The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1861-12-18
The First Epistle Of Philos the Phllanthroplst
to the Potter Countians.

to the Potter Countians
Men, brethren, and fathers, women,
sisters and mothers, children, sons, and
daughters,-you, the people of Potter
county do | now address, who am simply
-one of you.
Our nation of UsA is engaged In a
fearful struggle. Hostile armies stand
arrayed against each other; and deadly
strife is going on. A large proportion of
the abe-bodied men of this county have
resigned their peaceful occupations, and
gone to the war; some of them have al
ready laid down their lives and perhaps,
even now, the sanguinary conflict is but
as it were begun. Alas for the firesides
already made desolate, and for the very
many more which may be-which in all
human probability must be-thus desc
lated, no one can tell how soon.
War, considered by itself, is an un.nit-
igated evil. Like certain surgical opera.
tlons, it can never be justly resorted to
except as the only means left for the re-
moral of some greater evil. A condition
of war is in itself condition greatly to
be deplored.
Who among US could possibly desire
war for It's own sake? Who of US would
not greatly prefer peace, other things be-
ing equal? Who, having the power TO
remove the cause of the present conflict,
would long hesitate to do so2 Who?
No one-most certainly no one.
Up here in Potter, few (if any need to
be told, as matter of news, that the
great procuring cause Of the present strife
Is the sys.cm of chattle slavery existing
at the South Southern shareholders
devised and set on foot" the rebellion
mainly for the promotion of their "pecu-
liar" and-with them-most cherished
institution. To all persons not totally
hoodwinked by prejudice, that is clearly
and indisputably evident. The existing
war, on the part of the nation at large, Is
manifestly war in self defence-a war
for the preservation of national existence.
! People of Potter not gone to the war
Dwellers in the banner county of the
Keystone State! While pursuing your
peaceful avocatlons, you can yet do some
thing toward cutting short the war, and
Fastening the advent Of peace. The cause
Of the war being such as it is, let us ask
Congress to strike at the root of the evil
by abolishing slavery.
/ The following is thought to be as good
! q form of nctitjOn rs anv.
! To the Honorable Senate and House of
Representations Of The United States Of
america, IN Congress assembled:
! The undersigned, inhabitants of Potter
county, in the State of Pennsylvania,
being greatly desirous that the existing
rebellion be speedily put down, and its
like in the future effectualiy prevented,
do respectfully and earnestly petition your
honorable body to take some effective
measure for the total suppression of
cbattel slavery throughout the country,
as means to that end either by re-
questing His Excellency, the President,
to issue military proclamation for this
purpose, or Gin the absence of this, or
i'll the event of his non compliance with
such request,) by passing general act of
emancipation, setting free all the slaves
upon the soil and waters of the United
States, and al lowing fair compensation
70 such shareholders as are loyal to the
Government
And your petitioners will humbly
pray, &c.
Copies of the above may be obtained
at the Coudersport p O., and should be
returned to the P. NJ. Let them be nu-
merously signed, Delay not.
| recommend that women sign as we'll
as men. They surely are as much inter.
ested in the matter, having as many sons,
brothers, and fathers in the. army as the
men have, and greater number of hus.
bands. Let the names of signers be ar
ranged in two distinct columns, the mems
on the left, and the women's on the right,
that the number of each may be readily
ascertained Sign, ladies, sign. 1t seems
IN manner necessary that you should do
so, since so many men have gone as
soldiers. If for this reason the right
hand column should overrun the left,
why let it. Sign, ladies and gentlemen
all. Respectfully,
PHILOS.
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