Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1858-05-11
Mannfaotnrinr pnblio Opinion.

Although the opinion Of the masses in
This county is generally conceded to em-
cody the true principles Of governmental
policy; and it is very rarely that it does
not; yet if the efforts that are sometimes
made by designing men, through the me-
lium Of the press and otherwise, by means
more ingenious than honorable, to warp
and mislead tho public Judgment, were
often to prove successful, it might have to
no deplored that the passions and prejudi-
ces Of the people were moro easily inHa-
med by gross misstatcsmcnts and incendi-
Try appeals, than their reason and judg-
ment were influenced by self evident fact
and logical argument. But it is fortunate
for the people of this country that those
daring and unprincipled attempts occa-
ionally made in our midst to manufacture
public opinion, are uniformly met by the
sober second thought" which invariably
restores public sentiment, if perchance it
become unsettled, TO its equilibrium, with
in a reasonable time, and before its aber-
ations cause any permanent mis- chief.
The public mind at the present time
may be considered as undergoing such
reaction on the question ofadmtting Kan
sas under the Lecompton constitution. At
he time the question was first raised in
Congress in the debate on the annual mes
age of the President, the peoplewere un-
prepared to meet it, in the phase it then
assumed. They were well informed, it is
rue, upon the doctrine of allowing the
people of the Territories to form and reg
ilate their domestic institutions in their
own way, subject only to the constitution
IF the United States" That principle
had been widely and comprehensively
discussed within the few preceding years.
The last presidential campaign had been
IN great measure fought upon it, and its
advocates had gained glorious and tri-
umphant victory. Hence no doubt SEEM
I'd remaining in the minds of democrats,
if any had ever existed, of its entire cor
rectness, and its complete accordance with
the letter and spirit Of the Federal Consti-
tuition, and the intention Of its trainers.
But it had never occurred to them that a
ldestion might arise among the people of
Kansas themselves as to the mode and
time of framing constitution, or that
should such a q.estion arise, that
it tcould assume any other than purely
local character. Consequently when that
very question arose thus unexpectedly,
and became the leading one in the Nation
al Legislature and assumed its recent for
midsble shape, it is not to be W ondered at
that numbers of the most ardent advo-
Gates of democratic principles were at its
first presentation amid, its accumulated
complications, led to form. erroneous opin-
ions upon it. Such indeed has been the
history of all, or nearly all, of the great
measures of the democratic party, when
first prop osed; measures which have, ma
ny of them, long since become the settled
policy of the government no matter by
what party administered and we need GO
nofurther back than the recent passage o.
the Kansas Nebraska act for an instance
1t is well remembered by us all how many
dissenting voices there were Throughout
the country to the expediency of that
measure, when first introduced into Con
gress; and yet in little more than two
years thereafter, President was triumph
antly electedalmo tupon that issue alone
The people, or a majority Of them, had ir
the mean while, upon sober reflection. be
come convinced of the entire expediency
and constitutionality of the measure.
That such will be the case with the pre-
sent Lecompton question, although it il
oneof mere expediency, is as certain as tha
it has been the case with some dozen 9th
ers ofvastly more Importance to the coun
try.
In fact the Importance Of the Lecomp
ton question is mainly due to the effort
of Senator Douglas and the Philadelphi.
"Press," TO manufacture a current o
public opinion to favor their course an,
disparage the National Administration.
The position that both occupied befor,
the country, one as a leader in the demo
cratic ranks and an influential member o
the highest legislative body of the nation
and the other as leading democratic
Journal conducted by gentleman Of acls
nowledged editorial capacity; and VIII,
had been long and intimately connected
with the democratic party of Pennsylva
mia, and the Whole country, was eminent
ly favorable to their designs The speech
es Of Senator Douglas had been for SOM
years read as the oracular teachings o
pure democracy, and whatever doctrine
he chose to advance therein, there wer,
noneito gainsay them.
The Press" established as il was will