Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1862-07-23

The LeWlstoWn democrat ana the w at.
Several weeks ago We copied the follow
ing editorial article from the above paper :
From the Lewistown Democrat Feb IS, 1861
Attitude of the Southern Confederacy :.
Some of the Republican papers are endeav-
oring to reinvigorate the dropping spirit of
coercion by representing the speeches OF
JEFFERSON DAVIS, President of the new
Southern Confederacy. as breathing defiance
and inviting war. The Tribune says that
Mr.. DAVIS talks of war as '' welcome con.
tingency," and it urges more extensive pre-
paration in the Northern States than have
yet been made. II seeks to convey the im
preston that the Northern States are abso-
lutely in danger of an attack from the troops
of the Southern Confederacy. with the evi
dent intention of inducing military prepar
ations by the North. Now nothing could be
more false and dangerous than these state
ments. The inaugural address of Mr.. DAVIS
does not contain single word which even
hints at aggressive war. On the contrary,
he states clearly and explicitly the desire of
the separated States for peaceful recognition
of their independence. IF words like these
can be tortured into menace of the North, we
are at loss to understand how. Mr.. Davis
says: " AS a necessity, not a choice, we
have resorted to the remedy of separation,
and henceforth our energies must be direct
" ed to the conduct Of our own affairs, and
{" the perpetuity of the Confederacy which we
have formed. If Just perception of mu
:" tual interest shall permit US peaceably to
pursue our separate political career, my
9" most earnest desire will have been fulfilled.
But if this be denied US. and the integrity
I" of our territory and jurisdiction be assailed,
" it will but remain for us, with firm resolve,
6 to appeal to arms, and invoke the blessing
I" of Providence on just cause"
The substance of this language is, that the
separated States are in earnest. that they de-
sire peace, but if they are attacked they will
defend themselves. They don't threaten to
make war upon the Government, bat if the
Government attempts to coerce them, then
they will resst-and their separate Confed
eracy would be ridiculous farce if they did
not. There can he no war without the North
insists upon it.
After two weeks consideration ever the
subject, it came out last week W tn the dec
larstion that this recognition of the South
ern Confederacy and defence of JEFF Davis,
was not written by either of the present
editors, and they cannot imagine how the
article got into its columns! Now is not
this a most extraordinary confession? The
same man writing for it at this time, was
writing then-the same owner-the same
publisher-yet We are gravely told that an
article full of DISUNION and at least
CONSTRUCTIVE TREASON appeared
without his knowledge. How comes it then
that it was not recalled Immediately after?
The paltry pretext that Douglas and others
occupied similar ground is not true in fact,
for Douglas never advocated any such doc
trine, and never recognized Jef Davis as
President' He was for peace, but not for
d:sunion.
How did sundry other articles not much
better than the above, get il the Democrat?
BgrThe New York Evening Post has
/ the following in reference to Gen. McClel-
lau's army:
"The President found on his late visit
to General Mcclellan that 10000 of the
troops taken to the peninsula are now mis-
sing or absent. It is impossible to believe
that more than 10000 are dead, wounded
! or sick. General Mcclellan expressed the
| opinion to the President that more than
half of the 10000 absent soldiers are now
well. How they got away it is almost i'm
possible to tell A fact, however, has Just
come to my knowledge which will seem
to elucidate the matter. A single member
of Congress has succeeded in getting fur
loughs az discharges for three hundred
soldiers during the present session of Con-
gress This is fact, and it will show hop
the army has been depleted, or at least one
way in which its numbers have been redu-
ced The friends ofsoldiers-of regiments
have endeavored to get off every soldier
who was sick of the service Members of
Congress desired to be popular in their
districts, and answered every call upon
them Colonels of regiments and generals
of brigades had the same desire of popu
larity with their men, and one and all have
aided in this depicting process till the sum
total of absentees is enormous"
The above agrees with Mr.. Chambers
statement, and solves all wonder as to why
our army did not succeed before Richmond.
p9-John W. Cross of East Salem, 3 d
Sergeant in Go. l., of the SD regiment.