Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1861-01-23


cd by the abrogalion Of the principle Of
protection from the revenue laws OF tn!
national government; bankruptcy had
!. crushed the energies Of many Of onr most
enterprising citizens; but no voice OF dis
LOYALTY or treason was heard. nor was m
arm raised 10 offer violence tothe sacred
(. fabric Of our national Union. Consciou,
,of their rights and their power, our look.
ed to the Dallot.box alone as sho iegal
remedy for existing evils.
i In the present unhappy condition o.
the country, 1t will be our duty to unite
with the people of the Stale, which re.
main loyal to the Union, in any Just ahd
honorable measures of conciliation and
( fraternal kindness. Let us invite them
| TO join us in the fulfilment of all cur obi
gators under the Federal Constitution
and laws. Then we can cordially unite
with them in claiming like obedience
from those States which have renouDced
their allegiance. Ifthe loyal States are
just and moderate, without any sacrifice
of right or self-respect, the threatened
danger may be averted.
Ours is National Government. II has
within the sphere OF its action oil the at.
tributes of sovereignty, and among these
are the right and duty of self -prtserva-
! ton. II is based upon a compact to which
all the peopls OF the United States are
parties. II is the result Of mutual con
cessioEs, which we're made for the pur-
pose of securing reciprocal benefits. 1t
acts dircc,l, on the people, and they owe
| it personal allegiance. No part of the
| Ss,t~ J., -. ~ tai-
can voluntarily secede from the Union,
nor aOsolve themselves from their obliga-
tions to it. To permit a State to with.
draw at pleasure from the lInio with
out the consent of the rest, is to confess
that our government is a failure. Penn
sylvania can never acquiesce in such q
conspiracy nor assent TO doctrine which
involves the obstruction Of the Govern.
nlent. II the Govern ment is 10 exist, all
the requirements of the Constitution
must be obeyed and it must have power
adequate to the enforcement OF the su.
preme law of the land ia every State. /,
IS the first duty of the National authori-
ties to stay the progress of anarchy and
enforce the laws, and Pennsylvania with
a united people, will give them an honest,
mean to preserve the integrity of the Ma
tional Union ut every hazard.
The Constitution which was originally
framed to promote the welfare Of thirteen
States AID four millions OF people, in less
than three-Q quarters OF a century has en-
braoed thirty>thrce States and thirty mil
lions of inhabitants. Our territory has
been extended over new climates. and
the Government has protected them all
Everything requisite 10 the perpstuity Of
the Union and its expanding power
would seem to have been foresesn and
provided for by the wisjon, and sssacity
of the trainers of the Constitution.
| 1t is al! we desire or nope for, all that
. our fellow ,countrymen who complain,
can reasonably demand. ltprovides that
amendments may be proposed by Con-
gress; and whenever the necessity to
amend shall occur, the people Of Penn
sylvania will give To the amendment,
which Congress may propose. the careful
and deliberate consideration which their
Importance may demand. Change is not
always progress, and a people who hav,
lived so long, and enjoyed so much pros
perity, who have 80 many sacred memo
ries of the past, and such rich lcgacies &c
transmit to the future, should deliberate
long snd seriously before they atte3!pt tc
alter any of the fundamental principle,
of the great charter Of our liberties.
The remainder of the message refers Ia
the course of the Governor in the discharg,
ofhis duties.