Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1863-11-04
CLEARFlELD, PA.
Wednesday Morning Nov. 4th, 1866
Col. Bowman OF the 94th.

The last journal gave publicity, whether
with or without the assent Of the author
does not appear 20 a letter signed "S.M Il"
dated "No. 400, nth street, Washington,
D. e., Oct 18th, 1863"
1t is altogether proper that our military
officers should wrte letters. To this we
make no objection. But the rropriety of
having them published, is quite another
thing. 1t is way in which very many of
them add nothing TO their regulations;
and we are very sorry to say that Col,
Bowman is no exception to the rule
We like to hear Of our military officers
having well-settled political opinions; we
like to hear them yindicatinG their polIi-
cal convictions but il is mortifying to
witness their betrayal of the grossest ig-
uorance Of notorious facts. Such igno-
rance is betrayed by as. NJ. B." when he
says that Judge Woodward is "not in ia
yor OF putting down the rebellion by
force of arms" If he was well enough
booked up" to undertake to instruct
others on our late political contest in this
State, he should not have overlooked the
letter Of Judge Woodward to gentleman
in Carlisle. Is Col. Bowman opposed to
putting down the rebellion except by
force of arms p Would he rather the war
should continue indefinitely, than th' the
rebellion should be put down" by other
means? There are plenty such, and if he
is one of them, We find no fault with his
logic, and can clearly understand why he
was opposed TO the election of Judge
Woodward.
1t is no doubt true that Judge Wood
ward is opposed 10 the war as at present
prosecuted; and we respectfully submit that
the author OF this letter has himself fur
nished yecy coed reason therefor, His
letter is dated "Oct. 18th" On that day
Gen. Meade and his whole army was flee
ing before the pursuing rebels, and a
severe engagement took place within 80
miles of Washington. While this was
going on Col. Bowman of the celebrated
eighty y-fourth-in which Clearfeld is well
represented, and which was once com
manded by the gallant Murray
sitting in his easy quarters, AGO. l4th ST..
right under the shadow Of Abraham l.
writing political disqustion. Is it any
wonder, then, that such men as Judge
Woodward should be opposed to the wal
as at present prosecuted
But as. NJ. B." betrsys even greater
ignorance on another topic. When ht
charges the Democratic party, at least by
implication, with trucking &c the South,
with "vindicating slavery and trying tc
bolster up the rotten old concern" &c
he hut reiterates the slang of Abolition
newspapers for we DEFY him, or an!
other firm, to point TO single act OF th'
Democratic party warranting any sucl
accusation. Whether slavery is right o
wrong, of "divine" or evil origin, th
Democratic party have ever held, as the
now hold, that we of the North have n
right to meddle with it in the State
where it exists. There never was an
controversy on this point between the oil
Wing and Democratic parties, nor betweer
the Democratic and Republican party
until the latter were baptized into th
Abolition church by the present Jacobi
Administration. No Democrat Of tn
free States cares whether slavery lives o
dies. All they ask is for each State to b
left free to manage this, with :heir othe
domestic institutions, in their own way
as sacredly guaranteed TO them by tn
Constitution ard for the General Go,
ernment TO keep this covenant in goo
faith, Tin times of wal" as Webster sale
in times Of peace, and at all times
1t is hard to believe that Col. Bowman
ignorant Of this fact and yet it is harde
to believe otherwise after seeing VIII a. Ia
has said on the subject