Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1862-05-21

cratic policy prevailed. During this pes
riod Louisiana, Florida, Texas, New Mex
leo, and California were successfully an
neXed to our territory, with an area more
than twice as large as all the original
! Thirteen States together. Eight new
States were admitted under strictly Demc
ocratic Administrations-one under the
/ Administration of Fillmore. From five
millions, the population increased to
thirty-one millions. The Revolutionary
debt was extinguished. Two foreign wars
were successfully prosecuted, with mod
crate outlay and small army and navy,
and without the suspension OF the habeas
corpus without one iniracton of the Con-
stitution without one usurpatiCn of pow
er without suppressing a single newspaI
per without imprisoning a single editor /;
without limit to the freedom of the press,
or of speech IL or out of Congress, but in
! the midst Of the grossest abuse OF both
and without the arrest of a single "trai>
tor" though the HARTFORD CONVENTION
sat during one of the wars, and in the
other Senators invited the enemy to
"GREET OUR VOLUNTEERS WITH BLooDr HANDS
AND WELCOME THEN TO HosPITABLE GRAVES"
During ali this time wealth increased,
business of all kinds multiplied, prosperity
smiled on every side, taxes were low, wa
ges were high, the North and the South
furnished market for each others pro-
ducts at good prices public liberty was
secure, private rights undIsturbed every
mans house vas his castle; the courts
were open to all ; no passports for travel,
no secret police no spies, no informers, no
basties the right to assemble peaceably,
the right to petition ; freedom of religion,
freedom OF speech free ballot and free
~ ess and all this time the Constitution
| maintained and the Union OF the States
! preserved.
Such were the choice fruits Of Demo
cratic principles and policy, carried out
through the whole period during which
the Democratic party held the power and
administered the Federal Government
Such has been the history of that party
1t is Union party, for it preserved the
! Union, by wisdom peace and compromise
for more than half century.
Then neither the ancient principles, the
policy, nor the past history of the Demo-
cratic party require nor would Justify its
!disbaudment.
Is there nything in the present crisis
which demands? The more immediate
issue is, TO sAISTAIH THE CONSTITUTION AS
IT Is. AND TO RESTORE THE USIoY AS 1T WAS.
| To maintain the Constitution is to res.
pelt the rights Of the States and the lib
critics Of The ci,izer. 1t is to adhere faith
fully 10 the very principles and policy
which the Democratic party has prOiessed
tor more than half century. Let its
| HISTORY, and the results, from the begin
ning,pro whether it has practised them.
We appeal proudly to the record.
The first step towards the restoration
Of the Union as it was is to maintain the
Constitution as it is, SO long as it was
maintained ir fact, and not threatened
with iniraction i1 spirit and in letter, &C,
tual or imminent, the Union was unbro-
| ken.
To restore the Union, II is essential first,
to give assurance to every Stateand to the
people Of every section that their rights
and liberties and property will be secure
within the Union under the Constitution,
| What assurance so doubly sure as tle res.
| toraliou TO power of that ancient Organi'
zed consolidated Democratic party which
| for sixtv years did secure the property,
riph Is. and liberties Cf the States and
of the people aud thus did main
tain the Constitution and preserve the
! Union, and with them the multiplied
| blessings which distinguished US above all
other nations!
To restore the Union is to crush out
sec,ionalism North and South. To begin
the great work of restoration through the
ballot box is TO kill abolition. The bitter
waters of secession flowed first and are
fed still from the unclean fountain of abo-
litionism. That fountain must be dried
m. Armies may break down the power
of the Confederate Government in the
| South: but the work Of restoration can
only be carried on through political or
i aanization and the ballot In the North
and West. lE this great work we cordi.
ally invite the cooperation OF all men
OF every party who are opposed to
the fell spirit OF abolition, and who, in
sincerity, desire the constitution as It u
land the Union as it was. Let the dead
mast bury its dead. Rally, lovers Of the
i Union. the Constitution, and of Liberty to
the standard OF the Democratic party, al
ready in the field and confident of victory
That party is the natural and persistent
enemy of abolition. Upon this question
its records as national organization, how
ever it may have been at times with par
ticular men or in particular States, is cleal
and unauestionable. From the beginning
of the anti slavery agitation TO the period
of the last Democratic National Conven,
ton it has held buto language in regard
to il. Let the record speak:
"Resotued, That Congress has no Towel
under the Constitution to interfere will
or control the domestic institutions OF the
several States, and that such States are the
sole and proper judges OF everything ap
, pertaining TO their own affairs not prohib
/ tied by the Constitution that all efforts o.
, the Abolitionists or others made TO induce
e Congress 10 interfere with questions o
: slavery, or to take incipient steps in rela
ton thereto, are calculated to lead TO the
, most alarming and dangerous consequen
ces, and that all such efforts have an inev.
, table tendency to diminish the happiness
of the people and endanger the stAbil
. ity and permanency of the Union, anC
+ ought not to be counienanced by an!