Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1855-11-21

/ Gov. REEDER AT EAsTos.-From the speech
| of Governor Reeder at Easton, his old home,
we make the following extracts
Six months ago, spoke to you on this old
| and familiar ground, and recounted to you as
| truth and candor required, the wrongs which
| have been done to our people, and the outra-
gss which had been committed upon the Con-
stitution and the doctrines of self-government.
| told you then that our people, though few
and weak were firm and strong in their reli-
ance in the Justice of the nation and the pow
er OF an enlightened public opinion / said
TO you although compelled to wait for pro-
pitious time aud the exhaustion of peaceful
remidies, they would never sit down In per-
manent submission to the yoke that had been
set upon their necks, nor tamely bear ths,
shackles of white slavery. which gaiied their
limbS. And sooner even than | looked for
have our prospects frightened and our hopes
increased. In spite of intolerance and pro-
Scription and slander-in spite of pertinacious
tyranny regarding no right too sacred to in
wade and no Draconian code too fierce to i'm
pore-in spite or the most insoent attempts
to perpetuatc an ill-gotteu power andthe most
elaborate contrivanceS to secure it-in spite
of the completely of Chief Magistrate who
has proven faithless to his high trust and en-
couraged the wrong by his official acts of com
mission and of omission and Justified II by au-
thoritatve articles in his official organ--and
who has allowed our enemies te use and abuse
for their nefarious ends nine-tenths OF his po-
lilical patronage in the territory-in spite of
all these, / say, We begin to what looks
like the dawn of better day for Kansas.
In spite of chaotic mass of scattered men,
each struggling among the hardsfiips and pri-
yations of frontier life to provide food and
shelter for themselves and families and not
knowing friends from enemies-individualS
and whole neighborhoods strangers to each
other-without organization or concerted ac-
ton, they have become now an organized and
efficient party-conducting their primary cleo
tions-having their committees and sub COM
mittees throughout the Territory They have
met in regular convention of delegates, with
every district represented, have adopted
platform of principles which in its conserva-
tiSm and liberalty, puts to shame the intoler-
ance of our opponents and gives the lie direct
to the unmeanng cry of Abofitionisn, with
which it is sought to brand every man who viii
not proclaim that negro Slavery is blessing
in itself,and that white Slavery should be toll
Grated without rnurmer. They have, for the
first time, had an opportunity to know their
strength. and are Cheered with the conviction
that their numerical superiority is as three to
one, and that they have out numbered all the
vote Of their opponents including even the
nonresidents. They have seen, as the mistS of
SANDER and misrepresentation cleared away,
large numbers of late misguided and deceived
opponents, hockng to their standard anI ral-
lying around their flag. They have openly re
pudiated the vile code of f reign elected
Legislature, and by the moral power of their
position they have seen its whole machinery
made impotent and stationary-its magistrates
disregarded and ashamed of their functions
its courts silent and empty-its officers idle
its taxes uncollected. even from its own politi-
cal friends-and its unconstitutional penalties
a scoi and hy-word. They nave seen men
who, in March last came into territory as
part OF the force that invaded our polls recent
u become residents and join the the ranks of
The Free-State Party, and having held an cleo
tion with all the forms and all the correctness
that would do credit to any community, they
have elected ffty-two delegates of character
and intelligence, representing every district,
who are now engaged in the formation Of q
State Constitution, to be submitted to Con-
greSs.
l have spoken to you in general terms of the
acts and conduct ofthe legislature, and it may
be we'll to refer to them more in detail:
First as its origination,-ce censorious
gentlemen, who sit quietly at home and phil
Osophi re the matter in their own way, under
take to find fault with me for granting any
certificates of election at all. Without stop
ping to inquire whether these gentlemen would
not have granted them all had they been in my
situation, | will only say that such cearge
betrays ignorance of the facts of the CASE
Each district and precinct must, of churse
stand on its own merits, and it would have
been ridiculous to set aside all of them be-
cause Illegal votes had been polled in some
1t would have been equally redicuons to set
aside district in which did not know that |
Illegal votes had been pollcd. These gentle |
men take the absurd opinion that my action
then should be judged by the knowledge we
have noc. | had provided for the voters of
the Territoty the opportunity, the mode and
the time to complain of illegal votes, and the |
right to full hearing, and in none of the dis
trn tTxtYn oh mi or
there a protest filed as directed by the proca-
nation, nor was | at the time made acquaint- |
ed with facts to justify refusal. Seven cleo
tion districts were set aside, all for the dsre-
gard of the forms prescribed by the proclama-
tlon, and those compromised all and more
than all of the cases in which complaints had |
been filed. New elections were then ordered |
and upon them certificates granted which the |
Legislature at their meeting disre garded, and |
although by the organic act the certificates of |
the Executive are made the evidence of due |
election by legal votes, and now power is Civ |
en- to the Legislature to Judge OF the qualifi- |
cations of members, those who had such GER
titicates we're elected and their places filled
by men who had no title to seats whatever.
AMERICANS FoREwARNED, FoREARMEDi The |
New Y ork Mirror thinks the American Party |
have glorious opportunity before them to |
achieve great success in the next Presidential
contest, and Says:-..Let wise counScls pre- |
vail, and the strong republican element of |
Protestant Americanism may now be elevated |
and lnaugurated as the ruling spirit of the !
Union. Romansm is scarcely deserving the |
name of religion. 1t is simply a secret or
der, struggling subtly and unscrupulousiy for |
temporal power, and using the sacred name of /
Christ IS cloak for its sins. 1t is for this |
reason that We oppose it, that We protest
against it, and shat regard its active Jesuit
icai agents as disqualified for the discharge of |
the executive Offices of the Republic. There