Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1861-01-30
JUDGE YE BETWEEN U.s.


The immaculate editor of the Republican,
this place, has for several weeks been trying
to create the impression that we have studious-
ly endeavored to conceal the fact Of there being
a formidable conspiracy in the South, having
for its object the dissolution of the Union and
the destruction Of the United States Govern
ment. This imputation, to say the least OF 1t,
is false. An examination of our files, ever
since tbe rebellion broke out in that section of
the country where, as Locofoco editors have
often declared, the Republican party has no
supporters, will show that We have not only
kept our readers fully posted upon the doings
of the traitors, but that we have published, to
the exclusion of most of our usual miscellane-
GUS matter, articles from Southern papers, on
both sides Of the questionable threats of lead
ing Secessionists, and the sentiments of con-
servatiye, Union-loving men in the South
the opinions of such patriots as Jackson, JEFF
ferson, Clay and Webster, against Disunion-
and abstracts of speeches of Democrats like
Andrew johnson of Tennessee, Stephen A.
Douglas of Illinois, Joseph Lane of Oregon,
William Biglur of Pennsylvania, and Sherrard
Clemens Of Virginia, las well as those of prom
inent Republicans, on the present national
crisis. In short, VIC think our readers will
bear us out in the remark that we have in no
way attempted to disguise the danger of the
unhallowed plot to break up the Union, but
that we have, time and again, expressed our
conviction that such was the deliberate pur-
pose of the Breckenridge leaders in the rebel
lious States, and that we have always con-
demned their course and cause.
The editor of the Republican, having i'm
pugned our loyalty and set himself up as a GEN.
sor of our conduct, can certainly have no OBJ
lection to an investigation of his own. How,
then, we ask, has he acted in the particular
matter of which he falsely accuses us? Has
he informed the public of the full extent of the
secession scheme 2 Has he exposed the COM
| plcty of such conspirators as Cobb, and Floyd,
and Thompson, and Toombs, Iverson, Wigfall,
Davis, Slidell, Yulee, Keitt, Rhett, Yancey,
and other prominent members of his own par
ty? Has he told how muskets and other mu-
nitions Of war were sent, by order of the Sec
retary OF War, to Charleston and other points
South, and placed in charge of the conspira-
tors, who are now using them against the Fed
eral Government? Has he stood up steadily
for the maintenance of the Constitution, the
preservation of the Union, and the enforce
ment of all the Laws? Has he inserted in bis
columns single speech, letter, or article, CON-
| DEFINING the Dsunonion movement? Has he
given the opinions of any of the great states
| men, who, in the purer days of the Republic
denounced all who were base enough to strike
at its permanency Has he published any Of
the numerous Union letters and speeches that
have appeared within tile past two months in
nearly every other paper in the North-a
speech of Mr.. BigIer alone excepted 2 Has he
ever printed word commendatory of Major
Anderson's brave acts, of President Buchanan
for determining to sustain that gallant officer,
Or of other men who have attempted to stay
the tide of rebellion? On the other hand, has
he not given partial accounts and one-sided
statements of current events? Has he not
been stickler for ssSouthern Rights and an
| open advocate of the .sDivine origin'' of Ne
| gro Slavery? Has he not been constantly pats
| ting the Disunionists on the back in common
with the leaders of his party, and, in effect,
| saying: s'Go ahead, brave lads; make the
North back down, and We, the Democracy, will
stand by you to the last 7'' Has he not, by
advocating the right of secession and opposing
proper protection of the forts and other pub
lie property in the rebel States, been cncoura-
| ging and coun tenancing the traitors who are
now doing all they can to overturn the Nation
al Government And, finally, we will also in
quire, has he not, instead of standing up for
them, spoken derisively of loyal Union men
in the South, and applied to them opprobrious
epithets? Why, in the very article in which
the Republican reiterates the Misrepresentation
| we have exposed, and in which it is intimated
! that We have not treated the Gsecession hub
bub in Clearield" with becoming gravity, will
be found the following paragraph -
"The editor [of the Journal seems to have
fellow-feelng for Governor Hicks, of Mary
land. 1t is true he has right to select his
own hackers, but it seems strange that a
Black Republican should select one of the
leaders of the Baltimore sPlug- Uglies.' Now,
if he sends for Winter Davis and ex-Mayor
Swan, he will have the captain and both lieu
tenants of the Baltimore sRip Raps' and plug
| Uglcs' to help him in his time of need. -
Gov. Hicks. as is well known, has thus far
successfully resisted every effort to drag his
State into the vortex of Disunion. He has
been an impossible barrier TO the full consum.
nation of the conspirators' plot, which en-
braced the seizure of the National Capitol.
| Whilst, probably, every true patriot in the
whole land thanks Gov. Hicks for the position
he has taken, it will not at all ssseem strange
that the editor of the Ciearfeld Republicau