Speech of Rev. Breckinridge*
The venerable Rev. Dr Breckinridge,
of Kentucky, was the temporary presid
ing officer of' tho Union Presidential Con
vention held in Baltimore, June 7th. 'O4.
On taking the Chair he addressed the
Convention as follows:
Gentlemen of the. Convention — \ ou can
not lie more sensible than I am that the
part I have to porform hereto-day is mere
ly a matter of form, and. acting upon the
principles of my whole life. I was inclin
ed, when the suggestion was made to me
from various quarters, that it was in the
minds of many members of the Conven
tion to confer this distinction upon me, to
earnestly declineto accept, because I have
nevor sought honors; I have never sought
distinction; I have been a workiug man
and nothing else but certain considera
tions led me to change my mind. (Ap
plause.) There is a class of men in the
country far to small for tho good of the
countrv; these men who, merely by their
example, by their pen. by their voice, try
to do good, and all the more in perilous
times, without regard to tho reward that
may come. It was given to many such
men to understand by the distinction con
ferred upon one of the humblest of their
class that they were men whom the coun
try would cherish, and who would uot be
forgotten.
There is another motive relative to your
selves and to the country at largo. It is
good for you, it is good for every nation
and every people every State and every
party, to cherish all generous impulses, to
follow all noble instincts; and where are
men more noble, moregenerous than when
they labor to purge themselves of all .self
seekers and betrayers, and to-confer hon
ors. if only iii mere forms, upon those who
arc worthy to be trusted, and ask nothing
more? [Applause.] Now, according to
my convictions of propriety, having said
this, I should say nothing more, (cries of
go 011), but it has been intimated to me
from many quarters, and in a way which
I cannot disregard, that I should disap
point the wishes of my friends, and per
haps tho just expectations of the Conven
tion, if I did not, as briefly and yet aspre
cisely as I could, say something upon the
great matters which have hrot' us here.
Therefore, in a very few words, and as
plainly as I can. I will endeavor to draw
your attention to one and another of these
great matters in which wc arc all engag
ed.
In the first place, nothing can be more
plain than the fact that you are hero as
the representatives of a great nation, vol
untary representatives, chosen without
forms of law, but as really representing
feelings, principles, and, if you choose,
prejudices of the American people, as if
it were written in the laws and already pass
by the votes; for the man that you will
nominate here for the Presidency of the
United States, and a ruler of a great peo
ple in a great crisis, is just as certain. I
suppose, to become that ruler as anything
under heaven is certain before done.—
( Prolonged cheering.) And, moreover,
you will allow me to say, though perhaps
it is hardly strictly proper that I should,
but as far as I know your opinions, I sup
pose it is just as certain now, before you
utter it, whose name vou will utter, and
which will be responded to from one end
to the other of this nation, as it will be
after it has been uttereTl and recorded by
your Secretary. Does any man doubt that
this Convention intends to say that Abra
ham Lincoln shall be the nominee? (Great I
applause.)
What t wish, however fo call your at- [
tention to is the grandeur of the mission j
upon which you arc met, and. therefore,
the dignity and solemnity, earnestness and
conscientiousness, with which represent- 1
ingoneof the greatest, and certainly one !
of the first people of the world, you j
ought to discharge these duties. (Ap-1
phrase.)
Now, besides the nomination of Prcsi-!
dent and Vice President, in regard to
which sacred offices I will say nothing,
because I know there is more or less dif
ference of opinion among you ; but bo
sides these nominations yon have other j
most solemn duties to perform. You have
to organize this party throughout the !
United States. Yon have to put it in j
whatever form your wisdom will suggest j
that will unite all your wisdom, energy
and determination to gain the victory !
which I have already said wasinourpow-1
cr; More than that; you have to lay
down, with clearness and precision, the
principles on which you intend to carry 011
this great political contest, anil prosecute
the war which is underneath them, and
the glory of the country which lies be
fore us if we succeed. Plainly, not in a
double sense; briefly, not in a treatise;
with the dignity anil precision of a great
people, to utter, by its representatives,the
political principles by which they arc wil
ling to live, and for the sake of which
they are willing to die, so that all men,
everywhere,may understand precisely what
we mean, and lay that furrow so deeply !
and clearly, that while every man who is j
worthy to associate with freemen, may see I
it and pass over it, every man who is uu- !
worthy may be cither unable to pass it, or i
may be driven far from it. We want none 1
but those who arc like us to be with us.
(Applause.)
