The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1918-04-11
TO IHE PUBLIC

believe that my sympathies are not
entirely with America In the war
which Is now waging against the Ger
man Imperial Government. l wish to
take this opportunity Of assuring ev-
cry citizen In Maysville, and out OF
It, that my affection for and devotion
to the United States Of America is
whole hearted and undivided.
In 1868 became naturalized citi-
zen of the United States. At that time
| declared upon oath that renounced
all allegiance to the King Of Wurtem-
burg, of whom / had formerly been a
subject, and to all foreign Princes,
Potentates and Powers, and / solemn
ly swore that l would bear true faith
and allegiance to the Constitution and
laws OF America; that oath is just as
binding upon me and my conscience
today as the day 1t was made, and
since the hour this country declared
that a state of war existed between 1t
and Germany, l, like every other true
American have known no flag but the
Star Spangled Banner, and have
hoped and prayed that success would
crown the efforts of the American
Army, in order that in the future, as
in the past, this Country and all Of
her citizens should continue to enjoy
the priceless blessings Of liberty and
freedom.
1t is proper that l should state that
prior to our entrance into the war, l.,
like many of our citizens gave ex-
pressions to personal views touching
the belligerent parties. During that
period our country was not involved
in the war and every one hoped that
we would be spared the necessity of
engaging in same, but when our law
fully constituted authorities in the
constitutional exercise of their power
decreed that a state of war existed
between our Country and Germany,
acquiesed in that judgment as l and
every other citizen was bound to do in
obedience to the mandate of good
citizenship, and l may add that /
know this country would not have en-
tered the war unless the authorities
were clearly convinced that our safe
ty, our honor and the perpetuity Of
our institutions demanded it. Since
we have entered the war my vision,
like countless millions of others, in
this and other neutral countries, has
been cleared and | can understand
now, in the light Of all facts which
have been disclosed to me that it was
the bounden duty Of this Country to
enter the comet in order to save our
selves and the rest Of the world from
the ambitious and despotic program
of the military rulers of Germany.
| came to this Country at the sug-
gestion of my father to escape the
militarism Of Germany and to avail
myself of the opportunities offered by
this new, free and glorious republi2
| have striven through all the years to
make myself worthy of this country
and its laws and customs, and have
endeavored to make my citizenship
high in character and to keep 1t free
of blemish or reproach. | married
here l have raised my family here
and expect to die and be buried here.
| know that my children and my chill
drens children will continue to live
and move and have their being in this
blessed land. 1t would be unnatural
as we'll as ungrateful for me who had
abandoned Germany to escape a gov
eminent despised and abhored to
now have feeling of sympathy for
that government or to prefer It In any
manner to this government under
which I have happily lived and pros
pered. I want publicly to state in or
der that the world may know, that at
this time when our boys are fighting
and dying to make secure the things
we hold dearest that my heart and
soul and sympathy are with them and
that ] stand willing and ready to
make any sacrifice which my Country
demands Of me in the same holy
cause, and II In any thoughtless mo-
ments have uttered any words which
now by any construction might be
construed to reflect upon my devotion
to this country Of my adoption or to
impair or impede the splendid mill
tary program which has been inaIg-
urated by the American Government
In defense Of her ideals then | want
to disavow any such intention. and to
apologize for any unfortunate express
sion which might have suggested the
remotest semblance Of such intention,
and to proclaim with all the ferver of
my heart that am a true, loyal and
devoted American citizen, loving her
to the exclusion Of all other countries,
and stand shoulder to shoulder with
all American citizens In desiring a
quick and decisive victory for the
armies Of the republic and her allies.
GODLOvE A. SHAEFER.
Dated April 10th, 1918.
FOUND DEAD in BED
Mr.. William D. Manley aged 6S
years, an employe at the government