Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1862-07-30

=
sent to the President, signed by the MAJ
iOrity Of the representatives from the bor-
der slaveholding States:
WAsnINGToN. July II, 1862.
To the PfcSidmt:- The undersigned, rep
resentatiyes of Kentucky, Virginia, Mis-,
souri,, and Maryland, in the two houses of
Congress, have listened to your address
with the profound sensibility naturally
inspired 10y the high source from which it
emanates, the eaynestly which marked its
delivery. and the overwhelming impoT-
tanoe o! the subject on which it treats
We have given it most respectful con-
sideration, and now lay before you our
response. We regret that want of time
has not permitted US to make it more
perfect.
We have not been wanting, Mr.. PRESS
dent, in respect TO you, and in devotion
to the constitution and the Union. We
have not been indifferent to the great diff,
fiCulties Surrounding you, compared with
which all former national troubles have
been but as the sumner cloud and we
have freely given you our sympathy and
support.
Repudiating the dangerous heresies OF
the secessionists, we believed with you,
that the war on their part is aggressive
and wicked, and object for which it was
to be prosecuted on ours, defined by your
message at the opening Of tie present
Congress, to he such as all good men
should approve, we have not hesitated 10
vote all necessary to carry iton vigorously.
We have voted all the men and money
you have asked for, and even more; we
have imposed onerOus taxes on our peO-
pie, and they are paying them with cheer,
fulness and alacrity we have encouraged
enlistments and sent TO the field many of
our best men; ard somo Of that number
have offered their persons to the enemy as
pledges of their sincerity and devotion TO
the country. We have done all this un-
der the most discouraglng circumstances
and in the face of measures most dstaste>
full 20 Us and injurious to the interests we
represents, and in the hearing of doctrines
avowed by those who claim to be your
friends most ahhorent to US and our con-
stiluents. But, for all this, we have nev~
er faltered, nor shall we as long as we have
o constitution to defend and a govern,
ment which protects us. And we are
ready for renewed efforts, and even great,
er sacrifices, yea, any sacrifice, when we
are satisfied it is required TO preserve our
admirable form Of government and the
priceless blessings Of constitutional lib
erty.
A few of our number voted for the reSS
olution recommended by your message Of
the 9th of March last, the great portion Of
US did not, and we will briefly state the
prominent reasons which influenced our
action.
In the first place, it proposed a radical
change OF our social system, and was hurr
ried through both Houses with undue
haste, without reasonable time for con-
sideration and debate, and with no time
at all for consultation with our constitu
ents, whose interests it deeply involved,
1t seemed like an interference by this
government with a question which pecu>
iiarly and exclusively belonged to our
respective States, on which they had not
sought advice or solicited aid. Many of
us doubted the constitutional power o!
this government to make appropriations
of money for the object designated, ,Gnd all
Of US thought our finances were in no con
dition to bear the immense outlay which
its adoption and faithful execution would
impose upon the rational treasury.
If we pause but moment to think OF
the debt the acceptance would have en-
tailed, we are appalled, by its magnitude.
The proposition was addressed to all the
States. and embraced to the whole NUNS
her of slaves. According to the census of
1860 there were then nearly four million
slaves in the country, from natural in-
crease they exceed that number now. At
even the low average of three hundred
dollars, the price fixed by the emancipa.
ton act for the slaves of this District, and
greatly below their real worth, their val
ue runs mp to the enormous sum ortwelve
hundred millions Of dollars and if to that
we add the cost of deportation and oolon~
izatiou al one hundred dollars each, which
is but fraction more than is actually
paid by the Maryland Colonization Socie-
ty, we have four hundred millions more,