Now among those principles, if you
will allow rae to say it, the first and most
distinct is that we do not intend to per
mit this nation to be destroyed. (Ap
plause.) Wc arc a nation—no doubt a pe
culiar ofle—formed of States, and no na
tion except as these States form it; and
these States arc no States except as they
arc States in that nation. They had no
more right to repudiate them. Not one
of them had even the kliadow of a right
to do this, and, God helping us, we will
vindicate the truth go that it sh»ll never
t>C disputed any more in the world. (Ap
plause.) It is a fearful alternative that is !
set before us, but there arc great compen- j
satious for it.
Thoso of you who have attended to this ;
subject know that from tho foundation of.
the present Government, before and since ;
our present Constitution was formed, there
have always been parties that had no faith
in our Government. The men that form
ed it were doubtful of its success, and the
men that opposed its formation did not
desire its success, and I am bold to gay,
without detaining you ou this subject,
that for all the outcry against our viola
tions of the Constitution, this presentliv-
Inggeneration and this present Union pnr
ty are more thorougnly devoted to that
Constitution than any generation that
has ever lived under it. (Applause.)
While I say that, and Bolmemnly believe
it, and believe it is capable of the strong
est proof I may also add that it is the
great error which is being propagated in
the land to say that our national life de
pends merely upen the sustaining of the
Constitution. Our fathers made it.and
we lovo it. lie intended to maintain it;
but if it suits us to change it we can do so
[Applausejs and when it suits us to change
it wc will change it. (Applause.) If it
were torn into ten thousand pieces the
nation would be as much a nation as it was
before the Constitution was made ; a na
tion always that declared its independ
ence ag a united people, and lived as a
united people until now; a nation inde
pendent of all particular institution un
der which they lived, capable of model
ing them precisely as thetr interest re
quire. Wo ought to have it distinctly
understood by friends and ememies,
that while we lovo that instrument wc
will maiutaiain it, and will, with undoubt
ed certainty put to death friends or foes
who undertake to trample it under foot.
Yet, beyond a doubt, wo will reserve the
right to alter it to suit ourselves, from
time to time, and from generation to gen
eration. (Applause.)
One more idea on that subject. We
have incorporated in the instrument the
right of revolution, which gives us, with
out doubt, the right to change it. It nev
er existed before the American States,
and by the right to change there is no
need of rebellion, insurrection or civil war,
except upon a denial of the fundamental
principle of all free Goverments; that
the major part must rule; and there is no
other method of carrying on society, ex
cept that the will of the majority shall be
the will of the whole, or that the will of
the minority shall he the will of the whole.
.So that, in one word, to deny the princi
ples I have tried to state, is to make a
dogmatic assertion that the only form of
Government that is possible with perfect
liberty, and acknowledged by (lod, is a
pure and absolute despotism.
The principles, therefore, which lam
trying to state before you arc principles
which, if they be not true, freedom is im
possible, and no Government but one of
pure force can exist, or ought to endure
among men. But the idoa which I wish
to carry out as the remedy for these troub
les and sorrows is this; Dreadful as they
arc, this fearful truth runs through the
whole history of mankind, that whtaevcr
else may be done to give stability to au
thority, whatever slse uiaybe done to per
petuate its institutions, however wise,
however glorious, practicable and just
may be the philosophy of it, it has been
found that the only enduring,only imper
ishable cement of all free institutions has
been the blood of traitors. No Gov
ernment has ever been built upon imper
ishable foundations which foundations
were not laid in the blood of traitors. It
is a fearful truth, but we had as well avow
it at once, and every blow you strike, and
every rebel you kill, every battle yon win,
dreadful as it is to do it, you are adding,
it may be a year, it may be ten years, it
may be a century, it may be ten centuries,
to the life of the Government and free
dom of your children. (Great applause.)
Now, passing ovfcr that idea—passing
over many other things which it Would be
right for 1110 to say. did time serve, and
were this the occasion—let me add, you
arc a Union party. Your origin has
been referred to as having occurred eight
years ago. In the one sense it is true,
but you arc far older than that. I sec
before me not only primitive Republicans
and primitive Abolitionists, but I see also
primitive Democrats and primitive Whigs,
primitive Americans, and if you will al
low me to say so, I myself am here, who
all my life have been in a party to my
self. (Laughter a.id applause.) As a
Union party I will follow you to tl « ends
of the earth, and to the gates of death.
