Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1863-06-03
ARMY CORRESPONDENCE
ON PICKET, May l9, 1853.

for writing just now first, wrote q letter
on last Friday morning wherein | said we
were going to cross the river; but that
was all mistake the wagons heard and
, took for pontoous we're only supply trains
coming in, and the alarm was caused by q
train Of cars coming in from Richmond to
supply the rebel army, ard our piclSets
thought they were putting in bridges to
cross on US hence the alarm which we
interpi ieled 10 mean an advance. Ny next
reason Is caused by your silence towards
US, We never hear from you any more
than casual remark about your health,
or some such thing; and more especially,
we hear nothing concerning your politics.
When we have changed our opinions on
the political questions that have agitaled
the country for the last several years, ard
that still continue to agitate it, we are
anxious TO know how our friends feel upon
the matter, and especially one so near TO
us as our Father. This anxiety has de-
termiHed me to touch the subject, as it
we're IN your presence, aEd solicit reply.
You and | used to sit and talk over the
war, and the questions relative thereto
and | remember having heard you say you
feared this was only the beginning of
sorrows that after this rebellion was over
we would have another; we would have
the principles Of religious liberty TO re,oa.
tabnsh and the iualienaOle rights Of the
people 10 e,allirn. by the power Of the
sword. greatly fear your prediction will
, come true Notwithstanding | doubted its
correctuess then. And fear, too, that it
, will become necessary to assert those
rights, and inuugurate that rebellion, or
bap .raunlptipp hpfNpp iha nv raholl.
, ion is crushed. Wesee the liberty of the
press assailed the liberty Of speech stiAed,
and the influence of the Church and the
power of the State, are combined to en-
, force the usurpatcu. Our political pa.
p papers laud the church for her assistance
in quieting the minds OF the citiaans,
, while the political power tastens the yoke
. Of eternal bondage upon them; and she
looks confidently forward TO the day when
she will be recognised and supported as q
/ part OF the Government Of the United
t States, In proof Of this, send you a
3 counie Of extracts from what are termed
a highly loyal journals, and the one which
notices the sermon of the Rev. DR.. Chan
ming is the Administration organ at Wash
ington, the Daily M0ruiag Chronicle; and
$ the other is from the loyal Lebanon Pa. J
Co,risr.F Read them, carefully, and then
| answer the question for me, from which
s we have most to fear, the encroachmeuts
t of the Church, or the toeratiOn Of the po'
4 Ideal heresy OF jeff DaviS?"
t Under this Administration, it seems We
J. mast build up one evil to dethrone ano
;. ther; and how are we 10 prevent these
a owls from Detailing US? The Admins
= tratlou has deprived the people Of the
!, right to crticise its conduct under penal
g ty Of Punishment, thus preventing US the
o only means we have for escape from the
c clutches OF our oppressors, | refer to the
= case of c. /. ValIandigkam. Davis pro.
: poses to take portion of our republic
- and rule it himself; while the Admins
t. trstiOn proposes TO rule with absolute
=, power the whole county, and Danish from
@ 1t ell who dare question its constitutional
Il right, or rather those that endeavor L
n coBtine its actions To y purely Constilu
l. tional basis.
l. Father the cause Of this war is found
e. entirely in this fault Of onr Government
2 IL is TOO strong; aud the people are too Wcdk
e and Too much governed. and the Government
toe much power to compel them TO sub
NIT 10 It's authority the rebellion
le Rebellion never ensues in private, socia
h arrangements, from the fac! that co-parl
rs ncrsblps are valid only SO long rs the par
?. ties wish them 10 exist, reserviug to them
j. selves the right to dissolve them wheneY.
m er their interests demand the separation
m Whereas, the social arran gemeuts wher,
10 slavery exists; where men are subject I,
A. the absolute control of other men; wher,
in women and men are bound by arbitrary
is laws to live together; where the monarch
to rules at will or where the written Con
as stituLion and laws give the Governor tht
ar power to opprcss the governed, there yoI
is will find, and must always expect to find
[. fierce rebellion. The slave rebels agains
I'd his master, with the hope of beltering hi
: condition, because he cannot change il b,
3 anv other means. The wife and husband
tv fall out and become guarresome, rebel
70 ious," because they are prevented from
bettering their condition by the laws o
matrimony. And the subject, or citizen
D. rebels against his governoI, or government
/, because his government oppresses him.
ii Consequently we must look for reform b,
10 reducing the power and strength OF tho
te Government, instead OF augmenting tha
ID power aud deprv'tE the citizen of tn
ii pitiaDlo privilege Vi speaking his homes
.e sentiments. This privilege Is the onl
1t safeguard wa have sgaias, the eac.oach
e meuts of the usurper and when [ Sc,
le our rulers depriying citizens of that priv
1t ilega, and at the same time using thelive
l. OF others To- enforce their authority owe
is an extent of territory, and over the per
5, sons of ten millions OF unwilling subjects
81 who have the hard!hood TO oppose his en-
crOachments | feel that nv place an
the place of all true men, is to cleanse th
l. iountain-head Of our own government be
70 fore we use the sword TO crush the spjI
le of rebellion, and destroy the lives of thos
es who are unwilling 70 surrender thei
a rights. It may be said that the South ar
N not deprived Of their rights but whatev
5 er we conclude on that subject, we mus
n agree that they claim TO have been abus
u ed and oppressed by the North, or domi
e. nant party--else they wonld not have ia
"a ken up arms against US.
s, But, father. l will dismiss the subiec
~ l.. =. a