Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-10-22
A DDRESS.-To the American Party
Il of Clearfield CountY-FELLOw A

IA CT CleafuelO county, ELLoW a
aERICANs During the last week, | have re-
bers of the American party Of our county, de-
string my opinion as to the proper course of
policy to pursue in the present critical posi-
tion of political affairs. | adopt this method
of replying, and as Chairman of the American
Executive Committee, desire to recur briefly
to the manner IN which the contest has been
conducted, thus far, in our county. ] do not
wish to be understood as refecting, in this adj
dress, on any one, for firmly believe that all
who have been engaged in the fight have acted
ia sincerity, and in the manner they believed
would best conduce to the defeat OF the DEM
ocratic party.
IL is well known that during the last three
and half years, the Democratic majority in
Clearfield county was largely reduced, and it
could only have been done by the inroads
which the fundamental principles of Ameri-
canism made upon their organization. Such
being the case, nothing could have been more
idle than to expect, that mere proselytes from
Democracy could be driven or led into the sup
port of candidate or party, endorsing no
principle of Americlnism. but embodying the
single idea of hostility to the peculiar institu-
tion of the Southern part Of our confederacy.
The slavery question formed no part OF creed
of the American party, and those who embrac
ed our principles. whether Whigs or Demo-
Gratis, held their own opinions on that subject.
Consequently when Americanism was laid a.
side, and the other issue forced upon them the
Democratic Americans, Just as might have
been foreseen, returned to their old party. In
the commencement of the contest j warned
our friends that such would be the case my
opinion was disregarded, and in the increased
Locofoco majority in our county, we have the
result. When l returned from abroad and
found the line of policy that had been pursued,
| endeayored to rally around me few person
trinulS and bs.ort tnI Anna iuto n
Fillmore and Donelson Club, as a rally point
for our party, still hoping that the contest
might be managed as to preserve the integ
rity of the American movement, and still keep
the Locoioco majority at four hundred. This
object, however, was thwarted by the nomina-
tion Of County ticket. When the Union
County Convention assembled | sent them
resolution. declaring it inexpedient to nom-
nate County ticket, which was voted down.
predicted then, that the Locofoco majority
in the county would be over six hundred, and
abandoned the contest, spending my time in
other parts of the State and country. The
reason of such prediction is obvious. We
were in hopeless minority, and the nomiua-
tion OF ticket was. at best, simply setting up
men to have them Knocked down again. By
drawing party lines and placing ticket in the
field, we made it necessary for the candidates
of the opposition to exert themselves, lest they
should run behind their ticket which no man
running Tor an oillce, however paltry. likes 10
do if he can prevent it. The natural conse-
uuence Of the eXertions Of these candidates
and their friends, was, Of course. to increase
the majority on the State, as well as on the
county ticket. If no ticket had been nominal
! ted. and two or three good men, of Democrat
! ic antecedents, had run independently, against
some of the Locofoco nominees, who doubts
| but that portion of their ticket would have
J been defeated, and that such result would