(Applause.) Hut as an Abolition party,
as a Republican party, as a Whig party,
as a Democratic party, as an American
party. 1 will not follow you one foot. (Ap
plause.) 15ut it is true of the mass of
the American people, however you may
divide and scatter, while this war lasts,
while the country is in peril, while you
call yourselves, as you do in the call of
the Convention, the " Union party," you
are for the preservation of the I'nion and
the destruction of this rebellion, " root
aud branch."
And, in my judgment, one of the great
errors that has been committed by our
Administration of the General Govern
ment—tho chief of which we are about
to nominate for another term of office—
has been to believe that wc have succeed
ed where we have not succeeded, and to
act in a manner which is appropriate for
those who have succeeded. You will not,
you cannot succeed until you have utter
ly broken the military power of this peo
ple. (Applause.)
I will not detain you upon these inci
dental points, one of which has been
made priAiiuent in the remarks of tho ex
cellent Chairman of tho National Com
mittee. Ido not know that I would be
willing togo so far as. probably he would,
but I cordially agree with him in this. L
think, considering what has been done
about slavery, taking the thing as it now
stands, overlooking altogether, cither in
tho way of condemnation or approval,
any act that has brought us to the point
where we are. bet believing in my con
science aud with all my heart, that what
has brought us where \."e are in tho mat
ter of slavery is the origin*' sin and folly
of treason and secession—because you re
member that tho Chicago conversion it
self was understood to say, and I beJieve
it virtually did explicitly state that they
would not touch slavery in the States—
leaving it therefore altogether out of the
question—how we e»me where wo are on
that particular point, wc are prepared to
go further than the original Republic
ans themselves were prepared to go. We
are prepared to demand not only that the
whole territory of the United States shall
uot be made slave, but that the general
Government of the Americau people
shall do one of two things—and it appears
to me that there is nothing else that can
be done either to uso the whole power of
the Government, both the war power and
the peace power, to put slavery as nearly
as possible back where it was—for al
though that will be a fearful state of so
ciety, it is better than anarchy—or else
to use the whole power ofthe Government,
both of war and peace, and all the parti
cal power tllat the people of the United
States will give them, to exterminate
aud extinguish it. (Prolonged applause.)
I have 110 hesitatoin in saying for my
self that if I were a pro-slavery man, if I
believed this institution was an ordinance
of God and was given toman, I would un
hesitatingly join those who demanded the
Government should be put back where it
was. But lam not a pro-slavery man.
I never was. I write myself with those
who believe it is contrary to the brightest
interests of all men and of all Govern
ments, contrary to the spirit of Christ
ian religion, and incompatible with the
natural rights of man. I join myself
with those who say, "Away with it for
ever," (applause), and I fervently pray
God that the day may come when through
out the whole land every man may be
as free as you are, and as capable of en
joying regulated liberty.
I will not detain you any longer. One
single Word you will allow.ine to say in
behalf of the State from which I come.
We know very well that our eleven votes
are of no consequence in a Presidential
election. We know very well that in
our present unhappy condition it is by no
means certain that we are here to-day,
representing the party that will east the
majority of votes in that unhappy State.
I know very well that the sentiments
which lam uttering will cause me great
odium in the State ill which I was born,
which I love, where the bones of two
generations of my ancestors and some of
my chilereu are, and where soon I shall
lay my own. I know very well that my
colleagues will incur odium if they oil
dorse what I say, and they too know it.
But we have put our faces toward the
way in which we intended togo, and we
will go in it to the end. If we are to
perish we will perish iu that way. All I
have to say to you is, help us if you can :
if you cannot believe injyour hearts that
wc have died like men, [Great applause.]
Sherman nml Joliiislon.
Atlanta is thronged with famished fugi
tives from northern Georgia and Alabama,
and an aspect of gloom pervades the place.
Johnston has buoyed up the rebels of At
lanta with hopes of what lie was going to
do. until at length they find every point
of exterior defence abandoned successive
ly, and Johnston beaten in conflict ind
thwarted in strategy. He made an at
tempt to save Atlanta bymnrchingtowards
Dallas, to cover the turnpike leading to |
Atlanta; but after erecting formidable ;
works and fighting useless battles, he finds
that Sherman was all the time amusing
him there while portions of his army wore
marching by the flank toward Marietta,
which they have now reached, and are
thus established on the direct railroad to
Atlanta, at the principal town 011 the road,
south of all the formidable positions and
within easy reach of Atlanta.
