University of Virginia Library

OBSERVES A DAY OF FASTING.

Yesterdy wuz set apart by my congregashen, ez a day uv fastin and
humiliashen fer our misforchunes at Gettizberg, and the loss uv Port
Hudsen and Vixburg. I ishood the follerin direxshens fer the proper
observance uv the fast, to-wit:

1. Nip before breckfust not 2 eckseed two jills.

2. Fer breckfust no animil food permitted, ceptin ham and eggs,
beef, etc.

3. Fer dinner, ditto, supper same ez on uther daze.

4. Beer 2 be taken by the single glass, and pretzels 2 be eten without
salt on em.

5. These rules to be void in the case uv peepil over 35 and invalids,
who may hev ther sustainin flooids ez usual.

I preecht frum this text, “O mi sole why art thow cast down.” I
told em we wuz cast down becoz uv Meed's whippin Lee, becoz uv
Grant's takin Vixburg, and Banks' takin Port Hudson. That's what's
the matter with us. That's what hez cast a shadder over owr countnansis,
and changd the hew uv our nozis from the brilyunt crimsun
to the gastly bloo! The flattrin hopes uv a successful invashen uv
the North is dasht—likewise the releef uv Vixburg, and now to fill
our cup uv sorrer, Jon Morgin's command is destroyd. But still my
frends ther is a silver linin 2 evry clowd, wich is poetry. There is
wun ray uv hope, amid all this gloom. I allood 2 the late constooshnal
demonstrashens in Noo York. Ther wuz a victory. The draft
books wuz destroyed and the draft wuz stopped. But ther wuz a bigger
triumph than stoppin the draft. Niggers wuz killd—the prowd
Anglo-saxn riz in his mite and stoned the niggers! Halleloojy. At
this pint sum uv the awjence becum sleepy, and to arowse them I becum
faseshus. Why, sez I, wuz the Dimocrisy who mauld the niggers
in Noo York, a most ennerjetic and perseverin people? Becoz,
anserd I, they left no stone unturnd 2 effect their purpus. The ijee
uv interdoosin conundrums in2 the pullpit is orijenel with me. I
closed by exhortin uv em too stand firm. Ef we kin elect Vallandigum
we may yet check the Fedral Guvment in its victorus carere.
With Ohio all rite fer constooshnal rites, the game uv subjoogashen
wood be playd out. Let us, sed I, never falter nor faint, but press
onnard 2 to the mark uv our hy callin. Ez the Isrelites threw down
the walls uv Gerryko by blowin ram's horns, so kin we by blowin our
horns throw down the walls uv this Abolishn Gerryko. Blow your
horns, my breethrin, for whoso bloweth not his own horn the same

shall not be blown, but whoso bloweth his own horn the same shall
be blown with a muchness.

We took a enumerashen uv owr church with a vew to the draft,
with the follerin result:

         

Hole number uv male members,	200
Over 45,	50
Under 18,	50
Badly rupcherd, and utherwise diseasd,	92
Gone to Canady 2 visit ther uncles,	8

We air esy in our minds on this subjic.