Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1861-04-10
Wednesday Morning April 10, 1851
Who are SecessiOnisrs ?

According to the mouthpeces Of the
Republican party, every Democrat who Is
opposed to the runouS policy Of making
war upon the seeded States, in vain at.
tempt to compel them to live in i0Jmo,g
Win u, is called Ntccsaoria. There is
about as much reason in this charge as III
that of Iro.Sarcryist', Stare 'radc ahceqteS
,Sia,s drirrS de-, which have been con-
siantly applied to every man who has con.
tended for the equal rights Of the South.
crn people under the Contribution.
To decide wio are SacesSionsts, it is
only necessary to inquire what would be
the present condition Of our country had
either OF the other candidates for Prcsi-
dent last fall been elected, instead Of Mr..
Lincoln. Alladmit that IN no othtr cgcnl
would we witness the present unhappy
state Of affairs-that instead ofa dismem-
bCred Union, and in imminent peril Oi
civil war, our condition aS nation would
be perfectly harmonious and in the en-,
joymenl Of II greater degree Of prosperity
Than at any former period. The success
Of the Republican party, with its Aboli-
ton element, is the sole cause OF our
present troubles It IL not because the
Democrats were defeated nor because
this class of men have been turned out
and another class put into office. Such
things have taken place frequently here,
iofore, without causing any inconvenience
20 the public. But it is because party,
boldly aYowing deadly hostility to the in.
sttution Of Slavery rs it fxist, in fifteen
States of the Union-dcclaring it, no less
than 'poligamy" to be "atwin Sister o.
hNrbarsm'.-and proclaiming that thin
country cannot exist half slave aud halt
free that it must become either one thing
or tic other"
Hence it is clear that the Republicans.
and not tie Democrats, are the real Sc.
esssionists.
No Democrat is in favor Of Secession -
They do not believe Secession to be III,
proper remedy for the aggressive demon
strations Of the hholitionised party. The
position of the Democracy on this qucs,
iion was so Clearly defined by Senator BIC
LER, in his great speech in the Senate on
the 2lst Of January last, that we prefer tc
givei in his own language:
"As for secession, | ain utterly agsins. it.
deny the right and ! aHhor the consequences
but shall indulge in no argument on that point
1t is no remedy for any one Of the evils lament.
ed and in my judgement it will nggravate rnih-
er than remove them and, in addition, super
induce countless ether Of more distressing and
Obstructive character"
Acknowledging the justice of the complaints Of
the southern States to nc incOnsderpbe extent
/ dep recate with oil my heart the remedy they
pursue, and am IrcT arcd 10 resist it ly ali rrcrl
means in my power. Even if the right Of scccss.
ion were clear, MIR President, | maintain that
justice and good faith to the other TIA tes require
that redress for ale dyed grievances TO the South
should first be sought nt the hands of the peo.
pie, the fountain Of political auth rityand in he
forms prescribed in the Constitution The
southern States should have pcttionci Con
gress for convent on u States to revise the
Constitution and remove the grievances of which
they complain. In this way they could ha We
ascertained the real sentiments aud intentions Of
the northern people towards them, and tho great
alternatives Of continued Union or peaceful sen
GRAFTON could have been detcrmin ed upon.
This was the course Of our fathers in reference
TO the old confederation, which was intended
90 be perpetual, but was changed because il did
not answer the purposes for which it was crca
ted, Let our southern friends follow this exam.
pie, even at this late day, all may be vet sav.d.
Better counsGls will prevail In such body thnn
in Congress. Men will como fresh from the peo-
pie, unembarrassed by purity 5litcs and party
platforms. This refused by the North, and tbcn.
and not till then, could violent remedies with
any show Ofjustice be invoked Tho Constitu
ton was intended to meet Just such eripencieE
os now surround US and hence no provision was
ma for the separation Of the States and none
for the coercion Of States into obedience to the
fundamental law Of the Union. The men who
made the Constitution were ia the practice of
that peaceful remedy at the time, and doubtless
inteuded to leave the samg remedy and none
other to posterity. This remedy should still be
embraced, unless Congress should promptly sub.
init TO the States rome messurus Of pacifcation
aud reunion
No greater calamity can befall anv
country and especially suSl country as
ours, than civil war. Every conserva
tive man, every patriot, and every well
wisher of his counFEy, knows that thi.
calamity can only be avertcd by concil.
iatory course on the part of the present
administration that an attempt to CO.
cree the seeded States either by blocka
ding their ports and thus attempting to
collect the revenue, will not only fail but
drive out the border States, and plunge
the country into civil war, and utterly
destroy all hopes ola re. construction of
our once happy, prosperous and powerful
Union.
taS"Hon. John Mclean, one Of the
Judges Of the Supreme Court of the Uni
ted States, died OF Cincinnati on the 4th
inst. Judge Mclean was appointed in
l.. 4 4