If Johnson now remains in his fortified I
position near Dallas, Sherman will take
possession of the railroad and run his for
ces to Atlanta. If Johnston brcakscamp
there and moves to Marietta, Sherman
then has the turnpike road open to Atlan
ta, and can move by it. A pitched bat
tle of the most desperate character would
be Johnston's true policy, and this will
account for his assuming the offensive
and attacking Sherman ; but he does not
seem to have the courage or resolution to 1
risk a decisive battle, and therefore his
fights never amount to much. We pre- j
sume that he will retreat to the line of
the Chattahoochie, and attempt to defend
it against Sherman. This will be a diffi
cult task at present, in consequence of the
position Johnston finds himself in, with
Sherman's forces occupying both the rail
road and the turnpike.
The possession of Mariette by Sherman
will cause the immediate abandonment
by the rebels of all points 011 the railroad
north oT that place, including Kenesuw
and Alatoona. the two strongest jtositions
south of Buzzard's Roust; and as Sher
man always keeps his locomotive ready,
the cars will soon reach him at Marietta,
and open communications through to
Kingston and Chattanooga. We are
aware that is this a long line of commu
nications toman tain, aud against a gener
al of the capacity of Lee it might be per
ilous; the Johnston'B policy is so purely
defensive, and Sherman's so incessantly
offensive, that the lino is pretty safe, more
especially since Kingston has been con
verted into a <Hht ( > l y base.
In approaoaWrAtlanta, Shcrqym will
now he apt to nolJfTte turnpike, roads south
of the railroad, because he thereby pro
tects the approaches to his own communi
cations, there being no roads north aud
east of the railroad running to Atlanta
from the north except by a very circuit
ous route. Ho will be apt to do so also
for another reason. In undertaking the
scige of Atlanta, ho would desire it to be
severed from the railroad which would
cnonnect it with the most available rein
forcements, which being the one leading
to Mobile, comes in the way of his march !
from Dallas.
Should Johnston retreat to the line of
the Chattahoochie on finding Marietta in
possession of our forces, Sherman would
probably follow the same policy he pursued
at Kingston and other places—keep his
main army on the lino of the railroad and
send a column marching by the parallel
turbpikes. If the direct one to Sandtown
and Atlanta was open, he might thereby
secure ail available crossing of the Chat
tahoochi; but as Johnston would proba
bly defend the river at Sandtown, it
would be necessary for sherman's detach
ed praties to march by the circuitous
route from Dallas to Campbellton.
In point of fact, Jonliston has retreat
ed so far, and lost so many good possi
tions, that he has now got himself in
to a very awkward dilemma, where the
defence of Atlanta seems almost impos
sible. Without moving on Dallas, Sher
man has but to send a detachment by
the turnpik to Villa Rica, and he would
hold a possition commanding a short and
direct road to Kingston, on the north,
and another to Compbellton, Sandtown
and Atlanta, on the east. This route
completely turns the flank of any availa
ble position Johnston is likely to take on
the line of tho Chattahoochie, and also
gi¥e"us access to the great southern rail
way connection of Atlanta.
ithc gmmfim (Eittectt.
THOMAS ROBINSON, lEdItoPCYRUSl EdItoP
CYRUS E. ANDERSON, j* 0 " o™- 0 ™-
M. W. NPK4R, Publisher.
_
BUTLER PA.
hedxesday jihe is, iso».
43-"Liberty and Union, Now and Forever, One
end inseparable."—D. Webster.
FOB PRESIDENT IN 1804 :
AItItAIIAYI LIXCOM.
FOR VICE president:
ANDREW JOHXNTOK.
l'renldenlial Elccfors,
SENATORIAL.
Morton M'MlrhnH, Philadelphia
Thumoa 11. Uuiiuinghttra, IVnver couutjr.
REPRESENTATIVES.
1 Robert r. Klo*. I
2 Geo. Morrison Contoa,
S jlcnrv Butnm,
4 tfUIHm II K.-rn,
ft Barton 11. Ji'tikff,
ft Charles M. Hunk,
7 Robert Parkor,
8 Aaj-on Moll,
9 .Tohn A. I!if*tand,
10 lllrhard 11. C'orrell, |
11 EdwaH Ilollldav,
12 Cb«rle« F. Uoeil, |
113 EH»k W. Hull.
14 (iiarlet* If. Phrinar,
15 John Winter,
I in David MT.»nan|hy,
jl7 IHtrid W. Wood,
IS l8»nr Itanaon,
'Hi John Pit ton.
