Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1864-01-27
THE PEOPLE-THE PRESIDENCY.
Pennsylvania in Favor of the Re- Election of
Abraham Lincoln,
TO has E:ccelleacy, ABRAHAM LINCOLN. Pres
tLeat Of tie Untted States

oI tHe Legislature OF GenllSylVafla, thus
early IN the session Of that body, hasten to
congratulate you on the success of the poll
cy of the National Administration, and the
| auspIclous circumstances under which the
second Congress of your term has been or
| ganlzed. When it is fairly considered that
the policy Of your Administration was made
| the Issue IN the late electlons-when it is
| known that In the contest for the most inn
| portant State, as well as the most insignifi-
cant municipal office, the issue involved all
the essential principles of the policy of your
Administration the result must be the more
highly appreciated by the friends of free
dom abroad, and cheering to the defenders
OF freedom, the Union and the Constitution
at home. We would be unmindful of the
duty we owe our country, if we hesitated to
acknowledge the force of that policy in the
elections which placed US in our present leg
! lSatlve positions. When feariessly advoca-
| ted and set before the people, it won US vic
| tory IN the face OF the most persistent and
| bitter opposition from the foes of free gov
ernment. You need not be reminded of the
| effect which the late election in Pennsylva-
MIA had on the destiny of the nation. The
/ triumph at the ballot box aroused the ardor,
and seemed to breath fresh valor into the
| hearts of our soldiers, for the achievement
of victory on the battlefield. And if the
tial i'll endorsing the policy Of your Admin
istration, we consider that, as the represen-
tatIveS Of those who have so completely en-
dorsed your official course. we are only re-
| spending to their demands when we thus
| publicly announce our unshaken preference
for your reelection to the presidency In 1864.
| The hope and the life of the American
| people are now centered in the purpose and
| the effort OF the GOyernment to crush re-
| bellion. In more than two years of struggle
we have discovered that the rebellion is con
tlnued for an object more important than
| that of redressing even a real wrong. 1t is
waged for the establishment of dogma and
the recognition Of a barbarism. 1t Is car
ried on against the Government for its abso-
| lutte destruction. In such a struggle there
can be no compromise devised to offer or
considered for acceptance. One or the 9th
er of the centending parties must triumph.
Justice must be vindicated by the full recog
milton and operation of the Government IN
all the States-or the claims of the traitors
viii be maintained, this magnificent struct-
ure of our Government destroyed, and the
rights of men forever ignored. To make
change in the Administration, until Its au
| thority has been fully re-establIshed in the
revolted States, would be to give the enemies
of the Government abroad the pretext for
asserting that the Government had failed at
| home. To change the policy now In opera
| ton, to crush rebellion and restore the land
| to peace, would be to afford the traitors In
arms time to gather new strength, If not for
immediate victory, at least for ultimate sue
cess IN their efforts permanently to dissolve
| the Union. Having firm faith in the log
ic and the reason Of these positions, we are
/ frank in our endeavors thus to urge on you
| the acceptance of reelection to the PreSl
| dency. We believe that the policy OF your
Administration rendered US victorious at the
last election, and we now insist that that
policy, if represented by yourself in all the
States, would give the victory to the Gov
ernment Ill November, and thus forever put
an end to all hope of the success of treason.
We do not make this communication at
| this time to elicit from you any expressions
of opinion from you OH the subject. Hav
ing confidence In your patriotism, we be-
lieve that you will abide the decision,
of the friends of the Union and yield
consent to any honorable use which
they may deem proper to make of your
name, In order TO secure the greatest good
to the country, and the speediest success
to our arms. Pennsylvania has always well
ded a potent influence In the politics of the
country. Her preferences have always been
tantamount to the success OF the statesman
to whom she attaches herself-and her voice
has never failed to give the victory to the
right And while we, the representatives
of the great majority of the masses of the
Commonwealth thus avow our confidence
and reliance In your official action and ca
pacity, we feel that we are responding to the
clearly expressed preferences OF those mass
es, and that Pennsylvania would hail your
reelection as the omen of complete victory
to the Government Expressing what we
feel to be the language not only of our own
constituents but also of the people of all
the loyal States, we claim to indulge the ex-
pectation that you will yield to the prefer
ence which has already made you the peo
pie candidate for President in 1864.
Hoping, sir, that you may live to see the
full triumph of your efforts to rescue your
country from rebellion, and enjoy many years
thereafter of its tranquil peace and prosper
ity, we remain your friends and fellow citi-
Zens. Respectfully,
Henry G.. johnson, VIM. Burgwin,
Speaker Nathaniel Maeyer,
John ID. Watson, ID. b. bowman,
William Foster, VIM. Windle, 4
w w. Watt, Edward A Price,
James n Kerns, c. c. Stanberger,
Luke V. Sutphin, Wm. Henry,
Edwin G. Lee, r. r. Reed,
T. ]. Bigham. J. w. Huston,
r. A. NJ Murtrie. p. Frazer Smith
James Miller. VIM. ID. Brown,
Isaac III. O'Harra, Geo H. Wells,
S. S. Pancoast, Daniel Etnier,
Thos. Cochran. Alfred Slack,
G. Dawson Coleman, w. H. Dennison,
William f. Smith, Esaias Billingfelt,