Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1857-05-13
JUDGE WILMOT'S LETTER.
TowANpA, April 22d, 1856

! cation Informing me of my nomination. as q
candidate for the Office of Governor, by Con-
vention of the Freemen of Pennsylvania, op-
! posed to the leading measures of the late and
present National Administrations, which as
sembled at the State Capitol on the 25th ulti-
mo, together with copy of the declaration of
principles promulgated by that Convention.
| l accept the position to which | am called
| by the unsolicited suffrage of the body whose
organ you are; profoundly grateful for so dis
| tinguished mark of confidence of my fellow
citizens, yet painfully sensible of my inability
properly to meet its responsible obligations.
The approaching election is one of no ordi-
nary interest. Important questions of State
| policy, affecting the public welfare and pros
perity, are not alone involved in the issues pre-
sented. AS of the largest and most pow
erful of the sovereign States of our confeder-
ate Republic, the honor and interests of Penn
| sylvania are deeply concerned in the princi-
Piles that animate her National Government.
She cannot, with safety to her independence
and the liberties of her people, be Indifferent
! to the momentous questions of National i'm
port in progress of settlemcnt-questions
touching the constitutional powers of the Fed
eral Government, and vitally affecting the dig
nifty and rights of free labor. Nor can she,
without dishonor, withhold her protest against
the wrongs inflicted upon her sons in distant
Territory, under the license of Federal au-
thority.
The dearest rights of freemen, secured by
plain, constitutional guarantees, r41thlsss-
| ly violated on the soil of our national domain.
American citizens made the victims of
tyranny unknown in the despotisms of the old
world. The annals of civilized and Christian
nations furnish no examples of cruelty and
outrage on the part of a government towards
its people, such as has been endured by the
people of Kansas, unless they be found in the
prosecutions of the Huguenots, under Louis
the Fourteenth, of France, and of the Protes-
tants of the Netherlands, by the Duke of AL
va, under Philip Second, King of Spain. In
deed, the barbarities to which the people of
Kansas have been exposed were of a charac-
ter SO inhuman as to provoke incredulity in
the minds of large portion of our citizens
Thousands have been deceived into the belief
that, for partisan purposes, fictions were sub
stituted for facts; although no events in A
merican history are better authenticated than
are the murders, robberies, arsons, and lawless
rapacity inflicted upon the free settlers of
Kansas. These outrages had for their object
the subjugation Of that Territory to the curse
of slavery.
We speak of quiet being restored to Kansas,
because armed bands of lawless men do not
to-day infcst her highways and plumber her
people-because her towns are not sacked and
the cabins of her settlers in flames. This
peace is deceptive and insecure. 1t will be
broken the moment that the people of Kansas
make vigorous effort to recover those rights,
of which they have been fraudulently deprived.
The purpose of her enslavement is inexOrably
pushed forward. a system of ingeniously de-
yised fraud, kindred to that employed in the
| usurpation under which she now groans, is be-
ing carried out for the consummation of this
great wrong. To this end also the power of
the Federal Government is basely prostituted.
We are given irords of fairness, but persist
ence in support of the wrong. Every appoin-
tee of the President in Kansas is an active CO.
worker in the scheme for her enslavement.
Principles of eternal truth and justice which
lie at the foundation of Christian civiliza-
manity, are defantly assailed by the power that
controls in our National Government. Those
truths, declaratory of the natural and nalien-
able rights of man, contained in the Great
Charter of our liberties, are condemned by our
highest judicial authority as unmeaDing and
false. The sanctuary of our Courts of Justice
is closed against an entire race of men. The
poor and downtrodden are not allowed to pc
tition for redress of their wrongs, in those
tribunals of human Government that should
most nearly represent the beneficent attributes
of the Creator and final Judge of all men.
In view of these incontestible facts-of the
wrongs perpetrated against the rights of Amer
ican citizenship, and the dangers to which our
liberties exposed-thus presented in its
true aspect-the contest before US assumes
dignity rarely given to human affairs, and i'm
poses duties upon our citizens as high and sol
emn as ever appealed to the hearts and cen
sciences of men. The question is before us
from its demands there is no escape. De-
eide We must either for the right or the wrong.
Sooner or later the verdict of this great Com
monweath must be pronounced on the issues
forced upon the country by the advocates oil
human bondage. History will record that
verdict to her enduring honor, or to her ever
lasting shame.
The repeal of the Missouri Restriction, and
the attempt to force slavery upon Kansas by
fraud and violence, precipitated upon the
country conflict between the antagonistic
systems of free and servile labor, In the is