*2O gunmel 11. Dick,
21 Ev-rard Bterer,
22 John P Ponner,
23 Ehniie7.fr M'Jtutkln,
124 .lohn W. DlanHiard.
IjOCAli TICKET.
CONGRESS.
JOHN M. THOMPSON.
(Subject to. District Conferees.')
LEGISLATURE.
WM. HAHLETT,
JOHN II.NEOLBV.
(Subject to District Nomination.)
COMMISSIONER.
A. C.CIIRISTY.
AUDITOR.
LEAN'DEI! WISE.
112
Presidential Nomina (ion.
In tlio first issue of our paper, we hoist
ed the name of Abraham Lincoln, for
re-clefclion. On several occasions since
then, wo insisted that a National Conven
tion was not necessary —that the people
were for him, and that they would elect
him, whether the politicians were for him
or not. The Baltimore Convention met
however, but only to give form to the
popular will already well understood. It
only remains now for the people to ratify
their own action at the November elec
tion, which they v:ill do as sure as that
day conies round.
Andrew Johnston, of Tennessee, is as
sociated with him as the candidate IV r
Vice President. No better nomination
could be made. "He is a patriot of the
first stamp.
With Lincoln and Johnston as our
leaders, victory is sure—and that victory
will have an object. It will be a fresh
announcement to the world that " the
Union must be preserved." The people
should goto work at once to organize for
the coming contest.
BSaf On the first page of our paper to
day, will be found a synopsis of the great
speech of our able inend>ej ofjCongrcss,
Hon. Thomas WilliamsAV'e would fain
have given this speech entire; .but owing
to its great length its also to the*crowded
state of our columus with war nqftsj. we
have been, reluctantly compelled to forego
the pleasure of laying it entire before our
readers. A gentleman like Mr.
whose reputation as a scholar, an orator
and a statesman, dates back beyond a
quarter of a century, cannot be injurey
by witholding one of his many produc
tions from the public, or by having it
abridged, it is the people who are bene
fitted by its publication. But as it has
been published in pamphlet form, we
trust it will get a wide circulation. We
advise all who can, to procure a oopy—
read it and hand it to your neighbor—it
has been favorably noticed by the press
generally—for our self, we believe it to
be the greatest speech we have read for
a long time. A friend in Washington
wrote us that its delivery was listened to
with profound interest, and that at its
conclusion the members gathered around
him to extend their gratulatiops, long
may he live to *erv« his country.
Our Ticket.
We hoist to our mast head the uames
of Lincoln and Johnston, which have
been putin nomination by the Baltimore
Convention. Of Mr. Lincoln, nothing
commendatory need be saij. His nomi
nation was made by the people, and the
Convention had simply to ratify their ac
tion. His election by the voice of every
loyal State in tho Union is morally cer
tain.
The nomination of Andrew Johnston,
of Tennessee, is also a happy one—a life
long Democrat, he still refused to follow
his party into rebellion—preferring to
stand alone beneath the folds of the old
flag. No better nomination could have
been made-
Major Thompson, our nominee for Con
gress, is well known to all our readers;
has served with distinction in the State
Legislature—his nomination by the Dis
trict Conference, will be received as a
mark of confidence in him, and respect
for the just claims of our county; but
should some other gvntlom.iu he tho fa
vored one, none will acquiesce more cheer
fully than he and his friends.
Our nominees for Assembly, Messrs.
Haslett and Negley, are novo our repre
sentatives—their re-nomination is but a
fresh endorsement of the time honored
custom of a re-election; So far as we
have been able to observe, their record is
all right—they are therefore, entitled to
our continued confidence.
' Our candidate for Commissioner, A. C.
not extensively known.
by all wTiiTtnow
him—he was disabled while in the ser
vice ofhis country ; his nomination there
fore, is a renewal of the assurance so of
teu given by our party, that we will take
care of our disabled heroes.
Of Mr. Leandcr Wise, our candidate
for Auditor, we need only say, that he is
the patron poet of the Citizen —being the
author of the poem which appeared in
our paper last winter, entitled "The call
for Lincoln," and several others of kin
dred character. Of course we will all
vote for him.
To those who were not the successful
ones at this time, we would say, have faith,
and all will come right, for all cannot suc
ceed at once. There is a good time com
ing.
County Convention.
The Committee of Return Judges of
the primary election, held throughout Sut
ler county, June 11th, 1804, met at the
Court House in Butler Monday June 13th.
and organized by the appointment of Hon.
