Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1861-12-05

ny CONSCIOUSNESS OF innocent uprlgntneSS'
[ will submit to imprisonment for life, or die
at the end of rope, before will make any
humilitating concession to any power on
earth
shall in no decree feel humbled by being
cast into prison, whenever it is the will and
pleasure of this august Government to put
me there but, oH the contrary, shall feel
proud of my confinement. | shall go to Jail
as John Rodgers went to the staxe-for my
principles. shall go, because have failed
to recognize the hand of God in the work of
breaking up the American Government, and
the Inauguration Of the most wicked, cruel,
unnatural and uncalled for war, ever record
ed in history. l go, becauseI have refused
to laud to the skies the acts of tyranny,
usulpation, and oppression, inflicted upon
the people of East Tennessee, because of
their devotion to the Constitution and laws
of the Government, handed down to them
BY their fathers, and the liberties secured to
them by war of seven long years of gloom,
poverty, and trial repeat, | am proud of
my position, and of my principles, and shall
leave them to my children as legacy, far
more valuable than princely fortune, had
the latter to bestow
With me life has lost some of its energy !;
having passed six annual posts on the west
ern slope of half century, some thing of the
fire of youth is exhausted, but stand forth
with the eloquence and energy of right to
sustain and stimulate me in the maintenance
of my principles. l am encouraged to firm
ness when look back to the fate of Him
.whose power was Righteousness" while
the infuriated mob cried out, "Crucify him !
cruelty him
owe to my numerous list of subscribers
the filling out of the respective terms, for
which they have made advance payments,
and, if circumstances ever place it i'll my
power to discharge these obligations, l
will do it most certainly. But, if am de-
MED the liberty of doing SO, they must re-
gard their small losses as so many contribu-
tons to the cause in which have fallen. I
feel that can, with confidence. rely upon
the magnanimity and forbearance of my pa
irons under this state of things. They will
| bear me witness that have held out as lon
as am allowed to, and that | could not
avert the horrors of or successfully oppose.
| will only say in conclusion-for [ am
no allowed the privilege to write-that the
people of this Country have been dnaccus,
toned to such wrongs; they can yet scarce
| ly realize them. They are astounded for the
| time being with the quick succession of out
RACES that have come upon them, and they
stand horror stricken, like men expecting
ruin and annihilation. /. may not live to see
the day, but thousands of my readers will,
when the people of this once prosperous
country will see that they are marching by
| double quick tlme' from freedom to bond
age. They will then look these wanton out
RACES upon right and liberty full in the face,
and my prediction is that they will ''stir the
stones of Rome TO rise and mutiny."-
Wrongs less wanton aud outrageous .precipig
| tated the French revolution. Citizens cast
into dungeons without charges of crime
against them, and without the formalities of
trial by jury; private property confsca-
ted at the beck of those we have in pewer /;
the press humbled, muzzled, suppressed, or
prostituted to serve the ends of tyranny =
The crimes of Louis XVI fell short of all
this, and yet he lost his head The people
of this country, down trodden and oppress-
ed, still have the resolutions of their illus
trious forefathers, who asserted their rights
at Lexington and Bunker Hill !
WILLIAM G. BRowNLew,
Editor of the KuOrviHe Whig.
October a, 1861.