American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1867-10-09
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lHAIL. TO THE CHfRTls

. a . -
HAIL. TO THE CHtETlstslc.
Major General Philip III. Sheridan
has been honored with recept;snE in
Philadelphia by the citizeps and public
authorities commensurate with his em.
inent services The event reflects honor
upon our people, who have thus shown
their sense Of appreciation of the high
deserts of one of the most chivalreus sol
diers of the age, whose name and fame
have flown abroad to the ends Of the
earth, and are discussed in the pages Of
the Paris Revue des Deur Moades as
readily as in the journals of our own
fair land. General Sheridan comes
hither from the capital of the nation, to
which he was summoned from post of
duty where he was rendering the most
devoted and essential .servics to his
country, and to the great cause of fepub-
Gcan liberty, with all that combination
Of energy and shrewdness for which his
career was SO remarkable, and where, had
he been allowed to remain, he would
have finished up his work in, the same
brilliant style that characterized his
remarkable military campaigns during
the civil war. ,sr1 } tEtNe 80
This is no holiday, soldier, who has
worn his reputation threadbare Ia pafa-
ding il through home service no am>
bilious civilian, seeking elevation through
military rank no beaten general, claim.
ing credit for mastery retreats or Won
drous strategy that ended in nothing. 1t
is beau sabrear as famous as Murat--a
soldier whose, very name has. been a
tower of strength to his army, and from
whose headquarters in the saddle triumph
waved her starry emblem over every,
field to which he rode with the rush Of
the ,whirlwind, bearing electric fury to
his own men and terror to his foes ls
1t is such man as this, so honored
by his own troops, so loved by his count.
rymen, so admired by the civilized world,
and Of whom the General>insC Chief said
that he was able to command all the
armies of the republic with signal sue
cess, that our accidental President has
chosen to rebuke by removing him from
the command Of the military district TO
which he had been appointed--not be.
cause of any dereliotion of duty, not be-
cause of disobedience of orders; not be.
cause of failure 20 fulfill the objects Of
his missi on-for of none of these has he
been accused4-but for adhering to the
strict letter of his duty, as laid down in
the reconstruction laws of Congress, for
refusing to allow rebel traitors to nullify
these laws, for depriviug rebels of the
official power af mischief, and placing
the responsibilities of civil posts upon
loyal and patriotic men. rqr- n gtal
Returning to the capital, the Presi'
dent, who should thank him for his SER
vices, turns cold shoulder, and sympa-
thy of traitoIeus wretehes who never had
a word Of cheer for the Union cause
during the whole of the long, deadly strife.
The-soldier whose ''sword has won the
battle for the free," the able. chieftain
who has dismantled the fortress Of re-
bellion in Louisiana and Texas, and
made the laws and the loyal cause par.
amount, encounters only the stern
disapproval of recreant Chief Mag.
istrate ani his submissive and plant
Cabinet. This, it will be said in Eu,
rope, is another proof Of the ingrafitude
of republics, for no hero ever had better
claims to reward than Sheridan. and
none has ever been treated so shameful Z
ly and SO upjustly. y 81
But is it really so ? Does the republic.
feel uagrateful for these glorious ser>
vices.3 Let the grand reception
awarded to Sheridan by the people as st:
Louis, at Washington, and at Philadeli
phia answer. The hearts of the loyal
masses are all right They love, they
honor, and they will stand by any man
who faithfully does his duty. But
especially will they adhere TO the gall
liant soldier who after emerging triumph
antly from struggle with the enemy'in
long and terrible war, erects new moi
nunments of glor to liberty and loyalty
by his administration of . distant and
dangerous department, in the face of
rebel local officials and secret conspir-
a cies, surrounded by yellow fever, and
attacked in the rear by a recreant
President of the republic. ie5ti7q Z
1t is through no fault of the people
that the unhappy man who wields the
Executive has become the base tool of a
rebel reaction. 1t is ealamisy which
Providence has visited upen us, as the
same inserutable wisdom affliced us with
numerous disasters in the war, toa,lift
our hearts, to strengthen our purposes,
to elevate our devotion to freedom and
nationality, to prevent our rushing with
too much needless haste into measure
that, if consummated ere this, might
have been regretted. General Sheridan
is too good soldier, too earnest an
American, too stouthearted in the cause
Of freedom, to believe that the republic
has been ungreateful to him for his
glorious services. With the same sub
lime devotion, he will await the coming
oe that need ofjustice which so many Of
his brave comrades have during the long
struggle been doomed to await with
painful patience s0..w aaseJ .
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