Year: 1863

from the Gettysburg Star and Banner (Republican)


May 3lst 1861


"Pennsylvania has long been called the
Keystone State, and she has deserved the
name. Any one not blinded by prejudice
must have accorded this to her, in the late
unhappy scenes through which our coun-
try has been called to 60. The resolu-
tions of our Representatives, pledging the
support and credit of the State to the Fed
eral Government, together with the stimuli
taneous uprising OF the people to furnish
an army to assert its commands, did more
to re-establsh confidence in the Union
and the inherent stability Of our political
system than the action of any State or peo-
pie. Pennsylvania has earned anew the
right to her proud title. Whilst all this
is so, and more-whilst cities, counties
boroughs, volunteer organizations and pri-
vate individuals have pledged their credit,
and contributed most literally to furnish
our brave volunteers with complete
equipment, and place them in a position
ready to vindcate alike the State and Ma
tional Government, we are panied by the
report of official neglect and pecuIation.--
moro than this,w have seen our comrades
miserably clothed, and both badly and
scantily provisioned by those paid, and
we'll paid, to see these important consider
ations. We held our peace when, recently
we were cognizant of the fact that the
Qua artermaster of our own company was
under the necessity of providing himself
with pair of scales to protect the company
against the rapacty of an officer ,and when
we heard the loud complaints ofthe Buck.
tailS on account of outrageous treatment,
because, in the one case, we thought it the
villiany of minor officer, and the neces-
sary delay, in the other, of an overtaxed
Administration. All this, it seems, was
but the beginning of gigantic fraud, as
though the nation and the State had not
been so disgusted by the perfidy of recent
Administrations that it hurled them from
power more for that cause than any other.
The man who makes the present effort Of
the people to preserve the liberties fought
for and achieved by our fathers an occa-
sion to rob our soldiers and enrich him.
self, is ar enemy whom it would be
charity to Hang. We care not who is the
guilty party. He who defrauds our brave
soldiers is worse than traitor We do
not know who is Immediately to blame
but this we know, that Governor Curtin
cannot escape censure. Either he is i'm.
plicated with these public thieves and re-
ceives part of the plunder,or he is guilty o
appointing men to Office who deserve the
execration of all good citizens. He may
take which horn of the dilemma he may
please. The position of affairs renders
official peculation doubly monstrous Have
we just fed from corruption to corruption
from one vile Administration to another
vler? Many voted for Gov. Curtin tc
avoid corruption and have they linked
themselves to rottenness If the interests
of this country ere bound up with the sue
cess of Republican principle as enunoiatet
in the Chicago platform, as we believ
they are, it becoms the party to purge it
ranks of these vile men, and let the stigmt
of their villainy rest CT them alone, anc
not on the party. Away with traitors anc
men who speculate on patriotism.