Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1861-09-04
THE DAY-B00K DEMOCRACY IN MASS
CONVENTION

was under the patronage of that small band oil
Breckenridge politicians, located at Clearfield,
who control the Clearfeld Republicans, and aim |
to control the whole party. To be sure, some
Douglas Democrats seem to figure prominent
ly but this is all a sham. 1t is the policy OF
the clique to put forward some Douglas men
to save appearances
But why was the meeting called We
will explain. Under the lead of the Clear
field clique, and the teachings of the Day
Book and the Republican, the minds of many
Democrats had become pois 0ned, and express
sions of bitter hostility against our government
and sympathy for the rebels, were becoming
common. Candidates for the Legislature had
been nominated, and at the Democratic Con-
venton which nominated them at st. Marys,
DR.. Boyer introduced resolutions which en-
bodied just tie sentiments that had been a.
vowed and taught in Clearfeld county for
months past. The resolutions passed. This
was too much for many of the loyal and pa
triotic Democrats to stand any longer. Ac-
cordingly, number of them issued call for
q meeting at Curwensville, of such members
OF the party as were in favor Of making every
effort to aid the Government to put down the
rebels, and to take steps to nominate candi-
dates for the Legislature, who stood upon such
platform. This call appeared on the 2sth,
appointing meeting at Curwensville on Tues
day evening, the Sd of September. This call
(Which we publish today threw the Clearf1eld
clique, and their camp p-followers, into great
buzz-much like hornets nest when you poke
x,r
high treason against the clique-it was at
tempting to do things without consulting them
However, no time was to be lost, and so on
August 29th another call is posted up for
| meeting at Clearfield on Monday, September
I'd. This was sharp stroke of policy on the
part of the clique. For, doubtless, they tho't
they would get the refractory Democrats to
Oearfield, where they were ready to talk to
| them, and drill them, and then let them go
| home to be good and obedient boys.
The call being issued, the next thing is to
| get them all to CIearfield. The young scions
of Democracy and some of the older ones un-
dertook this job. And on the 3Oth and 31st,
they were seen going out Of town in all direc-
tions with horses and buggies, some with mar
ket baskets, as if after butter. 1t is said that
a couple who were little more experienced
and foxy than the rest, were seen on their way
up the river with fishing rods and wandered
| away to Curwensville. But it is said the bait
was not good, and the fish would not bite.
| The news of the meeting was in one way or an
other soon carried over the county, and all
I Democrats were invited to attend.
The time of meeting came, and considering
the effort made, it was dull affair. OF course,
the men and boys OF Cleer6eld Borough and
its vicinity Of all parties, were generally out.
But the number in attendance from distance
was small. Lawrence township and Clearfeld
Borough, when aroused, can of themselves
furnish larger meeting than was collected
that night.
One object seems to have been to fix up the
kSt. Mary's Resolutions, so that a Union Dem
ocrat could swallow them without know
ing it. The way the whole thing was done
shows nice political ingenuity. A string Of
resolutions were passed of such general ma
ture that as many different interpretations and
meanings can be put upon them, as there are
shades of political opinion among those who
claim to belong to the Democratic party.
Then follows another, the substance of which
is that so much of the st. Mary's resolutions
as is inconsistent with the foregoing resolu-
tions is hereby repealed.
The truth is, that the holding of this meeting
was political trick to head off the Union
Democrats, and the resolutions another trick to
gull them. The speeches were like the resolu-
tions, very general in their bearing. The speak
ers all avowed themselves to be true to the u nion
and in favor of sustaining the government in
all lawful means to suppress rebellion, and
maintain the Constitution and the laws, or
words to that effect. But, for any thing that
was said to the contrary, some Of them might
suppose that to march into rebel state with
a military force was an unlawful means which
they could not approve they might for aught
we know, pronounce this course to be an IL
legal war of subjugation upon the South.
We see nothing in what was said and done at
this meeting that is inconsistent with the past
course of that set of politicians who controlled
its proceedings.
First among the speakers, came Ex-Gov.
Bigler. He professed great love for the u
biou, duu "ihiuSueSS u SuStalu Tue gov
ernment; but did not acknowledge the right
of the President to suspend the habeas corpus,
nor to abridge the liberty of the press, nor to
increase the regular army, nor to interfere
with the private affairs of the citizens, (this
we presume, meant the old telegraphic des-
patches seized by the government). His speech
was short, and the feeblest effort we ever heard
him make To use an expression of the adi-