Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1863-10-10
Address from the Democratic
State Central Committee.


To THE CITIZENS OF PENNSYLVANIA:
We would respectfully and earnestly
address few words to those of you who
have returned to your homes from the mil
itary service of our country. On political
subjects, we address you all as citizens;
It is as citizens you will attend the polls.
Your State, by her laws, solemnly cnjoins
upon you not to approach the polls as
soldiers.
On somo Of tho questions of the day,
you have had special means of observa-
ton. You have been at the South. You
have seen its negro population. Many Of
you have come back convinced how vain
and impracticabe are the schemes for its
instant emancipation and advancement, in
prosecuting which the Abolition party dis
turbed the harmony Of the Union, and at
last involved the white race of our country
in the work Of mutual destruction by civil
war.
You have learned, too, from your pris'
ouers, and from the people you have been
among, that it is this same scheme for
elevatiDg the negro which now protracts
the war. Alter your first victories, the
mass of the Southern people could have
been brought back into the Union, under
the Constitution the secession leaders
would have been left without an army ;
but the Abolition party dictated policy
that sot aside the Constitution, and presen-
ted in its place emancipation, negro equal
ity and general confscatlon. American
white men do not submit easily to terms
like these, and they have afforded to the
secession leaders the very means they
needed to stimulate their followers to des-
perat, and protracted resistance. Thus
the war has been kept up with all its ter
rible expenditure of life and blood and
treasure. The Aboltionists have been the
best recruiting officers for Lee and Davis
for without the help Of the Abolition pro
clamatons they never could have draw
from tho small white population of the
States they occupy the vast armies which
in nearly every battle, have exceeded il
numbers, but not in valor, the soldiers o.
the Union. Practically, the Abolition
party at the North has proved the mos
useful ally to the secession leaders, for th
Abolition policy has silenced and KEEP
under the Union men of the South, o
whom Mr.. Lincoln said, in his first mes
sage, "It may be well questioned whethe
there is to day majority of the legal.
qualified voters of any State, except per
haps South Carolina, in favor Of disunion
there is much reason to believe that tn
Union men are the ma ority in many,
not ip every other one cf the so-calle
seeded States" Here was the weakness
of the rebellion, till Abolition came to it
aid and united the Southern people.
The Democracy have advocated con
sttusional policy, maintaining at the Mort
aud always offering to the South, tn
original Constitution agreed to by ou
fore-fathers. Thus we saw means {
giving the Union men Of tho South the up
per hand of the secessionists. This
prevented by the policy of the Abolition
lists at the North and when they lose po
i.ical power here, then their twin brothers
the secessionists of the South, will ia
from power there. Both look to milltar
despotism as the means to keep their hol
on power. As soldiers, you have had fu
experience Of military rule. You kno
its uses, its hardships and its evils
Necessary in armies, it is not, as you we
known, a form of Government fit for frt
people. Tho strict submission, the VI
questioning obedience to every superic
required by military disciplne--these yc
agreed to give in military duties durr
ths term Of your enlistment. But do yt