Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1860-10-03
AN INFAMOUS CHEATi

Honesty and fair-dealing seems to be no
part Of the tactics of some Democratic edi-
tors. OF late they have been guilty of one of
the most infamous perversious ever perpetra-
ted in this country. This cheat the last Clear.
field Republican contains. 1t consists in copy
ing portion of paragraph from speech
made by Carl Shurz, delivered at Springfield,
Massachusetts,, on the 4th of January, 1860,
and in its mutiated condition, represents him
as saying the very opposite of what he did real
ly IL tier. Mr.. Shurz had quoted from speech
of Mr.. Douglas, and was showing the inevita-
BILE conclusions to be drawn from the ssLitte
Giant's' language. He was arguing the con-
struction Mr.. Douglas put on the Declaration
of Independence, and the scope of that i'm
mortal document, and contended that if Mr..
Douglass was the correct Interpretation, then
the Declaration would be so and so, which Mr..
ShurE put ia the following words =
There is your Declaration OF independence,
diplomatic dodge, adopted merely for the
purpose of excusing the rebelious colonies in
the eyes of civilized mankind. There is your
Declaration of Independence, no longer the
sacred code of the rights of man, but an hypo-
critical piece of special pleading, drawn up by
batch OF artful pettifoggers, who, when speak
ing OF the rights of man, meant but the priyi-
leges of a set of aristocratic shareholders, but
styledsit tthe rights of man, in order to throw
dust into the eyes OF the world, and to invei-
gle noble-hearted fools into lending them aid
and assistance. lApplause.l These are your
bOasted Revolutionary sireS, no longer heroes
and sages, but accomplished humbuggers and
hypocrites, who said one thing and meant an
other; who passed counterfeit sentiments as
nnn ina md fhf mn and accic
tance, and sympathy on false pretences There
is your great American Revolution, no longer
the great champion of universal principles,
but mean Yankee trick-T bursts of applause
and laughter1-a wooden nutmeg-Grenewed
cheers]-the most impudent imposition ever
practiced upon the whole world [Applause.l
This is what these fair-dealing (2) Demo-
cratic editors quote. Here however, they
stop-they do not give the balance of the par
graph, which is as folows:-
This is the aray Mr.. Douglas wants you TO read
and understand The proudest pages Of american
History That Is the kind of history with
which he finds it necessary to prop his mongrel
doctrine of popular sovereignty That is
what he calls vindicatng the character and
the motives and the conduct Of the signers Of
the Declaration of Independence. Thus he
did not blush to slander Jefferson, who, when
when speaking of his fellow-citizens, meant
mankind; and Franklin, in whose clear head
theory and practice were the same, and who,
having declared call men to be born free and
equal,'' became the first President of the first
great Abolition Society and John Adams,
the representative of that State which abolish
ed slavery within its limits with one great
stroke of legislation; and Washington, who
declared it 'shis fondest wish to see slavery
abolished by law,'' and affixed to the Declara-
tion of Independence the broad signature of
his heroic sword ; and Madison, who deemed
it 'absurd to admit the idea of property in
man; - and of the trainers of the Constitution,
who took care not to disgrace that instrument
with the word 'sslayery,'' and, before adopting
it finally, blotted out from the extradition
clause the word s'servitude," arotcedly because
IL stgnifed The condition of Stare, and substitu
ted the word ssservice," avowedly because az
signifed the condition ofa freeman. Thus Mr..
Douglas dares to speak of all those true men,
who, after having proclaimed their principles
in the Declaration endeavored to introduce
them into practical life in almost every State J
in the way of gradual emancipation That
they have failed in this, is it fault of theirs 2,
1t shows not that they were less great and sin 7
cere, but that subsequent generations wereo
hardly worthy of so noble an ancestry TAp1
plause.] There is Mr.. Douglass version of.
your history. He despairs of converting You
y
doctrines cannot thrive unless planted in o
calumGy the past. He vindicate the sign
ers of the Declaration of Independence In-O
deed, they need it sadly. see the illustriousQ
committee Of five rise from their graves, az
their head Thomas Jefferson, his lips curled
with the smile of contempt, and hear hino
say to Mr.. Douglas; ssSir, you may abuse usf
as much as you please, but have the goodnessG
to spare with your vlndications Of our char 70
acter and motives.' [Great laughter and apo
plause.
Cutting off, as the Locofoco editors havd
done, the latter portion of Mr.. Shurz's remark Il
it puts very ugly sentiment into his mouth
instead of placing it where it belongs, to the
account of Mr.. Douglas. Will the editor OF
the Republican have the honesty to correct thcr
wrong he has done to Mr.. Shurz, or will herr
be party to this Infamous perversion of hiy
language? Will he have the manliness td
give the 1chole of what Mr.. Shurz said in re
gard to the Declaration of Independence, and
let the readers of the Republican judge fott
themselves of their force? Come, Georgep
let us hear from you on this subject. If yoP
believe, as you say, that s:foreigners play th@
fool nearly as often as the natiUes do,'' that i;
70 reason why you should attempt to mako
them out worse than they are. Will you maxi d(
the correction7 We shall probably see. D
MONEY FOR PENNSYLVANIA. pt