Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1862-07-16
THE BREcKINRIpGE Pow-wow.
Frem the Philadelphia Pres.

the 4th of July, calling itself Democratic
State Convention. With few exceptions,
the Breckinridgers of 1860 were on the ground
in force. The ball was opened by William
Henry Welsh, chairman of the Brecknridge
State Central Committee, who called the SAN
hedrim to order. The next important move
was to choose president, which resulted in
the choice, by large majority, OF the well
known Francis W. Hughes, of Schuylkill, who
played such prominent part in the Charleston
Convention against Stephen A. Douglas, and
paign, espousng the claims of his nephew,
then the ''Dcmocratic'' candidate for Con-
gress, and now one of the most conspicuous
chiefs in the rebel States, having followed
the Breckenridge doctrine by removing him.
self from the free States when the war broke
out. Mr.. Hughes made speech, in the
course of which he denounced the confisca-
tion of the slaves of rebels as ssa mendacious
usurpation,' and pledged the Democratic par
ty against it. Among the delegates, we no.
tice such familiar names as John d. Evans, of
Chester county, who continues to proclaim
his opposition to the war on all occasions E.
l.. Acher, the late Breckinridge postmaster at
Norristown, and the editor of the Register at
that place, which was on the eve uf being sup
pressed for its treason after the fall of Sumter;
Philip b. Miller, the late Breckenridge post
master at Reading W. W. Brown, of Lam
caster, the right-hand man of 81. b. whose
late speech before the Breckinridge meeting,
in that county, was a reproduction of one of
the old addresses of the ex-Vice President
Kennedy L.Blood of Jefferson, Breckenridge
delegate to Charleston and Baltimore James
I'll. Walton, Of Monroe, late Treasurer of the
United States Mint, retained in office by Mr..
Lincoln under promises of perpetual loyalty
Stanly Woodward, of Luzerne, Breckenridge
delegate to Charleston and Baltimore From
Philadelphia, we preceive that that precious
pair OF patriots, Andrew Miller and Jesse
johnson, figured extensively. These being
the cooks, the broth could not be other than it
was, and when the resolutions were offered by
Arnold Plummer, of Venango, one of the high
priests who encouraged and sustained James
Buchanan in all his treacheries, reported the
resolutions, nobody was surprised that among
them were the following
''That the Democracy of PENNSYLVANIA is
equally opposed to all sectional legislation and
geographical purties which base their hopes
for continued partisan success on the agrari-
anlsm OF emancipation and hypocritical phi
lanthropy, abolition, because neither is known
to the Constitution, and both are intended 20
aid disunion and subvert the Constitution,
and to prevent the restoration of unity. and
peace, and concord among the States and the
people.
"That the Constitution and the laws are
suihclent for any emergency, and that the
suppression of the freedom OF speech and of
the press, and the unlawful arrest of citizens
and the suspension of the writ of habeas cor
pus, in violation of the Constitution in Stat es
where the civil authorities are unimpeded, is
most dangerous to civil liberty, and should be
resisted at the ballot-box by every freeman in
the land.
''That this is a government of white men
and was established exclusively for the white
race that the negro race are not entitled to,
and ought not to be admitted to political or
social equality with the white race but that it
is our duty to treat them with kindness and
consideration as inferior but dependent
race that the right of the several States to
determine the position and duty of the several
races is sovereign right, and the pledges of
the Constitution requires US as loyal citizens
not to interfere Herewith
"That Congress has no power to deprive any
person OF MS property for any criminal offence,
unless that person has first been dulv convict
ed of the offence by the verdict of Jury; and
that all acts of Congress like thos, lately pass
cd by the House of Representatives, which
assumes to forfeit or confscate the estates of
men for offenses of which they have not been
convicted by due trial by jury, are uuconsti-
tutional and lead to oppression and tyrany
1t is no justification for such acts that the
crimes committed in the prosecution of the
rebellion are of uneXamped atrocty nor is
there any such justification as State necessity
known to our Government or laws''
The first resolution quoted, that sethe De-
mocracy of Pennsy lvania (that is the Breck-
inridgers) is opposed to all sectional legisla-
tion and geographical parties,' is handsomely
illustrated when we recollect that the poiti-
clans uttering this sentiment advocated dis
unionist for President in 1860, and are now
earnestly sympathizing with him in his armed
efforts to sectionalize and assassinate the Re-
public. The second resolution, declaring "in
favor of the freedom OF speech, of the press
and against the unlawful arrest OF citizens.n
is doubtless intended as an endorsement of or
compensation for those ssDemocratic' editors
who, less than year ago, were silenced or
suppressed" by an indignant people for their
treason, and also Of such patriots as Wm B.
Reed, and other entertainers of Anthony Troll
lope, the British satirist of our country, who
testified in his late work that they were ssliye
Secessionists" only few months ago. and
that they boldly proc laimed to him that they
were in favor of the enc mics of their country.
Such is the freedom of the press and the free
&c