Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1862-09-10

OF THg MON STATE CENTRAL
COMMITTEES, Commonwealth Buildings, No oIs
Chestnut street
PHILspELPmA, August &c, 1864.
FeIioW Citizens: Ia times of war the polisi.
cal organizations of peace are surrendered or
postponed to the public emergencies. During
the Revolutionary war there was no party
against Washington but the Tories or the
traitors. During the war of 1912, the ene-
mics of the Administration of Mr.. Madison
soon became rs infamous as the foreign in.
vaders themselves. The war with Mexico
was waged, as results have proved, by slave
holding statesmen, in order that one State
more might be added to the number they
have lately forced into treason: yet the pub.
lie man who opposed it soon became unpopu.
lar, and its victorious general was nominated
for the Presidency by the very party that dis
sented from the policy which resulted in the
war. These are the eloquent teachings Of the
past. We arc now in u death struggle with
the most powerful foe to human liberty on
earth. This enemy is strengthened by sla
very in America, and sustained by the mon
arches of the Old World. The issue j. clearly
made-the contending parties openly array.
ed against each other. There is not nation,
an individual, or an idea opposed to human
freedom that is not enlisted against this Gov.
ernment and in favor Of the rebellion. We
are ourselves our only friends. Within our.
selves is our only hope. We can have no
sympathy from any other Power in the world
no sympathy that is sincere and effectual.
The State Central Committee. appointed by
the Union State Convention, composed of the
loyal men of Pennsylvania, who met to con-
slider what was proper TO be done in this
crisis. have simple duty to perform in this
their first address. They have only to ask
whether the examples of the two wars with
Great Britain, and the admonitions of the
with Mexico. shall be recollected or re
jected i'll this gloomy hour and whether the
American people will cordially support the
Government in putting down the rebellion.
The State Central Committee would i'm.
press upon the people of Pennsylvania that
the one great suhject for them to consider is
the danger Of the Republic. There is no
prejudice or opinion that should not he post
poned, and, if necessary, sacrificed. to avert
this common peril. The Convention from
which the committee derived its authority
acted in this spirit, and it is now your duty to
come forward and sustain the candidates that
Convention placed in nomination. We make
this appeal to all loyal men. They only are
loyal who recognize this war as one waged
for our national existcnce-who give an ar.
dent and unquestionins support to the Ad.
ministration-who sustain ali the measures
Of Congress for the maintenanc of the war
making power-Who see in the Southern
Confederacy, and those who are in alliance
with 1t, the enemies of Civilization and Lib
erty-and who do nothing to weaken the
hands of the executive. They are not mere
" dlsloyal who take arms in their hands,
and combine themselves into an army. He
is q rebel who ahjures his allegiance and he.
comes an enemy to his flag but he is trai.
snr. who, while enjoying the protection If the
Government, aud 0stensibly observing his
pledge of allegiance, contrives to bring dis
honor and defeat upon his country. These
rebels and these traitors are called upon
to meet. We must encounter tn M the
battle field and Mt the ballot box. The ballot
box is the great source of popular power
If beaten there, our victories Will be fruitless.
our sufferings unrewarded, our sacrifices bar
ren, and the glory and valor of our soldiers
| will end in the triumph of the Southern re-
bellion and dishonorable peace.
1t is unnecessary to restate the causes Of
the war; Our opponents hare made them
the substance Of calumny and misrepresenta
ton. For answer, we appeal to the living
history familiar to all men. We need not
| remind the people that at the basis Of the
Southern rebellion there exists hatred of
| Northern men ahd Northern institutions-of
our social, political and revenue systems
! This has inspired their leaders during two
! generations. Welded to an institution which
! has demoralized them in demOralizing their
labor, and cultiysting the earth by an ensla-
we'd race of men, they have made their slaves
the source of their political power, and have
ruled the nation with the products of slave
labor. The happy hours of our national pro-
| gress have for years been embittered by their
insolence. All legislation that looked to the
prosperity of the Northern States and protec-
ton to their industry has been opposed and
defeated by them. With the growth of North
ern strength, as the result of free institutions
and free soil, came the possession of political
power and the gradual resistance to the en-
croachments of slavery. Nor need We remind
the people of the outrages that followed the
efforts of the Shareholders, to recover their
unholy and despotic dominion. The outra
| ges upon Kansas the studied insults to
Northern Senators and Representatives; the
eeaseless abuse of the Northern people, and
| the gradual concentration of the military and
naval power in the hands of the traitors, all
| contemplated the restoration OF their ascen
dancy. and enabled them to inaugurate the
treason which eliminated in war. Strength
ened by wicked Administration, and sus
tanned by timid and treseherous public men
in the free States, they were permitted to Or
ganize an armed resistance, and to make fear
full advances, before the Government could
strike blow in its own defence.
The election of Mr.. Lincoln to the Presi.
dency. so fortunate for the country, and so
fruitful of saving consequences to the whole
people, bafied the immediate purposes of the
conspirators.
The adversaries of Mr.. Lincoln's Admins.
tration are in nearly every case the adverse
ries of the Government. They attack the
one to weaken the other. We recognize in
the Executive the embodiment of that autho
rity which alone can destroy the rebellion