The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-07-21


precious blood mingling together, sank into
the soil of Pennsylvania, and by that red
covenant are we pledged for all time TO
union, to liberty, to nationality, to fraternity,
to - peace or. earth and good viii toward
me-"
Now that the war is over, we give peace to
those who gave us war; and in the univer-
sal freedom, purchased at SO large a cost OF
blood and treasure, we give true justice to
all men. Under the benediction of even JUS
tice to all, and inviting them to obedience to
the law to industry and virtue, we offer them
the olories of the future and the sacred bles-
sings of freedom for them and their children
We ask them to forget their malice ana NATE
and the counsels of the insane and wicked
men who first led them to strike at the heart
of their country and to return to a partlcl-
nation in the rich rewards in store for this
the freest and most powerful nation on earth.
But for you and your comrades rebellion
would have become revolution, and the enc
mics of freedom and united nationality
would have achieved their infamous pur-
poses. Under God we triumphed. The
right has been maintained; and to you, In
the name of all the people Of this great Com
monwealth, 1 tender thanks-warm, deep,
heartfelt thanks. May your lives he spared
long to enjoy the Government you saved, to
illustrate your countryfs grandeur, and to en-
Joy 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 battlefield by tue
benedictions and prayers of the good, and
benevolent people carried to you the contri-
buttons of the patriotic and generous at
home Never at any time during the war.
did this constant hencvolencc shrink, and
always good Christian men and women
were found willing to endure privation and
suffering to reach you on the field or in the
hospital So far as it was possible the State
always made ample provision for the removal
of the bodies of the slain for Christian in
terment and their kindred and friends. -
When it was practicable, the sick and wound
ed were removed to enjoy the tender watch
ING and care of their friends II home. And,
as thr crownin% glory OF this great Common
wealth. she has gathered together the help
less and destitute orphans II dead soldiers.
and adopted them their children ~ the
Commonwealth. The Legislature OF Penn
sylvania, moved by justice and Christian
charity, for three years have made munihccnt
appropriations of the public money 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 Pennsylvania
raises to the memory of the slain, more en-
during thon brass or marble, and in harmony
with the Christian teachings of her people.
Here are twelve hundred of these little chill
drcn before you to day, the children of COM
rades left upon the fields of battle, bright
Jewels in the crown of glory that encircles
this great Commonwealth, the strongest
evidence of the fidelity and patriotism of her
people Let this work be so now engratted
upon the public policy of the State that it
shall endure until the last orphan of the
Pennsylvania soldier shall be trained, nurtur-
ed, and educated.
This is halowed place-this is hallow-
ed day. Here and now, in the name of Penn
sylvania, accept these colors fifty, for we
are assembled upon the birthday in the birth
place of American liberty.
We are forced to contemplate the wond-
rous march of this people to empire, coloni-
zation, the Revolution, the Declaration of
Independence, the Constitution, the REBEL
ion, its overthrow, and the publication of
our Government, and the change OF our or
ganic laws by the lessen of discord, and our
hopes for the future, following each other in
logical sequence; and the duty and responsi-
bility of this labor for mankind are devolv-
ed by the grace of God and the hearts and
arms of our soldiers upon the loyal people of
this land.
In the presence of these mute symbols of
living soldiers, [pointlng to the fiags:l of
yonder touching memorials of our dead SOL
diers, [pointing to the children :; in fealty to
the blood poured out like water in remem-
brance of the SORROWS yet to be assuaged,
and the burdens yet 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 heig ht of our great
privileges, and place the American Govern
eminent upon the enduring basis of justice
and liberty. This is the great lesson of the
war; and the very rock of political truth
. Whosoever falls upon it will be broken,
and upon whomsoever it shall fall it will
grind him to powder"
Then our Government will represent the
result of American civilization, and then
these old flags will glow with the light of
their meaning, and the valor of the soldiers
of the Republic will receive its just reward
in rendering a memorable service to man
kind for then, in the words of our illus
trlons martyr, we will take care - that the
Government of the people, by the people
and for the people, shall not perish from the
earth.''
Bnd now, having received these standards,
he who addresses you has performed his last
official act connected with the military SER
vice of the war, and his relations to you, so
long, so intimate, and so cordial, arc severed.
In this, our last official interview, when
Tue Ties CnaC OOunQ US so closely Tor these
eventful years just passed, and the relations
so intimate, so cordial are closing, he would
insensible to the constant fidelity, to the
pleasant relations, to the forgiveness of error,
to the ready and generous support, to the
many and the very many evidences of kind
ness and affection he has received from you
and your comrades if he has failed to ex-
press to you his personal obligation and
thanks. He recurs with qualification to the
fact that he did for the soldier what he could.
He regrets that he could not have done more.
But he will carry with him to his grave, and
leave as rich legacy to his children, the
that you at least believed that
he did what he could for his distressed coun-
try, and that after the experience of five
eventful years the soldiers of Pennsylvania
deem him worthy of their confidence and
respect.
And here, ON this last occasion of the war,
ne returns his thanks to the great body of
the people of Pennsylvania for their kind
ness and support, and to the thousands of
benevolent women and men who were Away,
ready to obey his calls to the succor and
renef OF their brave and gallant brethren in