Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1861-05-08
GOV. cURT1N's SPECIAL MESSAGE.

|
the Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania
GENTLEMEN:-Thepr present unparalleled exi
gency in the affairs of our country, has induc-
ed me to call you together at this time. Witt
an actual and armed rebellion in some OF the
! States of the Union, momentous questions
have been thrust upon us which call for your
| deliberation, and that you should devise means
by legislation for the maintenance of the au
thority of the General Government, the honor
and dignity of our State, the protection of
our citizens, and the early establishment OF
peace and order throughout the land.
| On the day of my induction into the Execu-
tive office, took occasion to utter the fol-
| lowing sentiment s:No one who knows the
history Of Pennsylvania, and understands the
| opinions and feelings of her people, can justly
charge us with hostility to our brethren of
other States. We regard them as friends and
| fellow-countrymen, in whose welfare we feel
| a kindred interest; and We recognize in their
! broadeSt extent, all our constitutional obliga-
| tions to them. These are ready and will
| ing to observe generously and fraternally in
| their letter and spirit, with answering fideii-
| ty. Ours is a National Government. 1t has
within the sphere of its action all the attri-
| butes of sovereignty, and among these are the
right and duty of self preservation. 1t is based
upon compact to which all the people Of the
| United States parties. 1t is the result of
mutual concessions, which were made for the
purpose of securing reciprocal benefits. 1t
acts directly on the people, and they owe it a
personal allegiance. n o part of the people,
no State nor combination of States, can vol
unfairly Secede from the Union, nor absolve
themselves from their obligations to it. To
permit State to withdraw at pleasure from
the Union, without the consent of the rest is
to confess that our Government is failure.
Pennsylvania can never acquiesce in such a
conspiracy, nor assent to a doctrine which in
npG of fha ,nt,t
If the Government is to exist, all the require
ments of the Constitution must be obeyed !;
and it must have power adequate to the en-
forcemeut of the supreme law of the land in
every State. 1t is the first duty of the nation
al authorities to stay the progress of anarchy
and enforce the laws, and PennSy ivaDia, with
united people. will give them honest,
faithful and active support. The people mean
to preserve the integrity of the national U Union
at every haZard.''
1t could scarcely have been anticipated at
that time, that should so soon be called
upon for the practical application of these
truths in connection with their support and
defence by the strong arm of military power
The nnexampled promptness and enthusi-
asm with which PennSy lvania and the other
loyal States have responded to the call of the
President, and the entire unanimity with
which our people demand that the integrity of
the Government shall be preserved, illustrate
Governments with dstinctness that cannot
be disregarded. The slaughter Of northern
troops in the city of Baltimore, for the pre-
tended offence of marching, at the call of the
Federal Government, peaceably, over soil ad-
mittedly in the Union, and with the ultimate
object OF defending our common Capital a
gainst armed and rebeliious invasion, to-
gether with the obstruction of our PennSy,va-
MIA troops when despatched on the same pa
triotic mission, impose new duties and res
possibilities upon our State administration.
At last adviceS the General Government had
military possession of the route to Washing
ton through Annapolis; but the transit Of
troops had been greatly endangered and de-
layed, and the safety of Washington itself i'm
minently threatened. This cannot be submit
ted to. Whether Maryland may profess to be
loyal to the Union or otherwise, there can be
permitted no hostile soil, no obStructed thor
oughtare, between the States that undoubted-
ly are loyal and their national seat of govern
ment. There is reason to hope that the route
through Baltimore may be no longer closed
against the peaceful passage of our people
armed and in the service of the Federal Gov
ernment. But must be fully assured of
this, and have the uninterrupted enjoyment of
passage to the Capitol by any and every
route essential to the purposes of the Govern
ment. This must be attained, peaceably if
possible, but by force of arms if not accorded.
The time is past for temporiZing or forbear-
ing with this re ebelion; the most causeless in
history. The North has not invaded, nor has
she sought 10 invade single guaranteed right
of the South. On the contrary all political
parties and all administrations have fully rec
ognzed the binding force of every provision
of the great compact between the States, and
regardless OF our views of State policy, our
people have respected them. To predicate a
rebellion, therefore, upon any alleged wrong
inf nd nr tn ha inHI ta6 nm fha
South is to offer falsehood as an apology for
treason. So will the civilized world and his
tory judge this mad effort to overthrow the
most beneficent structure of human govern
ment ever devised by man. The leaders of
the rebellion in the Cotton States, which has
resulted in the establishment of provisional
organization assuming to discharge all the
functions of governmental power, have mista-
ken the fOrbearance of the General Govern
ment they have accepted a fraternal indul-
gence as an evidence Of weakness, and have
insanely looked to a united South, and divi-
ded North TO give success to the wild ambi-
tion that has led to the seizure of our national
arsenals and arms, the investment and bonn
bardment of our forts, the pnndering of our
mints, has invited piracy upon our commerce,
and now aims at the possession of the Nation
al Capital. The insurrection must now be
met by force of aims; and to re-estabiish the
government upon an enduring basis by asser-
ting its entire supremacy, to re-possess the
forts and other government property so un-
lawfully seized and held to ensure personal
freedom and safety to the people and CON-
merce of the Union in every section, the peo-
pie of the loyal States demand, with one
voice, and will contend for, as with one heart
and quarter of million Of Pennsylvania's
sons will answer the call to arms, if need be,
to wrest us from reign of anarchy and plum
der, and secure dor themselves and their chill
dren, for ages to come, the perpetuity of this
government and its benefcent institution.