Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1863-06-10
SPEECH OF HON. WIN. BIGLER.
Ex GovreaorWm. Bgler was introduced.
lie SPOKE Ns follows:

lie spoke as follows:
Gentlemen 1T is not my inten ion TO
discuss the primary cause, the present as
pect or the probable results Of the bloody
strife now raging between the eGovernmen
and the revOlied States, or TO notice the
measures and policy of the Admimistra-
ton IN the management OF this fearful
conflict. These things, rs am Informed,
d. not come within the objects of this
meeting. The sole purpose Of our assem-
bling TO night is TO express, IN most en-
phaIlc terms, our condemnation OF the
late outrage upon PERSONAL liberty and the
freedom Of speech, in the arrest, convic~
tion and banishmeut OF tho Hon. q l..
Vallandigham, of Ohio, and 10 enter our
solemn protest against the repetition of
such wrongs by those in authority. in
this we shall in my opinion, reflect the
sentiments Of three fourtlIs Of the people
of the Northern States. Not that that
proportion approve all that Mr. Valan-
digham has said, or think it was necessary
and proper for him 10 say all he did; bit
that proportion believe he had a clear
Constitutional right to do So and they
are, besides, utterly opposed TO any and all
attempts, on the part Of The Administers
tion, 10 regulate or restrain free discuss
sions or meetings of the people 10 coEsld.
er public questions.
The Constitution declares that "no law
shall be PASSED abridging the freedom of
speech Or of the press, or the right Of the
people peaceably to assemble to petition
the Government for redress Of grieve
mces," and it must be presumed that the
people will quietly submi. to laws or pre-
tended laws in derogation of these sacred
guarantees, much less to be stripped of
their rights without even the prelence of
law. The relations between the Govern
mentand the citiz"n are easily understood.
The Government owes the citizen prOtec
tion in the enjoyment Of life, liberty and
property, and the citizen, in turn, owes
The Government obedience: implicit obe>
dience, to all laws enacted in pursuance
of the Constitution, and to all rules, Tegu.
lations and orders adopted in accordance
with such laws
Obedience to law is the plain duty of
all. No matter how unwise the laws may
be- they must be obeyed until they can
be changed. 1t is even necessary to ac,
quiesce in the operation Of laTs which wo
believe to be unconsttu,ion,l until they
can DO SO declared by the Judiciary. The
Government, on its part, i. bound in good
faith TO see that the opportunity Tor such
test is aIway, at hand, aud that the Judi-
cary is lett free and uurestraineG in its
decisions. The agents Of the people, di
recting the affairs OF the Governmen for
the time being, including the President,
derive their authority to govern from tho
Constitution and laws, ana are as much
bound to obey law as tue humblesi citizen.
lhey should remember, therefor that
the moment they transcend the limits Of
the Jaw, they ale themselve, in the com.
mission of crime, and thereby invite and
warrant resistance TO their authority.
Our doctrine is that all questions Of law
should be- tested through the judiciary,
and all questions of policy and politics de,
cided through the ballotbox. But all
questions relating to the future, to the
/ polio, and measures Of the Government ="
the manner of dealing with reyolted
SLates-whelher this mode Of settlement
! or that would be wise or unwise, must be
as open 10 discussion ty the citizens az by
| the President himself These are as much
my questions as Mr.. Lincoln's, and have
all the right that he has to discuss them,
whether agree with him or not, and at
the proper time ! intend TO discuss them
| d, is not only the right Of the people TO
consider these quest lions, and express their
views about them. but msintlin it is
their duty to do so-that ihey cannot
otherwise inteligenty exercise the privi.
leges conferred upon them by the.Cunsti.
tuition. Indeed, without free speech and
free press, our elective system would be
wholly impracticahle, and our scheme Of
self government become deusion and n
fraud. II is q distinguishing feature Of
our Republican Government that confers
upon the humblest citizen, equal with the
most elevated, the right TO reflect his sen.
timents through the ballot, aud thus .ea'e
the impress of his will on the policy Ct
the Government.
But how can the people do these things
properly, if the right Of free discussion he
denied them? How are they 10 weigh
grave questions Of national policy, except
Gy free interchange Of opinion and open
dscussioni How cln they convince the
' Il -