The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1878-10-25
THE SOLDIERS FOR DILL. ~.
TO THE PEOPLE OF PENNsYLvANIA rIon
THE SOLDIERS WHOM SHE ssN4
INTO THE FIELD
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 10, 1873.

PHILADELPHIA, Oct Is, 1873.
The present seems proper and fitting
occasion for those who have borne arms in
the Nations cause, when the armed inter-
vention of the citizen was necessary to its
support, to give due expression to their
opinions in favor of perfect union and prac-
tical administrative reform. The perms.
nence of the Union depends upon the vir.
tue and manhood Of its citizens, and if they
are powerless to redeem its government
from the deadly influence of corruption.
then their heroic sacrifices in preserving il
from the bolder approach of hostile bayonets
will have been in vain.
| We have felt that in serving the country
during the late war, and in defending its |
flag fiom the assault made upon it, we sim.
ply discharged the duty which patriotism |
imposed upon us, aud when the contest |
closed, we put off the uniform of the soldier
and reassumed the garb and position of the
private citizen. The war was waged for the |
preservation of the Union and the mainten-
ance Of Republican Institutions, and by a
| resolution of Congress, solemnly aud upsni. |
mously put forth, it was asserted that when
these purposes were accomplished ''the war
should cease" The fruits of victory have
been fully CLEANED. The voice of secession
has been silenced by the thunder of a hun
dred battle fields; the slave has been eman.
cipated and elevated to the dignity of cti.
zenship. The payment Of Confederate War
Claims has been prohibited by constitutional
enactment, and the flag of the Union fl ats
proudly without challenge throughout the
length aud breadth cf the land. The solemn
obligation which we took upon us on enter
ing the service, THAT we would defend the
United States honestly and faithfully FROM
all enemies AMI oppOarrs nhomsoever,"
compels us to rescue the government, both
State aud National, from the hands of those
who seek to destroy the Institution. for
) which we fought. We are impressed nith
the conviction that our form of government,
is imperied that a crisis has been reached
in our affairs and that the continuance in
authority of the party msuamed Republican
must lead to general disaster and ruin. The
record of its dark past admits no ray of hope
for the future. That party must die, thai
republican liberty may live. Corruption,
extravaganza, and usurpation of authority,
the deadly enemie. of popular governlnen.,
are threatening the national life, and tn r.e
) entrusted with the guardianship of all tAa.
is precious to the American people are hold
ing up the casket while they are extracting
the jewel. That which was once the party
of the Martyred Lincoln ha. become band
OF robbers-for years that party has lived,
and fattened, and maintained itself in power
by the most tlagrant violations of right.
Greater crimes have followed fast upon lesser
> ones, until the greatest crime of all-the
most stupendous crime of history--we are
governed by a Chief Magistrate, placed in
the Presidential Chair by open and unblu.l-
ing fraud.
We see, as the result of these years OF
msrule, the utter destruction of our com.
merce, our manufactures closed, the entire
paralyzation of every industry, the closing
of every avenue Of trade; our people, once
) so prosperous, reduced to want and poverty,
anu PaupeTl>ih hihh'ilB grant slrlues through
our once happy land. A change OF rulers
and of party is indeed essential, if we may
ever hspe to see again the purity OF the
early days of the Republic and the former
prosperity of the people. And now, for the
purpose of giving practical effect to the
views herein expressed, We ask you, the
Voters of Pennsylvania, to join with us in
elevating to the Gubernatorial Chair of our
grand old State, that pure Citizen and tried
Statesman, ANDREW tt, Dill.
, MaIor-General w b. FRANKLIN, L. S.A.