James Kerr of Mercer township, as Pres
ident. and ]>r. A. Lusk of Zeltenople,
ami James A. Philips of Oakland, as Sec
retaries.
DELEGATES PRESENT.
Adams, Benjamin Douthctt.
Allegheny, Joseph Rosenberry.
Rrady, Zeph. Snyder.
Buffalo, John I'. .Barker.
Butler tp. Win. S. Boyd.
Cherry Jtnnes Smith.
Centre, Thomas llichards.
('lay, Allen Wilson.
Concord, Win. Magill.
Cranberry. J. P. Roll.
Clinton. .John Montgomery.
Connoquenessing, J. K Kennedy. I
Donegal. Klisha Wick.
Fairview, Matthew Ray.
Forward, Dr. Win. lrvin.
Franklin, Robert L. I'etars.
Jefferson. John Lefever.
Jackson. James Jonas.
Lancaster. James Morison.
Marion, Robert Gilchrist.
Mercer, James Kerr.
Middlesex. J. B Flick.
Muddycreek, John W. Forester.
Oakland, James A. Philips.
Parker, John W. Turner.
Penn, Nathan Brown.
Slipperyrock, E. 1). PeWolf.
Summit. S. Mitchell.
Venango, David lloover.
Washington, A H. Campbell.
Worth, R. Barron.
Wiufield, Wm. Crookshank.
Butler boro., Thomas Robinson.
Centrcville boro., O. C. Campbell.
Zelionople boro., Amos Lusk.
On Motion, Nathan Brown, Dr. Wm.
Irvin, Zephaniah Snyder, Wm. S. Boyd
and Benjamin Douthctt, were appointed
a committee to draft resolutions. The fol
lowing having been reported by them were
unanimously adopted.
Resolred, That the re-nomination of
Abraham Lincoln for President, and the
nomination of Andrew Johnston, for Vice
President, meets with our cordial appro
bation—that the action of the National
Convention, lately assembled at Balti
more, is eminently propor and patriotic;
and we hereby reaffirm and adopt the res
olutions of said convention, as expressive
of the sentiment of the. Loyal and Union
of this county.
i Resolved, That the remembrance of our
" friends who have fallen or been wounded
in the service of their country, will ever
be cherished. Over the grave of the fal
len hero, w6"~ slied the tear of sorrow,
while to the surviving SoJdier, we extend
the hand of friendship, and bid hiiu God
speed in his holy cause.
Resolved, That the families of our dead
and wounded soldiers, deserve, and will
receive our constant and jealous care, and
that Government should provide .» com
fortable support for the family of every
soldier left destitute by his fall or wounds
in his countrys service
Resolved, That the jiersoos this day
nominated) merit, this mark of the pen
pies favor and confidence, and we here y
pledge ourselvestou.se all honorihle mean
to insure their election—thereby strength
ening the Government, in this its hour <>f
trial.
On motion, Judge Mitchell. W. »\V. !
Dodds and K. D. DeWolf, were appointed
representative conferees, tonieei with ill sc :
from Mercer and counties anu j
Isaac Ash. James Kerr and Thomas Bob- t
inson, Congressional conferees, to met-; '
similar conferees from Armstrong and Ai- j
legheny counties.
On motion, it was resolved, that the
hx.Committee consist of two members in
the borough and one from each election
district, and that the President of this
Convention appoint the chairman of said
Committee.
The returns from the various townships,
having been summed up it appeared that
for Congress,
John M. Thompson, had 1032
Thomas Williams, 326
Assembly—John H. Negley, 1165
William Haslett, 930
William Suiyth, 493
Commissioner—And. C. Christy, 1012
Solomon Flecger, 372
Auditor—Lcaodcr wise. 979
On motion Adjourned.
The names of the Executive Commit
tea will apjiear next week.
JAMES KERR, Pres't.
Amos Lusk, James A. Philips, Secre
taries.
COJUM tmiCATlO^ii.
For the Citizen.
EDITORS OP AMERICAN CITIZEN :
Having been an occasional visitor from J
one of the Rural Districts to your peace
ful and quiet town, and having observed '
some of tb K aud conduct of your
citizens; of many I cannot Spcc.k in terms
of too much praise, while there are otherc.
whose conduct .cannot be too severely re
primanded. I mean those who forsake
that place which is called " giccet home"
and congregate in groups in Bar Rooms
and remain there until an untimely hour
of the night. Those men who forsake the
company of their bototn friends and those
tender ones who should be as dear to them
as the apple of their eye. Those men
who forget home only when necessity com
pels them togo, either to satisfy the " in
ner man" or to slumber away the few re
maining hours of the night.
