Our Union and its Defenders:
AN ORATION,
DELIVERED BEFORE THE CITIZENS OF BURLINGTON, N. J.,
ON THE OCCASION OF THEIR CELEBRATION OF THE
JULY 4th, 1862.
PHILADELPHIA:
KING & BAIRD, PRINTERS, No. 607 SANSOM STREET.
1862.
CORRESPONDENCE.
Burlington, July 8th, 1862.
Doct. J. Howard Pugh,
Dear Sir:
Having listened, with so much pleasure andprofit, to the appropriate and impressive address with which you favored usupon the occasion of the recent celebration of “Independence Day,” we feelthat we would be failing in duty to those of our fellow-citizens who weredeprived of that gratification, were we to allow the occasion to go by and beforgotten, without taking measures to have your remarks placed upon record,and to secure their dissemination among the reading and thinking membersof the community. Our own sentiments are so ably and admirably expressedtherein, that we wish to have the privilege of presenting them in that shape toall our friends, not only in our own community, but wherever we can reachthem—for even by those who assisted at the original delivery, they will bearperusing often and pondering well. We trust they will carry conviction to themisguided, and strengthen the convictions of the wavering. With this view,we would request the favor of a copy of your address, for publication.
Very respectfully,
Your fellow citizens,
FRANKLIN WOOLMAN,
THOMAS ROBB,
THOS. MILNOR,
JOHN D. MOORE,
JOHN RODGERS,
N. T. HIGBIE,
M. KNOWLTON,
J. D. ABERCROMBIE,
RICH. SHIPPEN,
WM. R. ALLEN,
JAS. STERLING,
FRED. BROWN.
Burlington, July 11th, 1862.
Gentlemen:
Your kind and flattering favor of the 8th inst., is before me. You canjudge better than I, and if you think there is anything, in my Oration, at alllikely to strengthen or enlighten the patriotism of a single American, I shallcordially co-operate with you in publishing it. For, however much I may fearthat its usefulness will fall far short of your wishes, yet, I know that no mannow has a right to withhold a word, or refuse a deed which he has any just reasonto suppose will aid, in the least, the cause of his country. Such reason youhave given me in your kind and partial estimate of my effort, and for this Isincerely thank you.
Trusting that our beloved country, so dear to all our hearts, so freightedwith all our hopes, may soon emerge triumphant from the fierce struggle withits foes,
I remain,
Very fait