Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1864-08-17
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.

the purpose of taking some action for the
delence OF the State. From the com,
. mencement OF the present rebellion Penn.
syiTania has done her whole duty to the
government. Lying, as her southern
counties do, in the immediate vicinity OF
the border, and thus exposed to sudden
invasion, selfish policy would have led
her to re!ain sufficient part of her na Ii.
tery iorce for her own defence. In 80
doing she would have failed in her duty
TO the whole country. Not only would
her men have been withheld from the
held OF active operations, but the loans
and taxation which would have become
necessasy, would have, to a large extent,
diminished the ability of her people 70
lcomply with the pecuniary demands of
the United States. She would also hayo
necessarily interfered with and hampered
all the military action Of the Government,
and made herself to some extent respon.
siblt for any failures and short comings
that Lray have occurred. In pursuance
Of the ro!icy thus deliberately adopted,
this State has steadily devoted her men
to the general service. From the begin
ming she has alnsys been among the first
to respond TO the calls of the United
States, as is shown by her history from
the shree months mer, and the Reserve
Corps, to the present moment. Thus
faithfully fulfilling her own Obligations,
she has right TO he defended by the Ma
tional force, as part of common country.
Any other view would be absurd and un-
iuse She of course cannob complain
when she suffers by the necessary ccntin-
gences Of war.
The reflections that have IN toc many
quarters been made upon the people of
the southern counties, are most unfound-
ed. They were. invaded in 1862, when
Union army, superior to any force of the
rebels, (aDd on which they had right Of
course to rely was lying in their imme-
diate Vicinity, and north of the Potomac.
They were agair invaded in 1868, after
the defeat of the Union forces under Mil
roy at Winchester, and they have again
suffered in 1864, after the defeat OF the
Union forces under Crook and Averill.
Low could an agricultural people in an
open country be expected to rise up sud-
denly and beat back hosti lie forces which
uere ated organized veteran uuIvS VI a.
Government 1t is, Of course, expected
that the inhabitants of an invaded coun-
try will do Whist is in their power tc,resist
the INVADERS and the facts hereinafter
stated will show, think, that the people
of those counties have not failed in this
duty.
If Peunsylvania, by reason of her geo.
graphical position, has required 10 be de-
fended by the National forces, it has only
been against the common enemy. 1t has
never been necessary 10 weaken the army
in the field by sending heavy detachments
OF veterans 10 save her cities from being
devasted by small bands of rufiians COM
posed Of their own inhabitants, nor have
her people been disposed to sneer at the
great mass Of law abiding citizens in any
State who have required such protection.
Yet when brutal enemy, pursuing de-
feated body of Union forces, crosses our
border and burns defenceless town, this
borrid bavbarity, instead OF firing the
hearts of all the people of our com mon
county, is actually in some quarters, made
| the occasion Cor mocks and jibes at the
unfortunate sufferers, thousands Of whom
have been rendered houseless and these
hearless SCOTS proceed from the very
men who, when the State authorities, for
seeing the danger, were taking precau-
tionsry measures, ridiculed the idea OF
! there being any danger-sneered at the
exertions to prepare for meeting it, ard
succeeded to some extent in thwartine
their efforts to raise forces. These men
arc themselves morally responsible for the
calamity over which they now chuckle and
rub their hands.
| Il might have been fored,-na We had
a right to eSpees-that the people of the
loyal States, engaged in q common effort
TO preserve their Government and all that
is dear to freemen, would have forgotten,
at least for time, their wretohed loca
jealousies, and sympathized with all theil
loyal fellow-citzens, wherever resident
4 within the borders Of our common country
1t should be remembered that the origina
source of the present rebellion was in such
liealousies encouraged for wicked purposes
by unscrupulous politicians. The men
who for any purpose now continue to en-
courage them, ought to be held up n
public enemies-enemies OF the Union
and peace, and should be treated as such
Common feelings, common sympathie'
are the necessary foundations OF common
free Government.
l am proud to say that tho people o
Pennsylvania feel every blow at any o
her sister States, as an assault upon
themselves; and give to them all tina
hearty good will, the expression of whicl
is sometimes more important under The
inhiction Of calamity than mere ma,eria
: aid.
1t is unnecessary to refer to the ap
proach of the rebel army up the Shenan
! doah valley on the Sd day of July last L
: the defeat of Gen. Wallace on the Monoc
acy, their approach 10 and the tbreatenin,
Of the Capital, or to their destruction o
property and pillage Of the counties o
: Maryland lying on the border. Thes,
J events have passed into history, and th'
/. responsibilities will be settled by tht
Judgment OF the people.
At that time, a call was made upor
, Pennsylvania for volunteers to be muster
ed into the service of the United State
and "to serve for one hundred days in the
: States of Pennsylvania and Maryland anC
al Washington and rs vicinity" Not
1 ,attia ~ \, al