Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1861-07-17
THE TRUTH PLAINLY SPOKEN.

T. II. Pierpont, the new Governor of Vir-
gina, has sent to the Legislature his first
message, from which we extract a few para
graphs, as bearing upon certain points which
we hear frequently discussed in this region !;
The fact is no longer disguised that there has
been in the South, for many years, secrect
organization, laborng with steady presever-
ancc to ovetturn the Federal Government and
destroy constitutional liberty in this country.
The various conventions held in that portion
of the country, for some years past ostenSibly
for other objects. have only been the means of
feeling the public pulse to ascertain if there
was Sufficient disease in the body polite for
dissolution. The cry of danger TO the insttu-
ton OF slavery has been mere preteXt to
rouse and excite the people. In abandoning
the Constitution of the Union, the leaders of
the movement must have known that they
were greatly weakening the safeguards and
protection which were necessary to the exs-
ence of that institution. What affiliations this
great conspiracy has had in the Northern
States, remains yet unknown. The spirit
which has been reused throughout the North
has carried all opposition before 1t. But the
extent of the reasonable plot has not been
fully developed. Before the designs of the
conspiratorS were manifest, thousands Of good
men sympathized with the effort. as they re-
garded it, of the South to maintain their Con-
stitutional rights; but those have all abandon
ed them when the true purpose was ascertain
ed. If there are any in the \ orth, or In the
Border States, who still adhere to the conspIr-
acy, they will attempt to aid its object by in
direct means; by opposing and cavilling at the
efforts to which the Government, in strug
gle for existence, may use its own defence
and by attempting to raise popular outcry "a
gainst coercion, and advocating a peaceable
separation. a bold stand for secession would
scarcely be attempted but those who Sympa-
thize with the leaders of rebellion will seek
by covert and indirect means to aid the OBJ
ject of the conspirators. There is only one
question now for American citizen to decide
in this controversy Do you desire to stand by
and live under the Constitution which has
contributed so long and SO greatly to the hap
piness and prosperity of the people, and TO
transmit its blessings to our prosperity Or,
do you desire the Union broken up, and an
oligarchy or military despotism established in
its stead The leaders of the South are stri-
wing for the latter. The Government OF the
United States is eXerting its whole force to
maintain the integrity of the former. There
can be no neutral ground. The proclamation
of the President calling for seventytive thou
sand volunteer troops is commonly relied upon
to justify the ordinance of secession. That
proclamation was issued on the 10Th OF April,
1861. 1t must not however, be over looked
that on the 9th of March, 1861, the pretended
Congress at Montg provided by law for
calling into the field force of one hundred
thousand volunteers; and that on the 18th of
April the Secretary of War of the Confederate
States publicly announced that war was COM
menced, and that the capital at Washington
would be captured before the first of May.
The intention to capture the capital OF the u
nion was repeatedly proclaimed in influential
papers at Richmond and other Southern cities
before the 18th of April. 1t was in fact long
cherished object of the leaders in this great
conspiracy. Did they expect the President
of the nation to yield the capital, and retire in
disgrace. without adopting any measures of
defence? Yet Virginia, we are told, seeded;
because the President, under such circumstan-
ceS, called volunteers to the defence of the
country.