Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1854-09-30


u -HrhH ty.um b thH NhWti WHit
hn d.ut,auH Boo u4u. uran American
] could nN at0al hm Dol. n iuo ronnsyl
NHu1u.
On lho greet moml question of puhbr
lion, tho making oui selling of nloNra.
ting liquors, except lor particular pufpofr.
! have bot little 10 sly In addition TO ihc
contents ct my teller 10 the Temperance
Convention ol June los. I'm That commn.
uicaton, expressed lhc opinion that the
Legislature was possessed or constitutional
power TO control aud lcgulnlo The subject
bat, at The somo time, remarked that, IN
The exercise OF that power, a law nigh,
hc passed which in iDs details, would be
obviously unconstitutional aud unjust
said then, as repeat now, that sincere.
ly dcPrecalc the vice oriuicmperance, and
am prepared TO sanction any proper meas.
ure to mitigate, and os far as possible, to
eXllrpuIe the vice but cannot be regard.
ed as pledged 10 sanction a proposed law,
the details Of which have not seen. The
obligations Of my oath under tho constitu.
ton lorbids this. The Executive depart.
ment Of the government is a coordinate
and concurrent branch Of The law.moking
power. Vested, as have been, with its
functions, for tho time being, should do
you injustice and dishonor myself, as an
officer, were ! to surrender those iunc.
uons 10 any other brunch of the govern.
menl, or associated power, for any reason
whatever. They must be retained in the
Executive where the Constitution has pIa.
ced them, and freely, intelIigenty and in
dcpendenlly exercised on each proposition
Of law or policy as they may arise.
The eXpediency and policy Of a prohib.
itory law has been, by an act of the last
Legislature, submitted to the judgment of
the whole people. Their sentiments for
and against the measure are 10 be ascer.
tanned at the ballot box in October next.
Should they demand such measure, their
will should be carried into effect in Just,
efficient and constitutional form.
Complaint has been made in certain
quarters that have not sanctioned a new
license law which passed tho Legislature
on the night Of the final adjournment. |
have not sanctioned it. nor do attend to
do so. 1t has been filed away in the Of
flee ofthe Secretary orlhe Commonwealth,
to be returned to the next General Assem-.
bly, with my objections. ....
This measure is larspecimen of hnsty
and inconsiderate legislation; and is SO
confGsed and obscure in its purposes, that
its administration, when taken in connec.
ton with the other license laws of the
State, would battle the most astute legal
mind. Afer a deliberate examination Of
its provisions, | came to the conclusion
that it might do much harm and could do
no good. My reasons against it and
which are too long to be inserted here, am
confident, will prove satisfactory to you.
Certain | am that no real friend Of temper.
ance reform, with full comprehension Of
the manifest tendencies Of this measure,
will be willing to make himself the adyo.
cate Of such license system.
Certain strange political dogmas have
recently been presented for public consid.
Grafton, and which would seem to demand
more than a passing notice. mean the
doctrine Of the recently elected Mayor OF
the city of Philadelphia, that a citizen born
out OF the country should not be trusted
with civil Office and the still more extra.
ordinary ienes of political faith held by a
certain secret organization, which, it is
said, materially aided in eleyating this
tunctionary 10 power.
| am opposed TO all secret societies 10
accomplish political ends. believe, in the
language Of GEORGE WASHINGTON, that
all such associations "are Ekcly ia Mf
course Of time and things to become 90.
tent engine by aohich GINNING, ambitious
and unPriacipled men aCiH be enable ID
Subvert the poscer Of tie people, and 10
uSnrP f0r hcmSelUeS tie reinS Of govern.
meRt, destroying qfieypards the very en-.
gtaes '0''tch fyted them to unjust domia.
i0n."
oeIleVe 10 the wisdom and justice OF
the language OF the Constitution Of the
United States, that declares "n0 yeligiou,
TEST ShaHeCer be rcqujgedaS a qualification
10 any g6ice on public trust uider tic Uni
tel JSiateS;;" and in tho declaration of the
bill Of rights Of our own Commonwealth
that sal men hare q natural and iaoetca.
sibe rfght 10 aoorShtp Almightg Col ac.
cordtRg TO tie dictates Of Mcir o,c7 con.
science" That "0o human authorit,y can,
in any case aChatever, control, or iaterjer,
eojh The rights Of conscience, and no pref
erence Shalt eUer be given by lar 10 anyre
HgiouSes'oJlishmem or moieS Of lcorship: >
and in tho further declaration that ''alc
Perso" aoho acknowledges the Jeing of q
God, and q future state Of relcard ana
punishment, shall on account of his geli.
gtouS sentiments, be disqualified to Aolo
any office or place Of truSt or profit mclc,
liaS Commonwealth"
believe these instruments Of lunda
mental law, as they are, should be main,
toined and justly administered by all mer
in civil authority. Indeed it is difficult tc
imagine how any one sworn to administer
. q l.