Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1854-08-31
Ncssrs. E2ifors :

whole-hearted citizen and true Christian.
iessrs Editors -
During a recent visit to the Bedford SpriE gS
] was called upon by SOME of the most ardent
friends of Temperance IN the State, and invit-
cd to address the people ofsBedford on the
Importance of inducing aStry friend OF human
ity to vote for a prohibitory liquor law at the
ensuing election. / MOST cheerfully complied
with the request Of these gentleman, ard |
had hoped that | had discharged the duty I'M
posed upon me to the satisfaction Of all.
/ regret to observe. however, that my re-
marks on that occasion have become u topic
of newspaper discussion, that hay words have
been misrepresented and my motives impugn-
ed. | deem it due to others as well as TO my
self that the truth should be known.
Nv recollection is, that 1 urged upon the
people present on that occasion the Importance
of the temperance reform generally, and ex-
horted them to vote for and against prohibi-
tory law at the next election. l expressed
the belief that the whole question was involved
in the resolutions allowing the people to vote
for and against prohibitory law, and that the
real friends of temperance should direct their
attention to that point, and that only. 1 de
clared my belief. that if the law was demand
ed in this way, by the voice of the people, it
mattcred but little who filed the Office of Go
yernor-the law would be sanctioned-that no
man would set himself against the will of the
people l said then, es | repeat now, that L
believe either of the distinguished gentlemen
would carry out that viii fput in a form con-
sistent with the terms Of the Constitution.
I did say that Governor Bigler was too good
q Democrat to resist the viii of the people,
and that [ had every confidence beside IN his
l.
to arrest the vice Of intemperance, that l knew
from correspondence and personal intercourse
with him. that held the doctrine that the viii
of the people should be binding so far as re
lated to the policy of the measure, but that he
would not yield his right to Judge of the con-
stitutionality and justice of 4 law when
it came before him-he would not so far for
get the dignity ofhis station or the obligations
of his oath But Governor Bgler has writ
ten to me no letter inconsistent with his man
" letter to the Temperance Convention
l felt more at liberty to say what [ did of
Gov. Bigler, because l believe an attempt had
been made to prostitute the sacred cause of
temperance to mere partisan ends, and to turn
It's influence against rc-election. [ did not
hesitate, as ! shall not, to rebuke this attempt
I intend 50 to do wheneyerandwherev [ meet
it, and this is the true and real cause Of the
complaints which have been preferred against
my Bedford address.
I, also. at the same meeting, in Bedford
referred to a secret sworn political organlza-
ton, whose object, so far IS is made known,
is to disfranchse every adopted citizen of this
glorious country, and that too, in the face of
the guarantees of the Constitution ofthe Unit
ed States as well as of our own beloved Com
monwealth both Of which recognize the adopt
ed citizen on the same board platform of civil
and religious liberty, with the native born
DoubtIess then .'the head and front of my of
Tending in the ewes of some of the unknown
and unknowing ones, Is my strong and un-
compromising opposition to JESUII1SM,
whether Protestant or Papal, and with these
men the same objection rests against Cover
nor Bieler, because of his fixed determination
not to violate the Constitution and laws OF the
land, by disfranchising adopted citizens either
on account of their religion or the place OF
their birth.
There are in my own church, and in every
other church in this ''land of the free and the
home OF the brave, men of foreign birth, as
pure patriots and as good men as ever breathed
the air of freedom-men who, to the letter,
obey the constitution and laws of the country
of their adoption. Are these men to be dis
franchised and stricken down like felons, bv
the iron hand of a secret sworn band of petty
despots Every true-hearted, Constitution and
law-loving and law-abiding American christ
ian and patriot will answer no! But if the men
who have emigrated from Scotland, England,
Ireland, Wales, Germany, France and else
where, and made this the land of their adop-
ton, citizens by choice and not by accident
and among whom are to be found our best cl-
tizens, are to be turned out of political society
and treated like serfs, solely because they
were born out of the United States, let those
who are secretly sworn thus to treat them,
follow the example of the Mayor of Phila-
deiphia, and boldly avow their purpose, and
not hide themselves or their actions from the