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

afraid of Black Republicans and Abolitionists
| now, that they cannot be with them in arres-
| ting rebellion. These very men, some OF them,
had my name published so long in black letters,
for standing by the Constitution, that ] am
not so much afraid of what is black as they
seem to be. l think it will be well for them
to review their own history. l have fought
the Republicans all my days, and will again
when 1 please but when they will go with me
to put down rebellion, in arms, will go with
! them.
| The great cry now is peace. They say,
ssThere must be peace" We are all in favor
of peace. | don't doubt but that many honest
men, Democrats and others, think it attainable
by negotiation with Rebels, but any one who
| will look at it with half an eye can see that it
| is impossible. 1t is one of the most formidable
rebelIions, and one of the most causeless aud
wicked that has ever been since Satan's re-
belion in heaven.
Stand up Mr.. Apologist for Secession and
| let us see whether you can face an indignant
| people. In what work are you engaged
Attempting to destroy the Government of your
! fathers? 81 am not trying to do that. ] am
| in favor of ssPeace.'' Every widowed woman,
made so by this rebe lion, has right to look
upon you, sir, as the murderer of her husband.
! Every orphan may look upon you as the guilty
| wretch-the destroyer of its natural protector
| The loyal citizen too looks upon you as one
| who aids and abets treason, and furnishes aid
| and comfort to the enemy. Your hands are
| red with blood-blood of your murdered citi-
| zens. All, in this brief war how many have
been sent down with violence and butchery TO
| the grave How many bitter unavailng tears
have been shed How many pure and gentle
hearts have been crushed and broken! And
still you cry peace, when you know there is no
| peace Come, take arms in your hands and
stand by their side, and point your bayoret at
the breasts of your own brethren here, or else
help us put it down. You will stand as men
4 xpit nd he M in ha Ell oh
of God to take arms, than to encourage others
| to do so. The party that attempts to do this
| ought to sink. Any party ought to sink TO
nfamy that cannot lay aside its politics in this
crisis and should the Democratic party, with
all its ancient history, attempt carrying this
| question by opposing itself to this war, there
| would not be enough of them left for finger
| boards to point to the burial ground where the
whole party will be engulphed together. Now
let us see. Suppose there was riot in Cort-
land, and hundred men we're engaged in the
| destruction of property-you call the magis-
| tracy together. They all come out and attempt
| to put down the rebellion, and the ferces is
inadequate, and they call out the military
| power. But the magstracy instruct them -
| ssgo and put down the riot. 1t is in arms a
| gainst US. It is threatening life and property
| and going en- with destruction. Put 1t down,
| and at the same time when you are putting
| down the riot make it the most liberal offers
| of peace.' You send the officer to arrest
| murderer. His hands are red with blood. but
you tell the officer when he comes tive are
opposed to murderers, but go and arrest him,
and make him the most liberal proposition OF
peace" That is the argument of it. Now l
wonder if they suppose they can have posi-
tion on such niche as that. Yes, liberal
offers OF peace to an army in the field of hun
dreds of thousands of men, with their guns
pointed in sight of the capital, destroying life
and property, and committing every crime,
-
the catalogue of depravity. 1 might possibly
consent to drop some of their leaders line,
but there would be moose at the end of it.
/ am for just such propositions of peace as
have been made to them at Hatteras by Bur-
LER and STRINGHAM. STRINGHAM is very
good name. i am quite willing it should be
Stringthem. That is the only proposition that
they can understand or appreciate, and the
only proposition that can OF ought to be made.
ssWhy, we must go with great deal more
leniency, because they are our brothers''
Are they? But are they authorized to MUIR
der, and destroy the common citadel of the
family household No meet them at once.
1t is much easier to defend the doorsil than
the hearthstone. 1t is better to fight the bat
tie at the porch than at the altar. Settle the
question there, and let it be disposed OF there.
Those men meant disunion. They have meant
it for great number of years. They care no
more about the question of their slavery than
have been determined that they had rather
reign in hell than serve in heaven. If they
could not govern the whole country, they
meant to govern part and we are told, when
they are engaged in this causeless rebellion,
to treat them with great leniency, and go with
the most liberal propositions of peace.
Now, if they had only come to us with lib |
eral propositions of peace we conld have gone |
to them in the same way, but when they come
with fire and sword and war and threatening, |
there is no other way to meet them but with
corresponding weapons, and IN manner TO
put them down. We must either conquer or
they must. 1t is question between govern
ment on the one hand and treason and REBEL |
ion on the other, and you may weigh it out
as many times as you will, you may pretend
to erect political parties on it, but the after !
generations and the judgement of Heaven will
hold him responsible who undertakes to aid |
this rebellion in any shape or manner.
Mark the whole course. Trace it from the
beginning of this upas tree that has diffused |
its malaria far and near, North and South. |
Examine it in all its parts, and you will find |
there is nothing IN it OF about it but what
breathes contagion, and is death and destruc-
tion. 1t is not question between North and |
South. 1t is question between government |
and rebellion.
NV friend tells me there is something to be |
said about taxes. Who objects to taxes7 An
individual here and there who, not being we'll |
informed thinks if he can have peace it will /
raise the price of butter. But he who rebels |
ut taxes is no friend of his country, and when |
you see man cry out against the taxes to |
support such war, ) ou may believe that Judas |
Iscariot is laughing in his sleeve to think he
was not living in this day, for he would have |
been surely underbid. No! let every man |
bare his bosom to the shafts of this great basl |
tie. Let him comprehend it in all its vastness.
and see that these men mean destruction and /