Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-01-23
THE RAFTsMAn's JOURNAL,

egisation Of the last session Of Congress
o1cbinc the Kansas n Nebraska-Act, was eve
v where frankly avowed to the friends oi that q
erislation as well as to its opponents. .
While did this, there was in my district as
ittle doubt of nv position on the other question
the restoration If the Missouri Compromise
was then. as | am now unequivocally oppoS-
ed to its restoration. / do not design now
to vindicate that position-simply to state 1t.
Was it expected that / should abandon my
sincere convictions Of the truth Of the priRci-
pIes of that party which has uniformly had my
cordial supports and which in their applIca-
ton, have been productive of blessings SO in
estimable, to not only our own land, but 10 |
humanity itself! If so, should the response |
blity be laid at my door, for so rioient pre-
sumption? Am justly chargable with the
folly of them who entertained it? The follow
extract from the Clcarfeld Republican, viii
perhaps settle the matter:
..Hoy. DAVID BARcLAY.-This gentleman
has been among the most active of the I6 De-
mocrats in the present Congress in sustaining
the nationality of our party, IN the effort TO or
ganize the House. lie was in attendance at
the caucus held by the Democrats, and rend-
cred efficient service i'll placing the Democrats
in the proud position which they then took,
and which they have held with undertaking
| firmncss ever since.
On the 18th inst, from some remarks which
| fell from Mr. Campbell, of Schuylkill, he felt
| it to be his duty to define his position, and
which he did in the following highly satisfac
| tory manner.
We might here state for the satisfaction of
Mr.. Campbell, that Mr. BIS representations OF
| the canvass in which he elected, are cor
| rect. The writer of this member Of the
| Convention by which Ar. Barclay was nomina-
| ted as the Democratic candidate, and he feels
confident that no man could have been noni-
mated 10y that body who was disposed either
! to resist the Kansas and Nebraska bill, or to
| favor the restoration of the Missouri compro-
| mise; nor could such candidate have been
! elected in this district.''
| ! will only remark in addition TO what has
already Eeen said, that if you should have
! file OF the s.Raftsman,' and which you quote
| with apparent confidence, by taking the troub-
| lie to turn to the number published the third
| week in October, 1854, you will readily dis
| cover what the editor at that fims thought Of
my anti N Nebraska sentiments. 1t may per-
| haps, weaken your faith in the more recent
| statements of that journal.
| ! VIII also beg leave to remark that no paper
| in my district advocated my election on the
ground of my being farora6Ie TO The re-esfabiish
1asat Of the Missouri Compromise, so far as my
! knowledge extends. Yours, &c,
DAVID BARCLAY.
E'This is mere evasion. 1t has never been
charged in this paper, or any other, that Mr..
| Barclay ever pledged himself to votcsfor res
| toration OF the Missouri Compromise. 1t is
! matter of little consequence, in the present
state of the controversy, whether he is bound
by such a pledge or not. The allegation
against him, is, that he was elected as an anti
| Nebraska man. under confidence induced by
| himself that, he was hostile to the policy Of
the Nebraska bill, and that he is now setting
] 81, I /,
meet this allegation manfulIy? The proof
that lie made nti-Ncbraslla professions, ard
gave at least vnrl,al anti- n ora sl,a rcd res has
| been proven by us, and is clear and convin-
cling. 1t matters but little what some of his
anti-N ebrasko constituents thought or said
against him while he was candidate the fact
! still remains unquestoncd and unquestionable
| that he palmed himself of on an unsuspect-
| ing people as one worthy Of a confidence
which he is now betraying. He admits. in
this very letter we now publish, that he was
in the canvass which resulted in his election.
''opposed to the Legislation of the last session
| OF Congress touching the kausas-N ebraska
act" and yet went into the democratic eau
Gus, at the commencement of the present ses
sion, and voted for a resolution endorsing and
| "pPlO'iiIS 'ii't very ieSiSIatlOni ana not only
so, but has since steadily voted for a candi
date for Speaker who was made such because
of his services in the last Congress in procu-
ring that legislation. Mr.. Barclay, himself
being judge, he Las abandoned, on the very
first opportunity, the position he took before
his election. To skuIk from the responsible
ty thus voluntarily assumed, is but to add to
the disgrace of the treachery
As to the courtesy due by the press to such
a man, we have only to say that we have treat.
ed him with all the Difference due to him.
lie chose to make himself the vehicle of the
lowest slang, directed against a portion of
those who had put their trust in him, as well as
against the anti-Nebras<a sentiment of the
country; and if he finds himself roughly han
died in consequence, he has no right to COM
plain.''
We are requested by Mr.. SwoopE. the form
er editor of this paper, to assure the editor of
the Gazette, and all others interested, that he
is prepared, at any time, to substantiate eve
ry assertion he made in the columns of the
Journal with reference to Mr. Barclay. by in
contestible evidence. 1t is well understood
IN TINS community, and is not denied even by
the Democratic leaders themselves. that Mr.
Barclay, during his canvass, and at the time of
his election, was member of the American
Order, and we have been assured by those
H..