Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1860-09-12
VOL. 7.---NO. 3.

legitimate means, and only for legitimate ends.
Having no right to complain, the resistance of
the violent men in the slav veholding States will
lose its popular force; and the threats of sc-
cesslon and disunion will do injury only to
those who make them. This process of mem
ace has been carried on so necessarily for wears
back, to deter us from doing our plain duty to
the country and ourselves, that l. for one am
thoroughly tired of it. / do not believe il will
be sustained by the sober and sound sense of
the quiet citizens of the South. We have hu-
mored and indulged it so long, and given way
so constantly to the sacrifice of our own con-
yictions of right, without producing the small
est effect in putting a stop to it, that il seems
to me expedient now to try the other way for
once. Let us do right. Let us insist upon re-
form in the policy of the general government
exclusively within the sphere in which we have
the most uoquestionable privilege to exercise
the authority vested in constitutional major
ity OF the people, and then let US see who will
be so unreasonable as to call our action into
question by a resort to suicidal measures. It
is said to be custom with the Japanese that
when man inlagneS himself to have been af-
fronted by another, he does not call that other
10 account, but straightway proceeds TO rip up
his own bowels. and thus put an end to him
self. So it may be, indeed with the good
people OF the slave States. They may choose
l.
not believe it have too good an opinion of
their common sense. They are impulsve, it
is true, but they are by no means idiots. They
have demagogues who 60 about talking nom
sense, merely to excite mems passions, as we'll
as we. But the great body of the citizens
believe to be perfectly sound; and if convinc-
ed that the majority seek only to reinstate in
the government the very same principles upon
which 1t was originally started, under the di-
rection OF George Washington, they will disa-
vow all reasonable counsels and consent to
share in the blessings which, under our happy
system, all parts of this magnificent country
equally enjoy. 1t remains, then, TO be seen.
whether the honest and inde pendent voters of
the United States are so far convinced of the
responsibility pressing upon them at this cri-
Sis as to unite together to reform the Govern
ment, and to give stability TO liberal Admin
istration. The question is between order and
system, as prefgured by the elevation of Lin
coin, and intrigue, confusion, weakness and
discord among batch OF competing candi-
dates, not one of whom has the confidence of
any large portion of the people. Choose We,
then, under which banner you will enlist.
Can permit myself to doubt which il will be?
If did, l should be insulting your understand
ing, not less than denying your patriotism.
Let us suppose for moment that Mr.. Breck-
inridge could be elected. How are YOU going
to gain by tbat2 Mr.. Breckenridge is the can
ding, secession disuuion people IN the South
ern States the same men. who threatened last
winter that they wonld preyent Speaker from
being elected by plurality, even though they
knew that sue cess in such plan might bring
on a dissolution of the government; the same
men who talked the ranizest reasonable talk
all the season about what they would do if the
people of these States should elect certain
persons to the Presidency whom they did not
like. / am very well aware of the fact that
Mr.. Brecknridge himself has disavowed all
sympathy with such doctrines by the earnest
ness with which he has reiterated his devotion
to the Union. But it is always well in similar
cases to extend our view little beyond the
mere incident of the election. We are bound
to bear in mind when we vote for candidate,
the precise position in which he may be pla-
ced after he is chosen-who are his friends and
advisers, and what his policy will be. Obvi-
ously Mr.. Breckinrdge can find these only in
the quarter where be viii have been sustained
before he is chosen. We have then right TO
presume that his administration Eill be simply
an aggravated form of the present one. We
have then right to presume that the cardinal
of it will be the perpetuation, the
protection and the extension Of slavery-the
fortificaton of the political doctrines proclaim
ed In the Supreme Court by the decision on
Dred Scott; and do not hesitate to declare
it, as my own opinion, that an early measure
on the abolition of the slave trade.
All this say is unavoidable, whatever may be
the personal feelings of Breckinridge if he
succeeds as the candidate of the extreme par
ty of the shareholders. He must go with his
friends or be can do nothing. He must be the
exponent of the extreme opinions, or he will
be at the mercy of his opponents, and bis adj
will come to an end as lamentable
as the present one has done. In the mean
time the country will gain no respite from
the agitation which has so long disturbed 1t.
For you may rest assured that so long as the
old principles of human liberty are not recog-
nized as the rule OF action in the general gov
just so long will there be an OPPOSE
ton that will leave nothing undone within its
legitimate sphere to affect peaceful and per-
manent establishment of its policy. With
this power victory is only question of time.
AS to the scheme of presenting Mr.. Bell,
with the idea of reinstating the old Whig
notions, must be permitted to say that i re-
gard it as almost exclusively designed in the
free States, to maintain and uphold the exis-
ting authority in the Federal government. Il
is aimed as a blow at the Republican move
ment, by dividing the sentiment which ought
to animate the free States. The proof OF this
is found in the way that it has been tolerated
by the friends of the other candidates oppos-
ed to Mr.. Lincoln. They all understand the
fatuity of the idea of restoring a defunct par
ty. As well might you undertake to push
back the current of the Mississippi AS well
might you pretend that you would place a
statue on the eternally frozen apex OF CHM
borazol No man, with the smallest concep-
tlon of what belongs TO the character OF
statesman, will presume to affirm that can
have been nomination made III good faith,
which is made without any regard to the ques-
tions that really agitate the nation, and which
is based upon principles that not a handful of
men can be found in America to dispute. II
Mr.. Bell could by any possibility be elected,
the first thing he would have to do would be
To take his side on present unestions between