Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1861-09-05
For the Democrat.
Il
To Cyrus T. Alexander and P. G. Meek, Editors
Of the Democratic Watchman.

Of the Democratic Waschman.
The public good, as we'll as a
regard for truth and justice, requires that should
notice your report of the proceedings of the Union
Meeting held in the Court House last week In
the discharge cf this duty shall pass over the
bi1ingsate of your editorial. My personal ap-
pearance, the col or of my eyes, my jesticulation
in public speaking, upon which you have thought
fit to comment, are subjects, I presume, Of little
interest to the citizens of Centre county Certain
it is, however, their knowledge upon the subject
is quite extensive that of the editors of the
Democratic Watchmaa, with one of whom / bave
no personal acquaintance, and with the other my
acquaintance has been comparatively recent
With neither Of you, gentlemen, have I ever had
the least pers onal difficulty. I spoke of you on
that occasion only the editors of public jour
nal and condemned your course as calculated
to discourage aud dishearten the army arrayed
under the banner of our country in support Of its
Constitution and its laws, against armed traitors
in rebellion against the Government and in arms
around the Capital-as calculated to retard and
prevent the enlistment of the volunteers REQUIRED
to fill up the ranks Of our army, and as calcula-
ted to afford aid and comfort to rebels and trait
at home and abroad. The truth of these allega-
tions I then and there attempted to establish bv
reading from the numbers of your paper issued on
the 9TH and I'D of Aug. 1861. If umtruc-if the
quotations were unfairly n.ade-was not the meet
ing the time and place to expose the fazs;tp of
the charge and the disengeniousness of the quo
tations? The President of the meeting was n
Democrat, which would have secured for YOU and
your friends respec tful hearing. The subject
was proper for the consideration of the meeting
If true. it was the duty of every good citizen to
bring the charges before the meeting II false, it
was the duty, as it should have been the peasur re
of the Watehmon's editors and the Wntchn,ap's 3
friends, to expose their falsity. He'd you been
towards gentlemen, of the rectitude of your in
tentions and the patriotism of your acts, you
would have gloried in the opportunity thus affor-
ded. You remained silent Why, your fellow
citizens will Judge. Was it because after :tJudge
Hale made patriotic ard telling speech that act
ed like charm" ard. after the Introduction of
the Resolutions, which you say " wore just in
time arr just in the proper language to be heart
lily endorsed by every one present." to continue
the use of yeur chaste and dignifed language
g blood and thunder McAllister thrust himself
forward on the notice of the meeting and com
menced his speech n Why in making this charge
of imrudencc and intrusion, did you with hold
from your readers tho fact that McAllis.
ter was Chairman Of the Committee, and as such,
made the report you so heartily endorse2 But
even if had intruded myself upon the meeting,
is that any reason why you and your friends
should have sat in silence under false charges de-
duced from two numbers Ct your own paper in the
hands of the speaker2 Was not the call for, and
the indueement to prompt refu taticn increased by
the impertinence of the speaker whom, in your
opinion, one present desired to hear? How
easy, before such an audience, against such char
ges, with truth on your side, to have achieved a
triumph, and yet you were silent. If the charges
true you acted wisely.
That trey ,oers true I shall noso proceed to
prore.
In the Democratic FatcAman of the 18th Of
August, 1851, the following appears as the lead
ing editorial -
Men Of the North, Pause and Reject.
Wer IS disunion. Var IS final, eternal sepa-
ration.-STEPHEN A. DeUeLAs.
Fearful, indeed, are the times upon which we
have fallen. The prosperity we have enjoyed,
the glory the nation has achieved the peace the
secarity, the hGpliness aud honor which has
hitherto been bestowed upon rs is gone, and we
fear, forever. Civil war is now raging within our
borders, and, although the beginning is scarcely
yet here, the frightful effects are felt by ALL
Scarcely four months have passed since it first
reared its head upon our native soil, yet in that
short time, the beautiful form of our Government
has been blasted-the powerful arm of our public
strength has been smiten with imbecility-the
glory of our name has parted, ard, as a nation,
we are disgraced in the sight Of the civilized
world. Not only as body OF people composing
a Republic, has this war told fearfully upon us,
but personally privately. The counting rooms
of our merchants-the deserted work shops of our
manufaeturersthe like stiffness that reigns
immolested about our furnaces-that silent ham
mer in our once busy forges-the desolated fire
sides Of our own frieuds--and the empty pews in
our churches, speak louder than words of what
is now going on. Were the men who brough hit
upon us this war the that would suffer by it,
then could we look upon it differently But while
the honest lasorer, whose every thought was for
our common country, is bearing the fatigues and
dangers of the battle field, safe in their council
chambers CT far away from the scenes of strife,
in their desecrated churches, or sitting in their
sanctums, manufacturing falsehooas to fill the
columns of their prostimted presses, are the dem
agoges ard fanatics, whose wicked and unprinci-
pied lust Of punder, influence and power. has
let loose upon a peaceful land the horrors and
iniquities OF fratricidal In their places of
safety they sit ana rejoice the ruin they have
accomplished, and chuckls at the prospects of fill
ing their pockets at the expense of toiling mill
IONS Their reelings of humanity have become
so sacred With the greed Of gain, that they hear
not the wailing voice OF widows and orphans
they not the mangled forms of thousands of
| their brothers upon the battle field. But,
needless of The prayer Of the people-disregard-
ing the teachings of christianity-they hurry on
the work of destruction No Suffering and
death-want and p.isery-may take the place Of
happiness and peace, prosperity and plenty, but
these unteeling rulers care not. Speak Of res
foration Of the Union by concession and eompro-
mise, and they cry 'traitor" Ask them for peace,
ana they say you are "fool." Regardless of
the future, they seem determined to DESTROY for
erer cur Constitution ana Union. Surely
there can be no so ridiculously insane, as TO
think that Govrnment pinned together with
6dyonets and cemented with blood, will be a type
of that bequeathed us by our forefathers.
Let the people stop--let them pause and RE
FLEET The present invo YES the future, and We
should not rush madly, bIindly on to utter de-
struction. WAR ls DIsUNIoN WAR IS FINAL,
ETERNAL sEPARATIoN"-for every blow that is
struck but adds fuel to the blaze of bitter ha-
tired. Stop, then, we entreat of you, and think.
The happiness of future generations depend upon
your course, and as sure there is God in
Heaven, a cen .inuance of this war will destroy
forever the Union of these States.
Tell us not that there is now nc power to stop
it 'TIs FALSE. Tell us not that in the butch
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