Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1864-02-17

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and publishing a proclamation in which,
referring to the election to take place
next day, he invited all truly loyal to
avail themselves OF that opportunity and
establish their loyalty 10y giving u full
and ardent support to the whole govern
ment ticket upon the platform adopted
by the Union League Convention" =" declar-
ing that "none other is recognized by the
federal authorities as loyal or worthy of
support f any one who desires the peace
and restoration of the Union" TO secure
the election Of that ticket Reemed to be
the business to which he and his officers
especially devoted themselves throughout
the day of election. In the statements
and certificates which have beer forward
ed to me from different counties in that
Congressional district, ! have been fur
nished J presume, with an account ot
part only of the outrages to which their
citizens were subjected. The govern
ment ticket" above referred to, was in
several, if not all Of these counties, desig-
mated by its color it was yellow ticket
and armed with that, a voter would safe
ly run the gauntlet of the sabres and car
bnes that guarded the entrance to the
polls, and known sympathizers with the
rebellion were as certified 20 rue, allowed
to vote unqestioned, if they would vote
that ticket, whilst loyal and respected
citizens, ready to take TIE oath, were
turned bacl, by the officers in charge
without even allowing them to approach
the polls In one district as appears by
Il certificate from the judge, a military
ctlicer took his stand at the polls before
they we're opened declaring that none
but "the yellow ticket" should be voted,
and excluded all othors throughout the
day. ln another district q similar officer
and doubtless did very readily make.
whlst the loyal citizen who had stood
always faithful to his allegiance would
feel Justly indignant at having his loyalty
challenged, or being required to give any
guarantee for his future conduct, or to
enable him TO exercise a privilege he had
never fuieitcl. How far it accomplished
the purpose claimed for IT,, or how far my
aulrclpatIons of the consequences of the
order aud the abuses to which il would
lead were realized, will appear 10y brief
reference to some of tue transactions con-
necled with its execution. These abuses
commenced even before the opening of
the polls On the day preceding the
election, the officer in command Of the
regiment which had been distributed
amo1g the counties of the Eastern Shore,
and who had himself landed in Kent
county, commenced ms operations 10y
arrestIng and sending across lhe bay some
ten or more Of the most estimable and
distinguished of its citizens, including
several Of the most steadiast and uncom-
promising ioyalistS of that Shore. The
iail of the county was entered the jaiIer
seized imprisoned and afterwards sent to
Baltimore, and prisoners confined therein
under indictment, set az liberty. The
commanding officer referred to gave the
first clue to the character of dsloyalty
caused every ballot offered to he eXamu-
ed. and unless it was the favored one the
voter was required to take the oath, and
in another again, after one vote only had
been gwen, the polls were closed the
Judges all arrested and sent out OF the
county, and military occupation taken of
the town. But ! will not detain you
with recapitulation Of all the abuses
that these statements disclose. ! have
caused copies OF then to be transmitted
to YOU, and tLey cannot fail to arrest your
attention. They present a humiliating
record, such "a, had never supposed we
should be called upon to read in any
State. still less in a loyal one like this
Unless il be indeed fallacy to suppose
that any rights whatever remain to such
a State, or that any line whatever marks
the limit of Federal power, bolder stride
across that power was never made, even
IN a rebel State, than it did here on the
4th Of last November A part of the army
which q generous people had supplied
for a very different purpose was on that
day engaged in sitting the freedom OF
election in a faithful State, intimidatimg
its sworn officers, violating the constitu-
tional rights of its loyal citizens, and OBJ
structing the usual channels OF commu-
nication between them and their eXecu-
tive. If | have deprecated such proceed
ings, ! have been actuated in so doing
scarcely mora by a sense of what was due
TO the laws and Constitution of the State,
than by regard for the safety and success
of the Union, and the maintenance OF
that popular respect for and confidence
in its constituted authorities so important
to the triumph of the great cause lLey
have in charge. Tie moral irhucnce o.
such sentiments is worth to those admin
istering the government far more than
the results Of an election where such
proceedings are tolerated. But notwith.
standing their occurrence, | trust and
/ believe they will never cause you TO for
get your duty to your country, cool your
ardent devotion TO the Union, lead you
to feel the slightest sympathy with those
who have assailed it, or 10 seek fellowship
with those that do. Maj. Gen. Dix, when
in command of this department, at The
time of the election in IS6l, and, when
too. rebeldom was backed bv its organ
lied supporters in our very midst, took
the true and statesmanlike view of tn,
policy proper on such an occasion. when
in directing his provost marshal. he said
that whilst there was no difficulty il
controlling Maryland 10y force, that thi
was not what he wanted, but that h,
wished to control it by the power O
opinion, and that TO satisfy the countr!
4 that the people were on our side, W,