The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1863-09-17
OUR COUNTRY, Right OR WRONG !!
Address of the Union State Cen
trail Com mittee.
To THE PEOPLE or PENNsfLvAs1A:

The day is rapidly approaching upon
which you will be called to choose between
rival candidates for the high offices of
Governor of the Commonwealth, and
Judge of its Supreme Judicial tribunal.
TO the one is to be committed the execu-
tive power0f your great and noble State,
and to the other weighty voice in decid-
ing questions closely affecting your most
sacred rights Of persons and of property.
To an intelligent exercise of your right
of suffrage, it is very necessary that you
should clearly understand the difference
between the party whose nominees are
Andrew G.. Curtin and Daniel H. Agnew,
and the party whose nominees are George
W. Woodward, and Walter III. Lowrie.
1t is, therefore, in obedience to custom,
wise and time honored, that you are
addressed by the official representatives
of each organization in behalf of their
respective principles and candidates.
1t Is not vague commonplace but solemn
truth to say, that there never was poli.-
ical contest in America whose issues were
so important and so vital to the life of the
Republic as are those involved In the
pending canvass. In other days we pru-
IDENTITY occupied our minds with questions
of State policy, local alike in their interest
and their influence but to- day the citizens
of Pennsylvania ascend to the higher and
broader ground whereon the nation strug-
giles for its life, and the ballots Of freemen
were never more weighty with great con-
sequences than those now resting In their
hands, containing, as they probably do,
not only the question of civil war at our
own homes, not only the fate Of our Con-
stitution and Union, but the destiny of
free government throughou the world.
It is source, therefore, of profound
gratitude with ali rejecting men, that,
while all the gentlemen in nomination bear
characters alike honorable and without
stain, thus emitting them to the fullest
of honest motives and consci-
entious con, lotions, yet the lines of
division are drawn with such distinctness,
the policy proposed is SO plainly different,
and the principles avowed so radically
hostile, that no man of ordinary intelligence
need hesitate in his choice.
The history Of America before our civil
war began is read and known of all men.
In the years of our colonization we were
obedient to the plain purpose of God In
this continent as theatre
whereon the capacity Of the human race
for self-government should be fully and
fairly tested and the men to whom was
the great experiment In civiiiza
ton ftly builded their infant States upon
the principles of civil and religious liberty.
When the condition of colonial depend
ency ceased to protect these principles, .
the scattered settlements came together in
the presence of common danger, and in
The interest Of human freedom, declared
their independence. Joseph Warren,
proto martyr of the Revolution, writing.
Just before his death, to Quincy, says Il
am convinced that the true spirit of liberty
vas never SO universally diffused through
I'll ranks and conditions Of men on the face
Of the earth as it now is through all North |
America"
In this spirit and for this cause our
fathers endured seven weary years of un-
equal warfare, and that their children to
the third and fourth generation should
understand the purpose OF the great
struggle in the calm peace which followed
they solemnly y engraved it above |
the entrance to the sources of the funda- |
mental law, declaring it to be, 1To secure
.he blessings Of liberty to the people and
20 their posteriey."
The Government Of the United States,
,hus plainly established to preserve the
liberties of its people, contained an ele-
nent Of weakness and discord in the
recognition OF the legal existence Of sla.
7ery. 1t was believed, however, that this
Evil would soon disappear, and Jefferson
yied with Franklin in his efforts to secure
result earnestly desired by all good men.
n the course of few years it was confined
ioninally, as it had long really been, to
he States lying south of the line of Ma
on and Dixon and patriots Of all parties
ejoiced in the hope Of Its speedy and
otal disappearance.
This reasonable hope was destined to-
In 1920, the first great
oncession was demanded by the slave
olding interest at the hands of the Ma
ional Legislature, and for the sake of
armony Missouri was admitted into the
Jnion as slave State. Then followed
ther and greater demands in favor of
Iavery, urged with increasing arrogance;
nd notwithstanding the wonderful pros
Gritty which, like benediction, attended
he North, aud the stagnation and decay ,