The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1870-01-13

nRSS, DUB by Oiner states anu tBN lf6
War Department at Washington. All
these circumstances, connected with
the present fiourishing condition Of the
volunteer militia in the State, induce
me to request the continuance Of legis-
! lative favor for the Adjutant Generals
department. and that il may be gener-
, erously supplied with such appropria-
tions as have been requested by the
Adiutant General for that Office.
An unusual martial activity prevails
throughout the State, but more partic-
ularly in Philadelphia. The encour-
agement which has been afforded to the
uniformed militia has been responded
TO with alacrity, and is exhibited as
follows: In 1866, there were eight vol
unteer companies; in 1867, thirty-eight;
in 1868, sixty seven, and in 1869, one
| hundred and eighty four. No less than
one hundred and seven companies were
organized during the year ending No
vember 30. 1869, of which fifty six are
i'm Philadelphia, and fifty one in other
parts of the Stale.
This is a small but efficient and well
equipped force, which, in case of riot,
/ rebellion, or other public danger, would
be ready at once to imperii itself for
| the enforcement of the laws, and the
protection of the lives and property of
/ the citizens. 1t Is, therefore, desirable
that the Legislature should give the
volunteers sucn practical aid as would,
in some degree, compensate them for
/ the time and money expended TO main
! tain their organizations, in which the
! people are a. much interested as the
! volunteers themselves.
The report of the Adjutant General
/ will be found very interesting dOcu-
/ ment, containing much valuable infor-
/ nation and many important sugges-
/ tions. 4 careful peruSal of its contents
/ and such artion thereon, as seems to be
/ demanded by their importance, is re-
commended. Gen. ID. 3. M'Creary
/ has been elected to membership in one
/ Of your honorable bodies, and with his
/ last report he closed his career as Adju-
! tant General In losing his valuable
t services from position he has so ably
4 filed for more than two years, the hope
/ j. INDUCED that the department viii
gain an intelligent and devoted friend
and an able and efficient advocate in
i the halls of legislation.
Military History
/ The report of the State Historian is
deserving of your careful attention. In
/ it you will find detailed account of
! the operations of his department from
/ its commencement to the present time.
/ The work entrusted to his care is one
! OF no ordinary character and response
+ biiity, requiring talents of a high order,
/ patient industry, careful research, and
/ unbiased Judgment. The labor 10 be
I performed is immense, and can only be
I properly appreciated by those fully ae
/ qaainted with its magnitude. IT em
/ braces a faithful account Of all the or
CARNATIONS of Pennsylvania troops du-
ring the war of the rebellion; the col
lection and adjustment, in a ccmpre-
hensive form of each military organi
zation, and an unprejudiced description
OF all military transactions of import
ance, so far as the volunteers Of this
State are concerned, in the camp and
in the field, throughout the most ter
rife conflict of arms that has ever Oc-
Cured i'm the history Of the world
The prOprie'y OF such a work must nc
apparent to every intelligent citizen OF
the Commonwealth. Certainly II Is
due to the citizen soldiers, who offered
their lives in the defence Of their coun-
try, that their names should, at least,
receive "a place in the archives Of the
State. toward whose honor and glory
their gallant deeds have so largely con-
trihuted.
The work of the Historian, when
completed, will embrace four large oc-
tavo volumes, in which the name OF
every Pennsylvania volunteer VIII
have its appropriate place. Two Of
these volumes are already completed,
/ in manner highly creditable 10 the
/ Commonwealth. The third is rapidly
/ progressing, and with a generous ap-
preparation on the part OF your
/ honorable body the entire history will
+ be executed, if not before, soon after
/ the close Of the present year. Most
+ other States are publishing histories
! similar 10 this. and it is due to the in-
portance of the subject, and TO the
/ credit of the State, that Pennsylvania
( should not be behind in this patriotic
/ undertaking.
/ Home for Disabled Soldiers.
/ There is, probably, no State in the
/ American Uni n that has contributed
! more literally toward the support of
charitable and benevolent institutions
than that Of Pennsylvania. The APP
Dropriatious annually made for the
{ benefit Gf the soldiers orphans schools,
I asylums for the deaf and dumb, blind
and insane, and many similar worthy
establishments in which the poor,
I helpless aud otherwise friendiess are
cared and provided for, reflect great
4 credit upon the Legislatures who have
! dOna ell the requisite means for their
! support. But there is one other insti-
4 tuition needed, and the claims for which
are more strongly urged by every prin-
T ciple of humanity and patriotism, than
/ any other now in existence. which has
not vet received the attention its vast
I importance imperatively demands
+ This is a home for the soldiers who
have Hbarna the battle" in defence Of
the honor, integrity and Perpetuity Of
/ the American Union. No men living
| have as powerful claims upon the gem
/ ero>iiy and nurturing care of the Com
mOnWealth of Pennsylvania, as those
who. upon the battle field, fought 10
protect it frOin threatened devastation
/ and destruction, and who in this patri-
! otic service, endangered their lives,
sacrificed their health, lost their limbs,
and became enfeebied and disabled for
life. And yet we daily see these men,
fand who does not blush TO see them p
70 whom we owe the preservation of
our government, the homes We enjoy,
and almost everything we possess,
hObb.ing about our streets upon crutch-
es, with missing limbs, and otherwise
so enfeeb!ed as to be entirely untitled
for any remunerative employment,
begging their bread from door to door
or sitting u pon the corners of the streets
turning an organ for the few pennies the
charitable pas5er by may feel disposed
to bestow. Every one of these helpless
men, whose patriotic devotion to his
country has brought him TO this de-
plorable condition, is a burning re-
| proach to the State for whose welfare
he has met the most serious and la
mentahie of all misfortunes. All of