The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1839-08-31
GOVERNOR PORTER.


and excellent reply.
BEDroRD, Pa. August 3D., 1885,
GENrLEMEN The state Of nv health,
and disposition to avoid parade, will deny
10 me, what otherwise would be, the pleas
ure of partaking of a public dinner with |
nv Democratic friends of Bedford county |
to which your letter Of this morning has in
vited.me.
Anxious, however, TO maintain and pre- |
serve an unrestrainied intercourse between
the people and their public functonaries, it
will Give me great pleasure during my So
iourn at Bedford, to see and converse with
such Of my fellow citizens as may find IT
convenient to call,
For HE hatteriag manner in which you
have been pleased to advert to my public
course be pleased to accept my thanks.
was but the candidate in whose election de
mocratic principles triumphed, and 1t was
10 the indomitable hrmness and intlexlbe
1epublicauistn of the people of Pennsylya-
MIA and not 10 any personal merit OF claims
of the candidate that we are indebted for the
result. Still after the CRUSADE against pri-
va,e character to which you have referred,
il vould be worse than alfectation not to ad-
mitthat the result was personally gratifying
TO me. Butthe trials Of the democratic par
ty of PENNSYLVANIA did not end with the
known result of the election of the 2nd
Tuesday of October last. A daring attempt
was made by some reckless politicians to re-
tain. bv force or fraud, situations of which
the public voice has declared them unwor-
thy, and thus scenes which commenced ON
the 4th of December last, at Harrisburg,
and were continued for some weeks, afford
lamentable proof of what bad men will at
tempt, and gratifying evidence OF what
FREEAIEN, determined to Z" ask for moth
Ing but what is right and to submit TO moth
ing that is wrong" can accomplish.
The Democratic republican representa-
tives of the people and the Democratic mem
bels of the senate deserve immortal honor
for their Grmness and patriotism during those
trying scenes; and the citizens whom the
occasion brought TO the seat Of government,
bv their more than Roman irmness, as well
as moderation and prudence, have earned
for themselves never fading laurels, and just
ly entitle them to name of " The Commit
tee Of Safety" TO them are the people
of Pennsylvania indebted for the Illustration
of the nelarous attempt of these traitors 10
the liberties of our country; all attempt
which Tor recklessncss and corruption was
never equaled since the days Of Cataine.
Terrified at the consequences to themselves
OF their own guilt they fled the halls of le-
gislation to brood in secret over some new
and less dangerous mode of tampering with
popular rights, and much as they desired,
they dared not carry out their declared pur-
pose to defeat the expressed will Of the peo-
pie The calling OF troops TO the seat ol
government to ogerawe the legislature and
intilnidate the people sgnslly failed. They
were called there without and against the
authority Of law; and it is fortunate that nc
excesses were committed by the military
upon the citizens and their representatives
or it might have been that the iustigators o
the mischief might have been made TO an
.swer with their blood for their treason.
There is howevera sublinity in the spec
tace Of behoding the sovereign people calm
ly, yet firmly and unlinchingly rebukinl
the usurpers OF power and teaching then
and all who hereafter would endeavof to d.
the like. that the people are the source an
depository OF all power, and that thei
viii 9 must and shall be obeyed," and tina
he who dares to prevent the legal operato
of the viii Of the people constitutional,
expressed at the Ballot Box viii be put dow
by .he strong and irresistible voice OF pub
lie opinion.
Al the time Of my induction into Office
set forth the principles on which intendc
to at, and have thus far faithfully endea
ored to live up TO them, Notwithstanding Il
unwarraptabe and faoious opposition whic
almost every measure recommended for Il
public good has had to encounter in on
and that the least Democratic branch Of 1
legislature. Time and the deliberate actc
Of the people, the sure correctiyes Of all
buses in Republic, viii purify this, al
we NAV then see consistent aud harmon
ous action Of all the departments Of Go
eminent, aud the state f0urshing as 81
ought 70 under united Democratic council
That Divine Providence has these bles
ings in store for us | feryenlly believe al
taai oar vast trial may be the cause Of
creased watchiulness in preserving inyioa
the sacred rights 10 which we were born
the sincere prayer Of
Your fellow citizen,
nAVID r PORTER