Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1863-05-06

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,,
APRIL, 8, 1863,
On tie Resolutions on he State Of The Country.
Mr.. SPEAKER: Before casting my vote
on the final passage of these resolutions,
it may be proper for me to give my views
in a few words touching the present state
OF our country, and why | am found votN
ing for the resolutions as they are. 1t is
well known that the resolutions now be-
fore this House do not in every particular
neet my views but they are as near right
as we can as party agree upon at this
time, and shall therefore vote for them.
shall not refer to the numerous speeches
made on the other side of the House. l
think they have given their views, and |
shall be content in giving mine. Holy
Writ SAYS, "Remove not the ancient land
marks thy fathers have SET" 1t is not
only profitable, but il is not necessary TO
recur TO first principles to see how well
we have kept our ancient landmarks. Let
US for a short time refresh our memories
with the landmarks of our national histo.
ry, and see if we have lived up to and in
the faith of our fathers, or departed there's
from and, if we have departed, how we
can return.
Three years ago we possessed country
the most prosperous and one of the most
powerful upon the face of the earth
| Twenty seven millions of the Caucasian
race of men had attained in it almost un>
limited personal and political liberty, and
four millions of the African race had
reached a civilization never attained 10y an
equal number of them in any other coun-
try or in any other age. The agricultural
productions of the West sustained the
tropical productions in the South, and
both aided the manufacturing industry OF
the East-the whole presenting an aggre'
gate of wealth nowhere else exceeded, il
leoualled. Thirty,four sovereign States,
combining portion of their power in one
common government, possessing among
themselves absolutely unrestricted social
and commercial intercourse, presented an
asylum to which men of all nations gladly
pressed, and fortress from which all hos,
Tile nations instinctvely recoiled, aud o
shield under which all the nations of the
Western Continent reposed in safety from
the suhjugating attacks OF Europe. For
all this happiness for all this prosperity
| - Tor all lllls lfCSuOnl- TOT MI llll~ NtiAtI,
power and renown-for all our glorious
hopes of the future what have we now ?
Abraham Lincoln and the negro Abra.
ham Lincoln and his questionable policy !
That is the sum of all that is now offered
to us in lieu of the result OF two hundred
and fifty years of incessaEt toll, sacrifices
and war. Of two hur rdreG and fifty years
of unparalleled achievemeI and success,
that is the sum of all the wisdom and pat
riotism OF our iathers--a wisdom and pat
r;otism which, by the judgment OF the
whole human race, has never been excell>
ed. This is the sum of all our lifelong
efforts which, until now, equally challen-
ged the approval of all men.
Let us look at our history for a moment.
When we examine the Declaration of In
dependence it will be seen by every man
that the thirteen colonies were separate
and distinct, and having separate and dis
tinct charters, each and all as entirely dis
tinct and separate as TO their governments,
as TO the power of one over another, as
England is to-day to control America
The Governments of the Old World, from
Nimrod down, with few exceptions, de-
pended upon the will of the governors-
ours upon the will of the governed. Theirs
lupon force-ours upon voluntary choice.
The punishment or repression ofacts Grim
inal in themselves, as murder, theft, riot
and disorder, is common TO all governs
meuts, but with US political questions
among communities of men were always
only subject TO voluntary arrangements.
Hence mutually of concession, hence as
lsimlatlon of interests, hence the absence
of the waste and horrors OF war and end
less burdensome taxation, hence contlnuS
lual advancement in wealth and comfort
of the working classes and national great
ness, hence, above all and chief of all, we
have untrammeiled freedom, for in the
clash of arms not only are the laws silent,
but liberty is dunbar axiom OF all times
and of all nations. 1t is an axiom of
which every man, woman and child in
Pennsylvania now knows and lees by ex.
perience 10 be true IN spirit and in letter
of fact. This is the first great and funda>
mental principle Of liberly--the consent
of the governe d, the direct and only an
tagonist of despotism. 70 this let us res
vert. IL was by such voluntary consent
that in 1913 was formed by Plymouth,
, Massachusetts,, Connecticut and New Ha~
ven, the United Colonies OF New England.
1t was by such voluntary consent that
Rhode Island, refusing the restriction re-
quired of her, kept apart from the Union
rather than join it with the restriction,
without any attempt by the other States
TO coerce on their part Rhode Island.
BY the same voluntary consent the thir>
teen colonies met in Congress; Ia word
knowledge of the meaning OF which-a
coming toge.her-seems to be lost or for
gotten by many J two years afterwards,
in the year l776, these thirteen colonies
declared themselves sovereign and iRde>
pendent States, basing that declaration
upon the same broad principle of volun-
tary consent. By this voluntary consent
they formed the confederation known as
the United States of America. in the midst
of the war then sustained by them against
Great Britain, and for the establishment
of this very principle. By the same vol
untary consent State after State Withdrew
4 from this perpetual Union" of l77S, to