97 LETTER OF ISRAEL WASHBURN, JR., GOVERNOR OF MAINE. ING, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMEN AUGUSTA, July 12th, 1862. STATE OF MAINE, T, ) Charles Gould, Esq. : DEAR SIR, I have received your invitation to take part in a meeting of the faithful citizens of New- York, to be held on the 15th instant. While on that day 1 can serve the cause, in the interest of which the meeting is called, only by attending to the duties which crowd upon me here, my heart and hopes will be with the good and earnest men who will come together at that time in the vast metropolis, to speak to the American people of the demands and necessities of the hour. The country is in danger, but it can and must be saved. -Let the people but perceive the greatness and imminence of the peril, and they will rise to the height of every sacrifice that is required of them. Never before were they so appealed to by all that is strongest and noblest in manly hearts. The necessity is upon them to fight for their homes, for honor, and for life. Let the coward blanch if he must ; let the faint-hearted fail in the hour of his country's agony, and let the miscreant traitor consent that this fair heritage all the gains of all the ages the hope of future generations, of the millions yet to be liberty, civilization, " the thousand years of peace " all, all, shall be cast away and lost, utterly and forever the true and patriotic men will unite in one earnest, resolute, devoted, and successful effort to crush out a revolt so causeless and wicked as to whiten by the contrast all previous crimes in the history of nations. The struggle must be short, sharp and decisive. ; for in a war like this, temporizing is waste, and timidity is cruelty. Every lawful expedient and means which the Government can lay hold of, to put down this rebellion, must be used ; and every man in the country, without respect to race or complexion, who can aid in this work, must be employed for the sake of every other man. Tour meeting is called, primarily, to arouse the country to the duties of the crisis; and so certain is it to accomplish this end, that it may assure the Administration at Washington, that if this Government is to be broken up, it will not be by reason of any neglect or fault of the people. I have the honor to be, very truly, Tour obedient servant, ISRAEL WASHBURN, JR. LETTER OF CHARLES S. OLDEN, GOVERNOR OF NEW JERSET. SEY, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMEN TRENTON, July lth, 1862. STATE OF NEWJERSEY, T, ) GENTLEMEN : I have duly received your invitation to attend a meeting of the citizens of New- York, to be held on the loth inst. My official duties are so pressing and incessant that I am compelled to decline it. At such a time as this it is the plain duty of every citizen to devote his time, his money, and his influence to the support of the Government ; if it is not now sustained, our property, our lives, and our liberties are at the mercy of treasonable and dissolute factions. The influence of your city upon the public sentiment of the country is justly great. The patriotic action of the proposed meeting of your citizens, while it will be highly appreciated by the Government, will produce the most favorable effect among the people, by cheering the patriotic, encouraging the timid, and awing the disloyal. With great respect, your obedient servant, CHARLES S. OLDEN. Messrs. JAMES W. WHITE, GEO. OPDTKE, and others Sslect Committee.
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