Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1860-12-26
Shall the Politicians, or the People
Rule2

old OF dls' oNN m. hc llcFpiest ana lho'l
prosperous nation in tAe word is mo-
mentarily threatened with civil war. Ia
Vulnerable plans for the adjustment Of
cur rational difficulties, and for oyorling
tho impending danger, have been pre-
sented Ly our wiscst aud lNrcst states
men, without, as yet, giving tho easthcpe
Of success. The nation, through i's Chief
Magistrate-c cordially seconded by the
patriotic ministers Of the Gospel in all
quarters is called upon to fast and
pray" "to the God Of our Fathers" "to
save us from tho horrors of way' ard
"bood guiltEesg, and 10 remove from
our hearts the false pride Of opinion which
would impsl rs to perseyerc in wrong
Business Of all kinds is lunguishing; thou
ands and hundreds OF thol,ln Is Of h on
est poor men and women aro thrown out
of employment, without prospect ioc
food or ramant; and all the business en-,
ergies Of .he country are completely and
hopelessly paralyzed. For the first tine
IN its history, la time Of peace, our Ma
tional Treasury is bankrupt, and unable
to pay the daily demands upon it. In
places where the highest state Of prosper
ity existed few months ago, sadness and
gloom is now seen upon every hand.
And what has caused this wonderful
change in our nations prosperity? We
answer, the judgment Of the people of the
sixteen non-sIayeholding States, as cX-
pressed by the election Of Lincoln, that
"Mii Government cpmot," in the language
of Mr.. Lincoln himself, "tri@ hay fire aud
hay slare."
il may le that this, Of Itself, was not
sufficient, any more .han single plank is
enough 10 Ipild ship; but it is the last
feather" that has broken the camel's
back.
But is there no remedy? We answer,
there is but one. The North must either
convince The South that the above is not
a fair Interpretation of the verdict of the
late election, or else, that the North is
willing to rcccRe from that verdict.
VIII either of these things bo done ?
Seven weeks have now elapsed, and not
a single word has come from the Presi-
dent elect--hence the South is compelled
To understand him as still ddher,ag to his
formerly expressed opinion that this goys
ernment cannot exist " half slave and
half free" and as it is well known he is
opposed TO slavery himself, his silence is
to be interpreted as in favor Of the total
exiting guishment OF the Institution of sla
very.
No alternative therefore, is lefc to the
South. The abolition Ct slavery would
be their rpin-apd they prefer not to be
ruined, and believe that in secession is
their Only hope.
Nor has the Republican party-as par.
ty-tNken single step, in any quarter,
giving the slightest hope OF an adjustment,
On the contrary, Instances are not want
ing in which they boldly and defantly
persist in their Nggrcssions, and within
a very few days. Witness the refusal of
the Vermont Legislature, by very large
vote, to repeal their laws nullifying the
Fugitive slave law; and also The vote ia
Congress the other day rejecting the rcso-
luton declaring slaves property" within
the meaning of the Constitution And,
with here and there an exception, the
whole Republican press is as hich.toned
and defiant now a3 it vas before the cleo
tion. 1t is true, some Of them do talk
of concessions. But the concessions they
offer TO make are coupled with condi-
tions which they know are utterly inn
practicable. Take, for instance, ihe terms
upon which our ncighbor, the Clcarfeld
journal, offers to negotiate
"The rreemcn Of the North, whilst they
are ready to extend all Just and constitI,
tional guarantees 10 tie people of the
South. should require !hc enactment and
enforcement of such laws by the Southern
States as will protect our citizens when
travelling through, or transaciing business
in those States the repeal of all laws
preventing the circulation Of Northern
newspapers, or any Others calculated to
Interfere With therights Of the citizens Of
the North; and guarantee that full free.
dom OF speech and of the press shall here.
after be allowed in all the Slayeholdinr
States Of the Union"
"Heads, win tails, you losc," truly.
Our neighbor very candidly admits that
the North has something TO concede. But
IN making these concessions the South is
TO concede good deal more than she
now.comrlains Of. If, says the Journal,
the South vii! guarantee us "full freedom
of speech aud Of the press" in order that
we may 20 down their and preach and
publish our Abolition doctrines among
their slaves. and stir them up TO cut their
masters thsoats, we will kindly repeal
our laws nullifvinp The Constitulio, In