Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1863-03-25
HARD ON THE coPPERHEADs.

mere Is no Delter INDEX OF the popular
breeze, or of the direction of the main cur
rent of public opinion, than the New York
Herald; and when the path of interest and
patriotism are coincident, few papers are a.
BILE to strike more lusty blows for the right.
Unfortunately, however, BENNETT, like FAIL
STAFF, only uses his trepchent blade upon dead
carcases. When the copperheads were really
formidable, and threatened to become the ru
ling power in the free States, he rather petted
and encouraged them but now, after they
have been s.scotched,' if not killed, by the
men who resoluteiy stood up for their country
in the darkest hour, he pitches ia in sty le
that is highly refreshing to loyal men, and
ga caution to snakes" Hear him
The issue before us is clearly and broadly
defined. We must put down this rebellion by
force of arms or it win tear the country to
pieces. There is no other alternative. He,
therefore, who is not with the Government in
this contest is with the rebellion--an enemy
of the Union and an ally of Davis, whatever
DISCUSSES he may assume.
So long any measure which We have
deemed to be of dangerous tendencies or
doubtful utility has been undecided by Con-
gress we have freely and earnestly opposed il !;
but when any such measure has become law
of the land we recognize no other alternative
than that of submission to the law. There
can be no departure from this course without
passing into the breakers and quicks sands
which lead to shipwreck. Hence it is that we
| are called upon by every consideration of law, !,
order and the pupic safety to denounce these
Northern Copperhead peacemongers of the
day public enemies. When such reck less,
bigoted, and narrow. sighted, and brawlinp
demagogues as Vallandigham and Pend lie ton
of Ohio, Ben Wood, Booby Brooks and other
| confederates, hegin to preach the doctrine of
resistance to President Lincoln, and the doc
trine of submss to JEFF. Davis, it is at
least due TO the community that the tenden-
cies of their absurd and dangerous instructions
should be exposed. They counsel resistance
to the laws. Let US suppose that here and
there these Copperhead apostles of mob law
succeed in securing body of adherentS re-
solved upon resistance to the CONSUMPTION.
The Government undertakes to enforce tho
law; bloody collision ensues 4, the contagion
of resistance spreads throughout the ranks of
the party infected, and civil war, with all its
fearful consequences, is inaugurated at our
own doors. Under such state of things
what citizens property, home or life would
be secure What family wond be safe from
night to night against the intrusion of a gang
Of hungry ruffians and a wholesale spoilation
And with the loyal States in this horrible
COnuition, now WOuiQ III DC possible TO prevent
the breaking up OF our armies in the field, the
occupation of the national capital by jeff.
Davis, and the absolute destruction of the
Government of the United States
A reign of terror would inevitably follow
throughout the length and breadth of the land, !,
and peace at last would most probably be the
result of foreign armtd Intervention and a
division of the broken fragments of the Union
between England and France. Such are the
tendencies of the reasonable doctrines of
resistance to the laws preached by such silly
malignants as Valiandigham and Company
In milder view, such preachIngs are the ab.
surd rawlings of miserable mountebanks and
political charlatans. They want an armistice:
they want national peace convention they
want change of the Constitution to suit the
dainty stomachs OF Davis and his confeder-
ates; they even want, last resort a can
itulation to Davis, Union no Uuion, for the
sake of peace. But to all these base expedi-
ents .of base and stupid peace imposters the
responsible aud ruling chiefs OF the rebellion
have no other answer than that of scorn and
disgust. The simple truth is that s.men cry
peace, peace, but there is no peace" and
there can be no peace short of subjugation of
this rebellion.
This the exact issue,-the suppression o