Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1863-03-25
/ From the metropolitan Record, Organ Of Arch
bishop llughesl
The United States ted into a
Military Despotism The Corscrip o.
tion Act the Last Deadly Blow Aimed
at the Popular Liberty.

Inc Congress which has so fatally MIS-
represented the Republic during the last
Two years has Mt length adjourned. 1t eX-
pred on the 4th instant, leaving behind
1t memory that time can never cflace,
and fastening indeibly upon the history
o: the nation, the biackest record tho
world has ever seen II found the Uni,
ted States ir7c country, and it has LETT IL
n land Of slaves, IL Eas elected to do the
behests Of the people and it has converted
our servants into our masters, and our
Presld mt into an autocrat, with power as
great owe" the Liberties of the people aS
that which the Car of all the Russiat
possesses over his Subjects. All this it has
done, and more.
II mas rendered a union of fraternity an
imposslbility it has again and again pas.
sed enactments violating the supreme law
OF the .laDi 1t has perslstently refused 10
permit any inquiry to be made into the
arbitrary arrests OF loyal citizens it has
I Orukcu down State limits, and admitted
bogus members rs representatives who
pretend to have been constitutonally
elected ; and Ia its last measure, the Cons
scrlptlon Act, it has put the literLies of
the people 10 the hands OF maa whose
Pres dental career has proved that he
never wanted the will to become the arr
Oltrury master Of this so,caled Republic
With persistence that the dread cri~
sis through which the nation is passing
could not affect or altar, it has devoted ali
It's energies TO the destruction of an insti,
tuition guaranteed by the Constitution it,
self; it mas made the liberty Of the white
man only oisecondary importance to that
OF the negro; it his lent its cid to the
suppression OF the liberty of the press by
silently sanctoning the action Of its sub
Ordinaies IN suspeudng the publC9llOn of
several OF tne newspapers throughout the
country. 1t has quietly looked on while
our citizens have Ueep dragged from their
homes at the dead hour OF night and flung
into Government basiiles ; it has preferred
the permanent disruption Of the Union
to It's perpetuity with the institution of
slavery preserved it has knowingly and
, wiltuIiy set at naught the desires and in,
, tentlOns Of the great conservative MAJORS
~ at The North, and in the passage of the
! Conscnptiou Act 1t has been guilty OF q
most crmina! violation OF the sovereignty
ol The people rs involved in the rights of
! the states.
Tnis !. The record left TO us by Con,
grc,s, which has done more TO render the
/ restoration Of the Union impossible than
all the acts OF the most bitter and de-
/ l"rmnad seCessiOuists. When the cDun,
/ try could nave been saved by the dOplion
/ OF the Crttenden COMPROMISED CONS
| promise Intended TO secure TO the South
nothing but what it was Justly entitled to
the leading members OF both the Senate
and House Of Representatives employed
ali the force Of their Official character and
| position TO secure the defeat of the meas,
urc. In its almost every act it proved to
the South tLdt it would be satisfied with
noth!ng less than lis unconditional SUBJ
mission and tie extinction OF slavery. Il
/ idsItied l!s pledges made at the com,
mencement of the war; that the immense
military and naval resources of The coun-
/ try should be employed only in the resto
ration OF the UnIor, and the re-estaJlish.
ment Of the Constitution as the supreme
/ law oi the land.
/ Bat, rs we have intimated the crowning
act of des spotism. the most airocious piece
OF despotism which it has perpelratcd is
the Conscription Law, which is hardly
less intOlerable than that which has driv>
en- Poland into wide spread insurreotion.
! la this measure the radical and lauatical
. a..
/ Iuat body, in ITS last days. attained lhe
bad emlneuca" to which il was SO long
aspiring; and It's las. act is the most dead,
7 ~ tnal has yet been aimed at the Liberties
of the people il Is the most enycnomed
shaft that has yet been hurIedat the heart
of the Republic, and i! tue people are uDs
:rue to themselves in this dire emergency,
the freedom Of the nation will be buried
IN the same grave IN which Congress has
iatpTod all that remained Of the Union.
One Of The most remarkable features OF
lhl, last effort to convert ,hc Republic IN.
TO "a military deSpo.ism is the entire abne-
cation Of State Sovereignty in the process
oi which the conscrIptiOn Is TO be carried
into effect. State limits and Stale Soyor,
eighty are ridden over rough shoi, and
our Governors, the freely chGten m4g,s-
trates OF free people, are 10 be treated
n mere cypnaro Ly the General Govern.
mynt.
In word, all the citizens Of New York
liable TO mIi:u ry duty under this law can
be called upOu by lie President whenever
he snail deem il necessary, and on the ri,
tdsal OF any one OF these 10 obey the call
he shall be dpeemed deserteg. be ar.
rested 10y the Proves: Marshal, and sent
TO the nearest military post for court mar
tIal." II this is not The establishment Of
a military despotsn, then We should like
to know the lrne meaning Of the words.
We have no hesitation Whatever in saying
that this law is unconstitutional, and of
course not tmGing upon any citizen oftha
United States, and since the misoalled
National Legislature has so far exceeded
its powers, the people must, under such
circums tance., look 'or protection to tho
only aGthoriros that can grant il, tho
Governors Of their respective States. We
owe allegiance to ,ue State OF New York.
to the Constitution Of that Stale. AMI in
the exercise Of his lawful authority we are
solemnly bound by that obligation to sus,
tain and support ils chiet Magistrate,
whom that Constitution declares Is lho
Commander in Chief Of the military and
nava! forces of the State II alleaiance
lpton - 20 th1t raOularlv cnnp,:t,.t..,l 80,