American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1866-07-18
NUMBER 81
insane and wicked men who frat led them

aud to return to a participation in the
rich rewards in store for this the freest
and most powerful nation on earth.
But for you and your comrades, rebel
lion would have become revolution. and
the enemies of freedom and united ma.
tionality would have achieved their infa.
nous purposes. Under God we triumph.
ed. The right has been maintained
And to you, in the name of all the peo.
pie of this great Commonwealth, l ten
der thanks-warm deep, heartfelt thanks.
May your lives be spared long to enjoy
the Government you saved, to illustrate
your country's grandeur, and to enjoy the
priceless blessings which must follow
from the results of your courage, fidelity
and patriotism
The State Of Pennsylvania, during all
your services, has not been unmindful of
you. You were followed to the battle
fields by the benedictions aud prayers of
the good, and benevolent people carried
to you the contributions Of the patriotic
and generous at home. Never, at any
time during the war, did this constant
beneyolence shrink, and always good,
Christian men and women were found
willing to endure privation and suffering
to reach you on tho field and in the hos
pital. So far as it was possible the State
always made ample provision for the re-
moval of the bodies of the slain for Chris
tian intcrment, amid their kindred and
friends. When it was practicable, the
sick and wounded were removed to enjoy
the tender watching and care Of their
friends at home. And as the crowning
glory Of this great Commonwealth, she
has gathered together the helpless and
destitute orphans of dead soldiers, and
adopted them as the children of the Com
monwealth. The Legislature of Penn.
sylvania, moved by justice and Christian
charity, for three years have made mu-
nifccnt appropriations of the public mou-
ey to place within the care of the State
the homeless little ones of your dead
comrades. They are to be brought up
as the glory and honor OF the State,
monument that Pennsyl vania raises to
the memory of the slain, more enduring
than brass or marble, and in harmony
with the Christian teachings Of her peo-
pie. Here are twelve hundred of these
little children before you to day, the chill
dren Of, comrades left upon the fields Of
battle, bright jewels in the crown of glo-
ry that eneir> le this great Common
wealth, the strongest evidence of the
fidelity and patriotism of her people
Let this work be so now engrafted upon
the public policy of the State, that it
shall endure until the last orphan of the
Pennsylvania soldier shall be trained,
nurturcd and educated.
This is hallowed place---this is hal
lowed day. Here and now, in the name
Of Pennsylvania, accept these colors
ftly, for we are assembled upon the birth.
day in the birthplace Of American lib
erty. "a bop
We are forced to contemplate the won-
drous march Of this people to empire,
colonization, the Revolution, the Declar-
alton of Independence, the Constitution,
the Rebellion-its overthrow, and the
publication of our Government, aud the
change Of our organic laws by the lesson
of discofd, and our hopes for the future,
following each other in logical sequence;
and the duty and responsibility of this
labor for mankind are developed by the
grace of God and the hearts and arms of
our soldiers upon the loyal people of this
land. 9s,
In the presence of these mute symbols
of living soldiers, pointing to the flags j
of yonder touching memorials of our
dead soldiers, [pointing to the children j
in fealty to the blood poured out like
water; in remembrance Of the sorrows yet
to be assuaged, and the burdens jet to be
borne, the graves yet to be numbered,
and the horrors yet TO be forgotten; in
loyalty to our State, to our country, to
our fellow-men everywhere, and to God,
let US rise to the height Of our great
privileges, and place the American Gov
ernment upon tae enduring basis Of jus.
tice and liberty. This Is the great Les.
son of the war, and the very rock Of polit-
ical truth. "Whosoevor falls upon it
will be broken. and upon whomsoever it
shall fall it will grind him to powder"
Then our Government win represent
the result of American civilization, and
then these old flags will glow with the
light Of their true meaning, and the val
or of the soldiers of the Republic will
receive just reward ia rendering menu
oriable service to mankind; for them In
Al a xu,.r1u 20 o,x- .lls..k-.z..n ...--l-.- -.