In this group may be found the man
bordering on " three score years," the
middle aged and the youth or the man in
the vigor or prime of life. And perhaps
you will also find men who once made
profession of Religion , who in former
days occupied a seat at the table of their
Lord and Master in commemoration of
I their Saviour's death ; who have said by
their former profession that they would
be for their Lord and Master and not for
another; who doubtless have heard from
the month of their former Pastor, that
the " vows of God were upon them', aud
that it was better not to vow, than vow
and not pay." Ilut the Religion of such
I men is like the " seed which was sown on
I stony places which sprung up, but not
having much depth if earth soon wither
ed awayor perhaps, may be compared
to the " Sow which was washed and re
| turned to her wallowing in the mire again."
If y>>u ask such men the reason why
j tin 1 ive absented them-elves l'roni (he
! Ordinances of God's hou«e, doubtless the
reply will be: ''O we had a Political
I'reaihcr," or perhaps, "some of the ai
ders disputed our loyally, and therefore,it
woutd not be right for us togo to church,
aud there enjoy the ordinances of God's
house whilst there is animosity between
us and our brother." Having therefore,
absented themselves from the church,they
very soon become good members in this
home forsaken group,where doubtless they
feel more pleasure than in the Church
of the living God.
In this group while sitting between the
two fluids, tho burning and the drinking.
you will hear the great topics of the day
discussed—the Rail Road, in all its prac
tical bearings, the coal and oil specula
tions. a general lecture on the Legislative
department of the Government, and all
other subjects from thesubiiuio to the ri
diculous—especially on the latter, —-.and
all interests discussed buyheirinterest for
eternity.
An association of this kind, where its
tendency is to make men absent them
selves from their peaceful homes, when
the earth is clothed in her robe of dark
ness and prevents their exercising the pa
rental care over their tender offspring.and
from the enjoyment of those true pleas
ures which alone are found in the family
circle, and also, to learn those who are
brought within its coils to partake of the
intoxicating cup—is certainly a dangerous
association to be connected with, for al
though it may seem to give pleasure at
the present,, and be as a sweet morsol un
der their tongue; yet, it will eventually
" bite like a serpent and sting like an ad
der," and bring upon its members shame
and everlasting disgrace, therefore, Re
form ere it be too late. HOME.
Army (orrcHpoiMlcncc.
CAMP NEAR MECHANICSVILLE, J
62d, Reg. P. V. June 1, 1864. j
Messrs Editors : —Having a few leisure
moments this evening, and knowing the
friends at home will be anxious to know
what we are doing, I thought I would
write a short communication to your pa
|>er, for publication, provided you have
not enough better, to fill the columns of
I the name. Weave now encamped on the
| southern shore of the ••Pauiuiikey," with
in four miles of the old battle field of Me
: chmiicsville, where the i'enna. Reserves
i fought on the 26th of June 1862, under
i lien. M'Olellan. We have succeeded in
I driving the Rebels from the shores of the
I "liappahannock, back to their fortifica
i iion> around Richmond Ourlosset. have
, oeeu very heavy during this campaign, j
I but one consolation is, their losses are j
! equally as heavy as ours —the enemy ae j
j knowledge this in their papers. The loss I
j of the 62d, during the campaign, from j
May stb to the present date, is 26U men. .
killed, wounded and missing. The loss !
of the entire army, as near as cau be as- ,
certained, is about 50,000. killed, woun- j
ded and missing, very few of whom are
prisoners. The enemy is strongly forti- j
fied here, and in all probability, they will
make one Inst and desperate effort to drive i
us ere they abandon their present posi
tion, unless Gen. Meade should try anoth
er of his flank movements on them—you
know he in pretty good on a flank.
Thnee of the enemy, who are fortu- 1
nate as to be taken prisoner, say their ar
my is still confident of victory, but I
hardly credit that report, as their men do
not fight with the same determination
uow, that they did in the first battles of
this campaign; a good "Yankee" cheer is
now sufficient to route their entire skir
mish line, without firing a shot. In for
mer engagements, their pickets would
fight a line of battle, but, (to use a soldier's
phrase) this is played out now." Our
army is in excellent spirits, and seem ea
ger for the prey, knowing that the sooner
tho war is over, the sooner they will get
to their homes. The general belief
throughout the army is, the war will bo
overwhelm Richmond is taken; be that
as it may, th& wurwill be overwheu there
are no more to fight us and I
think a few similar to
the one now thin their
ranks considerably, acknowledge
they cannot recruit their SWv, while we
are every tlay receiving
sufficient to lffeep our army np^^M^Jj> r
mer standard. v/' ?
