Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1862-07-02
THE sEcEsH AT CAMP CURTIN.

ne euitOr OF the harrisburg Telegraph gives
an account of visit to the Secesh prisoners,
now at Camp Curtin, from which we take the
following extract
"The majority of the prisoners young
meD-mere boys, when We estimate their abil-
1ty I o appreciate any cause, good or bad.
They took up arms, because it was popular to
do SO when they enlisted. They went into
battle because they imagined that victory
would be easily achieved. This is the senti-
ment OF many of the secesh now in Camp Cur
tin. Others of them boldly avowed bitter
hatred for the government-feign to be dis
gusted with its authority, and even in their
Imprisonment, delight in declaring their con-
tempt for its power. Such as these confess
that the south was deceived into the war by
the doug faces of the north. They exclaim-
ed with bitterness that northern opposition to
slavery first prompted the south to treason,
and that the promises of northern aid and sup
port was the first inducement to revolt. Had
northern dough-faceism been as true to the
south as II was heretofore servile and cringing
to its political leaders, this rebellion would
have been ended six months since in IFS COM
plete triumph. With one of the shrewdest
and most malignant of the prisoners, this was
serious thought, and seemed to delight in
the reflection that for the perfdy of the north
the south would add to northern laboring men,
millions of debt, bankruptcy In trade, loss of
in commerce, and every act which the rash
ness and the rebellion of people could pro-
duce. 81 have no fear, sir, for the ultimate
snccess of the rebellion was the declaration
| of this man. I'VE could procure peace, now,
If we desired such Disgrace he continued,
'but we have other objects In view than
own independence. We intend to bankrupt
the north and PROSTATE free labor. We intend
to prolong this war until the Congressional
elections come off. when our ola friends, the
dough-fac ceS, are expected TO elect majority
of representatives in Congress, and then look
out for Jonathan. If Pennsylvania n he in
duced to send such men as BIddle and An
coma if Ohio will elect delegation of Val
b slandighams if Indiana decides to give us
true men like Voorhees,, and if the other north
ern States do their duty, as our friends in
those localities promised they are determined
to do, when election day comes off. the south
need no longer battle, as the fight will be TAX
en- off of its hands by the dough- faces. jeff
Davis understands this, and therefore he is
leading the Yankees wild goose chase. All
that our leaders want is the tax gatherer to go
among the people of the north, before the
election, and then there will some proba-
bilty arise that old JEFF may be permitted to
take his Christmas dinner in Washington. as Il
solace for the disappointment in not having
been able to dine in that city last 4th Of July
Such was at least the spirit of this conversa
tion, if it it is not the exact language
According to the statement of this rebel-a
man of some intelligence-we have the assur
ance that the leaders in this iniqutous war;
hope, through the aid and sympathy of North
ern men, finally to succeed in their hellish
plot to destroy our government. To accom-
plish this end they base their hopes upon the
coming Congressional elections. jeff Davis
is to draw our armies into ga wild goose
chase" and ssprolong the war - whilst, under
the lead Of Ancona and Biddle of Pennsyva-
MIA, Vallandig CHAM of Ohio, Voorhees, of Indi
ana, and those of like proclivities in the other
Northern States, the people are to be deceived
and induced to elect of the Breckenridge
stripe to the next Congress.
Here, then, we have another link in the
great drama OF this war. First, Yalandgham
and his thirteen associates issue address to
the ssDemocracy" of the country, evidently to
fatter the unwary and now, we are informed
by rebel prisoner, that the tax gatherer is TO
be sent among the people before the election
to create dissentons, in the hope of electng
a majority of rebel sympathisers to Congress-
that the north is to be made bankrupt through
prolonged war-that free labor is to be pros
traled-cOnHueuce IN cOnimt rec ueStrOyeu--
and that the dough faces of the north have
sspromised'' that ssthey are determined TO do''
their share of the work, provided JEFF Davis K
Co., will but perform their part in the farce.
These ends accomplished, and .sthe South
&c need no longer battle, as the fight will be
&c taken off their hands, and transferred to
Congress, and, in the end, to the Northern
States.
Thus, we have the programme of the traitors
of the South, and of their aiders and abettors.
in the North clearly mapped out. 1t now
behooves the intelligent, patriotic and Union
loving people everywhere to be their
guard. Remember, you will he told that this
is an 'sAboition'' war to free the "niggers''
that the people of the South have been i'm
prisoned uniustly-that the Contitution has
been violated, and the Presidential powers
usurped. Yon will be appealed to to note the
corruptions Cf government offcas-the great
destruction of life and property-the extrava-
gance of the National Administration-th
immens, indebtedness of the countrywide
enormous taxaton-and, perhaps to resist by
violence the collection of direct tax. BY
these, and other like representations, you
are to be deceived and enticed into the sup
port of those who sympathise with traitors and
treason. We caution all true Union men now
at this early day-to watch well their own
interests, and the interests of the whole coun.
try lest at a later period, they will be betray-
ed into the hands of the enemy, who are en-
deavoring to destroy the Const tuition and the
Union, and to trample into the dust all our