Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1864-04-20
Democratic State Convention.

The Pennsylvania Democratic State Con-
vention met in Philadelphia on the oath ult.
We have not had room heretofore to notice
their proceedings After organizing, and
appointing delegation. to the National CON
vention to be held at Chicago July 4, 1864, and
arranging an electoral ticket, she following
resolutions were adopted without discussions:
ReSotUeG. That have State candidate
TO present to the people, and no issue involved in
the coming election other than those which affect
the welfare and liberties of our sister States c.
qaally with ours, we leave it to our representa-
tyes in the Chicago Convention to unite with the
representatives of the other sovereignties of the
North IN emoodyIng the sentiment OF the people
in declaration of principles acceptable to all the
States, on whom we rely to elect President, and
bring back peace and union to this distracted land
ReSotUeH, That the Democracy of Pennsylvania
hereby express their preference for the nomina-
ton of Gen. George b. Mcclellan, as the Demo-
cratic candidate for the Presidency by the Chica-
go Convention and that the delegate to said Con-
vention be instructed to vote unit all ques
tions arising therein, as majority of the dele
| cation shall decide.
Rssolved That the first necessary step to restore
| the welfare and prosperity of the American Re-
public is to get rid of the present corrupt Federal
Administration and the way to accomplish
this end is thorough organization of the time
houored Democratic party, and the prevalence of
| union and harmony among its members.
The Chambersburg Repository, noticing
the action of this Convention, pertinenty
remarks:
Alas how the mighty are fallen One
year ago they denied every feature of our
war poEcy-every measure designed to vim
| dicate the government against the murderous
assaults of treason. Now they seem to think
| that the Lincoln administration is no worse
than that Of JEFF. Davis, for they denounce
neither. In 1868 they deemed only the adj
ministration Of Lincoln as meriting their re-
| buke, while that of Davis escaped without
somuch as one word Of denunciation; but one
year of progress and they seem to hesitate
whether they may not yet prefer their own
| government TO the usurpatiOn of perjured
traitors. True they declare the Lincoln adj
| miGistration to be corrupt, and demand its
overthrow and return TO Democratic purl-
| ty-such, We presume, as characterized d.
| b. IN the Lecompton lnfamy and they O.
| nit all reference to the existence Of treason
or traitors on the continent, but it is some
! thing in the way Of defence to loyalty that
| they now do only by implication what they
| did boldly nine months ago; and what they
believe Just now, or what they are to believe
| during the next Presidential contest, they
| don't pretend to know. They frankly con-
fess that they are prepared to accept any
declaration of principles that viii insure
success. and they so inform the Chicago
| Convention. They call upon their National
| Convention-not to adhere to any principle
not to look to the preservation Of the u
MON and the overthrow of treason-nor to
vindcate the devotion of the party to the
| true theory of government III this trying cri-
| sis but to adopt such declaration of
principles as will be acceptable to all the
States on whom we rely to elect a Presi-
dent and it is to be done after uniting and
conferring with the other SocereigHties of
| the North !" The Union is ignored, in o.
bedience to the teachings Of Davis and the
general government and its paramount
claims upon the States, are thrust aside to
bring out before the people for their appro-
val, that fruitful parent Of discord and des-
olation, Sovereignties instead of States.
| With such a concession to treason, there is
nothing left to battle for with such a plat
form, the man supporting it, who at the
same time supports war for. the preserva-
| tion Of the Union, Is hypocrlte and trai-
| tor either to his convictions or to his country.
| If South Carolina was a Sovereignty in the
| Union. who dare coerce her to stay or to re-
turn to it? IF this doctrine be the true in
depreciation Of the compact by which the
| Federal Union was created, then was Beau
regard right in bombarding Sumter then
was he right in defending Virginia and
| Lees cause to-day is the cause Of Liberty
and Law. There can be no middle ground.
| The States must either be subordinate or
gn-if subordinate, secession is war,
and the government must repress it or cease
| to exist If they are sovereign. secession is
| right, If the people Of State desire it, and
coercion is wanton, wicked desolation. To
declare therefore in recognition of the Sow
ereignties of the North is to declare a re-
| cognition Of the right of secession and to
viudicate everything in the crimsoned his
tory Of treason during three years of relent-
| less war.
| The Convention that declared the Ma
! tional Union but fiction and a fraud, by
recognizing above its sacred landmarks the
''Sovereignties of the North, " and that in
stucts the Chicago Convention to adopt any
sort OF principles which may be acceptable
to all the States on which we rely to elect a
| President, presented General Mcclellan
as its candidate Whether he is of such
| easy political virtue as to approve the com
panionship in which he finds himself, and
whether he admires the policy of instructiug
him to believe anything and everything that
will win in the next political campaign, time
must determine but of one thing the Ma
ton will not be Indifferent. If he accepts
the doctrine that subordinates the Federal
Union to the caprices of petty sovereign
ties, then was he wise in evey refusing to
deliver battle to the enemy, for to fight in
such cause would have been to draw his
sword in the atrocious murder of his coun-
trymen
GREAT CENTRAL SANITARY FAIR-The
attention of the reader is invited to the ad-