Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1864-01-13
Peryersion.


The editors of the Copperhead organ IN
their last issue challenge US to show "a sin
gle instance wherein they perverted the
President s language" Facts which are so
patent among all intelligent readers need no
proof; hut to crafty the .self-righteous"
whims of our Copperhead friends We will
try to please them for once, and to do this
we need not go far. On the outside of the
very issue IN which they throw out the chal-
lenge, several matters appear as original,
among them the following
. gs~The Bedford Gazette, speaking of
the President proclamation, lceH says
He the President argues thus To re-
store the Union is to save negro slavery !;
therefore, l. Abraham Lincoln, preferring
the freedom of the negro to the restoration
of the Union, will impose such conditions
upon those persons in the revolted States
who may be willing TO return to their ale
glance, as viii send them back into the arms
of Secession.
Now, we consider that most egregious
''perversion' of the language of the Presi-
dent. He neoer said that he preferred the
freedom of the negro to the restoration Of the
Union; neither does he say that he will
impose such conditions upon those who de
sire to return to their allegiance, as will
send them back into the arms of Seces-
sion But, say these astute fellows, that
is not our language, it is that Of another
Just so; but you endorse it when you pre-
face it by the words 'aceU says. - However,
lest they are not satisfied with this proof: we
will cite another. In their issue of Sep
tember 23d, 1863, in referring to the Presi
dent proclamation suspending the ha6eas
corpus in certain cases, they say:
LIBERTY SUSPENDED Yes, that's the
word: Our personal liberties are suspended
during the pleasure of his ExceIlency Abra-
ham Lincoln, President Of the United
States
True, further on, they say, ''in cases con
nected with the military and naval SER
vice But, in the sentence quoted, they
first endeavor to leave the impression that
all classes Of men are in danger Of losing
their personal liberties which, every III
teIligent man iii the country knows Is not
the fact, for the President distinctly emu
merates prisoners Of war, spies, Or aiders
" or abbe5ters Of the enemy; or officers,
. soldiers, or seamen, enrolled, drafted or
- mustered or enlisted in or belonging TO the
. land or naval forces of the United States,
. or as deserters therefrom, g. . or for
@ resisting draft, or for any other offence
. against the military or naval service, as
the cases in which the suspension of that
writ intervenes. Now, if the editors of that
sheet are guilty of being ''spies, or aiders
or abbettors of the enemy, or have resisted
the draft, then, perhaps, they might be in
danger Of being deprived of their personal
liberties" and their assertions might have
some show Of truth; but, no loyal peace
full, true Union man, and a firm friend of his
government, was in danger Of having his
personal liberties suspended and hence,
the editors of the Copperhead organ have
either grossly perverted, or ,riUfuiiy mis-
represented the language of the President,
in the above extract We term it ''peryer-
sion, but they are at liberty to call it will
ful misrepresentation if they desire Let
them choose which horn of the dilemma
they like, the fact still remains.