If the "Copperheads" at home, fcish to
see the south victorious, I would advise
them to leave immediately for the South
ern climes, for they will need all the nor
thern Copperheads to secure their inde
pendence, (might need more.)
Yours Truly, 9
G. W. F.
Company D, 62d, P. V.
B@~ Through the kindness of Capt.
E. L. Gillespie, of Co. G, 4th Pa. Caval
ry, we have been permitted to publish the
following extract of a letter from Andrew
N'ellis, O. S. of said company It will be
gratifying to the many friends and rela
tives of the memhersof this Co., to know
that thus far in the great and sanguinary
conflict that has been going on since the
army crossed the Rapidan, this company
has not lost a single man.
CAMP 4TII I'A. CAVALRY,
10 miles from Richmond, June 4, 1864. 112
CAPT E. L. GILLESPIE— Dear Sir:
We are fighting every day and night.and
it is hard to say how it will end. The
regiment has been lucky so far. Lt. Row
an, of Co. L, is wounded, one leg shot off
report is th«' he is dead Co. G. has not
lost one man, and 30 recruits have arri
ved for the company; all in the best of
spirits and confident of success.
ANDREW NELLIS
O. S.,Co.G.
An Act,
To provide tor the payment of bounties
to volunteers in the County of Jiuiler.
SECTION I. BO it enacted by the Sen
ate and IIOUBO of Representatives of tho
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in Gen
oral Assembly met, and it is hereby enac
ted by the authority of the same.
That tho School Directors or a majori
ty of them, of tho several townships ami
boroughs of tho County of Butler shall
have the power to levy, assess and collect
on the property JIOW taxable for State and
county purposes a tax sufficient to pay a
bounty of not exceeding Three Hundred
Dollars to each volunteer enlisted and
credited on the quotas of said districts
for the present or any future calls and
drafts.
SECTION 2. That ill levying and collect
ing said tax the said Directors shall have
power to include in the same a Poll or
Per capita tax on Each taxable Citizen
who is, or may be subject to a draft, of
not exceeding Twenty-five Dollars.
SECTIONS. That in case said Bounties
have already been raised and paid to said
volunteers in any of said districts, by mon
ey sulwcribed, loaned, advanced or paid
by oi through individuals or Committees
acting for the Citizens, and with the un
derstanding or Condition that the samo
should be repaid by general taxation, tho
said Directors are hereby authorized and
required to repay the same to said persons
out of said monies so assessed and collect
ed.
SECTION 4. Th at in assessing and col
lecting said taxes said Directors shall have
power to make such exonerations and cr
emptiimx as they may deem just and prop
er, and shall hava power to appoint such
COLLECTORS and issue such WARRANTS
and take such BONDS for the collecting
and safety of such monies as is provided
by existing Laws for the assessing and col- ■
Iccting of State and county taxes, and do
all other acts and things necessary in the
premises.
SECTION 5. All funds so faised for said
purposes shall be audited hythe township
or borough Auditors of any of said dis
tricts, and if any surplus exists, the same
shall be paid over by said Directors to the
Common School fund of said districts.
SECTION 6. The said county of Butler
shall be exempt from the provisions of the
General Bounty Law approved Twenty
fifill March Anno Domini, one thousand
eight hundred and sixty four, wherever
said provisions are inconxistent with the
provisions of' this act.
HFNRY JOHNSTON,
Speaker of the House of Rep's.
JOHN P. PENNY.
Speaker of I he Senate.
A; rovoil/l he Fourteenth day of April
j Anno iJOniini, one thousand eight hundred
j and sixty four.
A G. CURTIN.
A correspondent with Gen. Sherman,.
' writing under date of (he Ist. refers to as
| sail Its on Hookers and the . 3d corps on,
i the 30th ult., which were repulsed with
j disaster to the enemy. Of the result of
I the five day's fighting t# that date, Gen-
MePherson had closed upon our right
wing, ready for the next important move
! mcnt.
A Tribune correspondent dispatches
; from White House, Saturday, that two
! officers just arrived there brought the news
1 of the capture of Fort Darling, stating
that an order convoying this intelligence
j bos been read to the army the previous
evening, and that the cheers of tho st/l
--! dicrs could be hoard for miles around,