Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1861-09-18

office upon it, or have an organization that
they can manage. 1t is not the Democratic
party. / repudiate it for democracy up and
down, and round about, and diagonally, and
in every other sense but it is set OF self
constituted meddlers, Mrs. Cunninghams of
the Democratic party, who are in labor with
their bogus baby, that they may claim the
Democratic Inheritance.
But there is such thing as a war power,
and that seems to have been overlooked, mis-
understood by some and entirely ignored by
others, have no doubt by design. They tell
you that the President has no power to do
certain things. He is usurper and tyrant,
and it occasions these patriots exceeding pain
to ind the President going against the Con-
stltution. 1t has not touched their tender
hearts to see JEFF. Davis 4 Co. erect Gov
ernment within the bounds of the United
States. 1t has not hurt them to see them
firing on Sumter and the Stars and Stripes,
and commit treason in the face of the Govern
ment. But they are afraid that in putting
that rebellion down, the President of the u
nited States wont GO exactly according to the
Constitution, for they would dislike to see the
rebellion put down unless it was put down ac-
cordng to the lines of the Constitution Secun-
dem arteni.
There seems to be an idea that the President
can do nothing except what is written in the
Constitution. For instance, if he is going to
have an army to put down rebellion, they must
march right and left, as the military phrase is,
according to the direction of the Constitution,
or stand still. The Constitution is great
landmark, aud not bill of particulars. Eve
ry power given by the Constitution directing
thing to be done, always implies the power
to do it. If the Constitution erects a Gov
ernment, it presupposes the maintenance of
that Government by all the usual and ordinary
means within the reach of that Government !;
and in times of war, and in times of rebellion,
there is power arising from the very neces-
sity Of the case that controls the whole ques-
tion, and when You hear the small-beer politi-
clan prating on the idea of unconstitutonality,
ask him in the first place whether he thinks it
exactly constitutional for men to go into the
United States Senate, and in the House of
Representatives,, and in the army and navy
and one day swear, ssI do swear, In the pres
ence of Almighty God, that will observe the
Constitution of the United States, and will
discharge the Office or duty of Senator, accor-
ding to the best of my ability ask him if, af-
ter having taken that oath, and while it is yet
warm on his lips, if it is unconstitutional for
him to try to raise rebellion; and when he
has answered that, tell him that if there is per-
jury in hell, it is that kind of perjury. / say
that the Administration-anyA Administration,
don't care whether it is one of my choice or
one of my opposition-has the right to do ev-
erything by implication, according to the laws
of war, Tor the maintenance of our Govern
ment and if they do not do it, will be one
for dealing with them, and calling them trail
tors themselves.
Away with all your stuff about the necessity
of having written guarantee for everything
the President may do to preserve the Govern
ment. 1 say it is part OF his oath to stand
by and save the country, and employ such
means as he believes will do it; and if he does
not do it he deserves to be impeached. This
iS he 1ay 0f al ma md lyvay hao han
But there is the law of habeas corpus, and that
has been invaded, and the President has vio-
lated it and has not allowed some traitor to
be released, and has suspended the writ. He
has done exactly right; and did say, a while
ago, that in some cases, if could not have ar
rested the treachery l would have suspended
the individual with it, and have not changed
my opinion much since. What an idea it
would be. Here is a rebellion in Baltimore
or in Missouri, and traitor in league with the
enemy, and by his conduct he is about to cause
our armies to be sacrificed-our very Govern
ment in danger, its existence is imperiled-
the lives of large number of persons sacri-
feed. He is known to be traitor-morally
known. He has been tracked out and aScer-
tanned, and yet he must be brought up before
a judge and examined, and if there is no legal
technical evidence against him, he must be
discharged; and if Government don't like it
they must appeal and get it up before court
at some future time, that may sit and may not,
and enter upon litigation as protracted as the
Chancery suit in ssBleak House,
But to suspend the "Liberty of the Press"
Oh how bad that is-to have the Press sus-
pended! (Laughter.) The Liberty OF the
lect of the Government-"Liberty of the
Press" is the first thing you hear. The Press
has liberty enough-and here let US shake the
wrinkles ont of this befogged and pettifogged
question little. The liberty of the press is
a great and sacred right and blessing. But
the liberty of the press is no greater right
than individual liberty, and than thousand
other rights. The liberty of the press is to be
enjoyed SO long as it does not aid in the de-
struction of the Government; so long as it is
an engine for good and not for evil so long
as it is an element for preservation and not
The idea is the most idle, foolish
and mischievous that ever existed to allow an
Internal machine of treason to exist and work
its errand of mischief because it is s'Press."
The right of individual liberty is one of the
most sacred rights under heaven far above
the right of the Press and every other right
Yet, when a man converts himself from the
enjoyment of true manhood to the destruction
of his neighbours property, put him in prison.
And when you hear this idle parrot prate about
the ssLiberty of the Press" tell him it is to
be enjoyed SO long as it upholds right, and it
IS not to be an engine OF destruction going
about on its merciless errands.
l repudiate all the teachings in the name of
Democracy from REASONABLE sources. They
have no authority to speak. No true Demo-
crat will follow such lead. They stand by the
Stars and Stripes of their country, and wish
the false sons could look upon it as the chill
dren of Israel did upon the brazen serpent,
and be healed of Secession wounds. Any
Democrat that undertakes to embarrass the
whether he loves or hates 1t,
in such a crisis as this, is no Democrat and no
good citizen, and ought to be put up as
for scorn to point her'slow, un-
moving fnrar nj