Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1863-02-25

1
| admiuistration-a doctrine which is lalse to
| all the teachings of the fathers of the Repub-
| Iic-was that there is no power of the Govern
| ment to maintain its own integrity. Now,
| sir, ii the gentlemen who are in the majority
in this House intend, by restoring sstbe Con-
! stitution as it is," to revive that construction
| of it expounded by the late Buchanan) Execu-
tive, our Constitution amounts to nothing
| The London Times, in commenting upon the
message in which this extraordinary doctrine
| was announced, declared that no civilized na-
| tion in the world would adopt such doctrine
that EngIdnd would not permit the remotest
colony to attempt to sever itself from her do
mains without resisting it by coercion to the
utmost extent.
Why, sir, our revolution was gained by CO.
ercion. The banner of our republic, in those
early days, had upon it the motto, ssR resistance
to tyrants." Such was the sentiment of our
great chIeftain of the Revolution. He bowed
his knee to the God of battles. and he pushed
that contest to a successful close. without any
violation of private rights-without any inter
farcncs with the administration of Justice
without anything which would soil the flair
fame of the Government. Who surrounded
him in that struggle The chivalry of France
the choice sons of ireland, the patriots of Po-
| land and OF Germany. They fought not mere
ly for our Republic; they fought for the
great principle involved in the contest be-
| tween the two nations. They saw in the vista
of the future bright spot amidst desert cen
turies-a place where they could have their
| thirst quencbed at freedom g waters with none
to make them afraid.
Our present Constitution, as every man who
has studied il knows. was formed tor the ex-
press purpose of enabling the General Gov
ernment to take measures of coercion when
It's demands were mott properly complied
with. And during the administration of
of Washington, that great man set an exam
pie in favor of coercion by sending forth an
army, at the mere appearance of opposition
to the laws in western Pennsylvania. Sir,
the whole course of the Government has been
to resort 10 coercion whenever the laws were
violated, and whenever a State was invaded.
Even during the late( Buchanan administration
II was distinctly announced. in the case of u
tab. both by the President and Sec'y of War,
that whenever State or territory is in armed
REBEL against the Government, or whenever
the laws cannot be executed, it is the bounded
duty OF the Governme to coerce such q
State or territory by military force-that there
is in the Governments IN inherent power to do So
Now, Mr.. Speaker, whittier are We drifting
We assume that We wiser than the Con
gress of the United States--tbat in the brief
deliberation of few moments we can settle
the knottiest questions of the Republic.
What interest, ask you, has Pennsy lvania il.
thus espousing the emancipation Of slaves in
Missouri The people of that State desire
emancipation. And what will the measure
cost Pennsylvania Gentleman on the other
side have become very economical. OF the
twenty million of dollars proposed to be ap-
prOpriated for this purpose, what would be
pennsylvania s portion Perhaps million
one million OF dollars. What is that amount
sir, when We consider the power, the wealth
and the resources of this great Common
wealth The preamble of that act of 1880
answers the question.
| do not wish to detain this Hnusa upnn
question Of such magnitude as this, because
have not had time to examine it. / desire an
opportunity to look ut the subject with more
care. Ny heart, sir, is with The President in
his glorious efforts TO hold out an assisting
hand to the States that desire to emancipate
their slaves. Who does not know, Mr.. Speak
er. that in the State OF Maryland to day lands
which in the same parallel in Pennsylvania
are worth one hundred dollars per acre are in
MaIyla land worth but thirty dollars And who
does not know that il slavery were abolished
in the State of Mary land, her lands would at
once rise to an equal value with those of Penn
syivania7 Why could this be So Because
with the abolition of slavery, freemen would
go there. Wherever slavery is, freemen are
degraded. Wherever slavery is, education is
restricted, If not prohibited. Men OF some
distinction have declared, that, if a division
of the Union should take place, the destiny of
Pennsylvania and New York would Dc with
INC Soutu uOu ueHFer us from SuCn nor
rible fate l would rather this day be under
the despotism of Russia than under the dcs.
potism OF men who have no regard for the
rights of the poor, and whose whole system is
opposed to the education OF the masses of the
people. Were such a state o f things brought
about, we should be in condition of most
hnmiliating degradation, under the overshad-
owing influence of slavery. This great Com
monwealtb, with all her immense resources
and industrial interests, with all her manufac-
tories, would be put under the ban of free
trade. We should be humiiated into SUBJ
mission, to our lords and masters, the slave
holders. We should be forbidden to utter
any sentiments adverse to the views of the
devotees of the s'pecuIiar institution
What would be the effect of the division of
this Union Why, sir, the Emperor OF Russia
(who appears to understand our institutions
little better than some of our own people here) |
said very recently to Bayard Taylor, ssI never
want to witness the severance of your great
Republic. l have always been its friend. The
first severance wonld lead to another and
another you would be broken into fragments;
you would present to the world the spectacle of
a ruined nation.'' This is the truth which |
should be realized by every man iu the north |
and if it were realized in its full force this re-
belion would be speedily and completely
crushed.
For the reasons which have suggested,
think that the resolution now under considera-
tion should be voted down. l think that the |
vote rejecting 1t would be greeted with appro- |
val by every benevolent and loyal heart In the
A letter bearing the following address. was
received at the Post.Offce, Port P atrick i: