Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1861-01-16
THE UNION.
[From the jour- nal Of Commerce. !

versally acknowledged. The day when it
could be treated as the Imagination OF
,"Union savers" as I" disunion bugaboo"
as Qualifying or in any similar manner,
I've quote these expressiona from distin.
guished editors at the North, has passed
away. All acknowledge the imminent
danger.
But it is more imminent, and the
prospect darker, because of the constant
deter mination of men to shut their eyes
to il. The leaders of the Republican
party, for some days past have been in
state Of pitiable doubt. One day they
seem willing to do anything, and the
next day, when they imagine their peac-
able expressions of yesterday may be TAX
en- a. yielding too much, they withdraw
their implied promises, and threaten
fercely.
The public mind is misled By the .ead,
ers, and the state of feeling in the mass OF
the population is changeable. This all
results from a misapprehension of the
state Of affairs at the South. Men will
will not look the truth in the face. Re-
publicans, especially, shrink from it, boz
cause the future is to them especially
dark and threatening. .....
Let US state the facts in a few words, and
look straight at them. The American
Union will be dissolved unless the Repub
licars will agree to amend the Constitu-
tion by allowing Southern men to take
their slaves into the common Territories
and hold them there as property 1t may
be that the South would be satisfied with
that portion of the Territories south of
Missouri line. But unless the Republi.
cans at once agree to this, the Union is
gone.
we do not say that even this will now
be in time to save it. But this is the
only chance. 1t is idle to stop Cor re-
examinations for settling who is to blame;
for disputing on old issues. The Union
is now in danger, the country is
los:, unless the dominant party at ice
and forever sacrifice what they claim as a
principle under the Constitution. by max
ing the converse of their principle con-
stitutional right.
We have not heard the position of af.
fairs better discussed than in a converse
tion which we overheard between an ar
dent Democrat and &" Union saver" and
an equally ardent Republican. We con.
dense the conversation for the sake of lay
ing before cur readers succinct state
inent of the necessities Of the times.
The discussion began with the accusa-
tion that the Republicans had been mis-
represented at the South by the Journal Of
Commerce and other Democratic papers,
and that the trouble arose from these mis-.
representations.
DXMocRAT. If We had told the people at
the South that you Republicans were in
favor of enforcing or, not opposed TO the
Fugitive Slave Law, and were not Abolit-
ionists, would they have believed us
REPUBLICAN. Yes, l think 80. Why
not!
DEN. They would have laughed at us.
When the Abolitionists attacked the
American Tract Society and endeavored
to use its engines to carry the anti'slav-
cry war into the South, did not every
Republican newspaper in New York and
elsewhere, as far as you know, abuse and
yillify the conservative men of the Tract
Society? When John Brown invaded
Virginia, did not the Republican newspa-
pers of New York call him a brave old
hero" martyr :" and did they not eyi-
IDENTIFY sympathise with him
REP. That does not show that the Re-
publican party, as party, have any such
ympathies!
DEN. 1t is hard to seperato party from
their leaders. But who passed the Perso>
mol Liberty bills ir Maine, Vermont,
Massachusetts,, and elsewhere?
hEP. The Republican party undoubtedly
did that in each State. But the Personal
Liberty bills are null and void, for they
are unconstitutional; and they don't hurt
any one.
DrM. / am not sure they are unconsti-
tutonal. That in Connecticut certainly
is -ot. But because law is constitution.
1t is not necessarily right. You Re,
| publicans are afflicted with an insane no.
sion that what is constitutional, is neces,
sarily right. You claim that electing
President constitutionally is all right and
cannot be found fault with. Suppose the
House Of Representatives should refuse
'opass any Supply Bill for his Admins
uation. II would be constitutional, but
would it be right ? There is no tyranny
on parth Az N al ior;arsly op,,,ossiya ne tho