the
ashes of the dead, and long useful life, and
a blessed eternity, to the living soldier.
An orator in appealing to the "bone