Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1864-05-04

In presenting the name of Abraham LIN
coin tor reelection to the Presidency, To
our 1eliow-cltizens OF Pennsyiyanaando OF the
other loyal States, we are constrained by a
high sense of what Is due to the principle
involved, briefly to set forth the reasons
which impei Us to this preference. In do
ing so, we desire emphatically to state that
our ardent purpose to secure the reelection
of the present Chief gistrate Of the Union
IS controlled by no hasty intention to neutEal-
ize the high claims 10 patriotism OF other
statesmen mentioned IN connection with the
same great office by the Union men of the
country /; nor TO have 1t manifest, either,
that we are controlled by any selfish adhe-
renee to mere man, IN this the hour of a
free peoples struggle for their existence.
The reasons which urge us to advocate the
reelection Of Abraham Lincoln, are such as
must influence all patriotic men IN adopting
measures that win best subserve the safe
ty and purity OF the Government, the hog
or and glory OF its people. with their speedy
| triumph over the murderouS combinations
| Of a wicked rebellion The Administration,
in all its attitudes, presents the power
Of the Government IN all its might and
| majesty. Whatever effects the one, must,
more or less. influence and impair the
| other. If the Government should be
defeated, the overthrow Of the Admins
tration must of course follow. II the con
| spiratorS, who do the bidding Of Jefferson
| Davis, triumph, necessarily the brave men
| who obey the summons and enter in the
| fight for the Union, under the general di-
rection of the President OF the United
| States, must also be defeated, and as they
go down, the President ceases to be the rep
| resentative Of national power and is all
these perish, so, too, viii all men Who are
Ia
| ed TO the horrors OF war, or be doomed to
| the still greater horrors of slavery From
| these alternatives there is no escape. Our
| political enemies have so couched their bat
! tie cry as to render most odiouS those who
now represent the National authority
while our armed foes, (the natural allies OF
those opposed to us politically have school
ed their followers Ill the sare prejudces.
| So closely are these identified, even now it is
| boaSted in the reV0lted States as being only
| necessary for the success of rebellion, that
| the peace Democracy should succeed in the
| loyal States while the peace Democracy
| insist as the basis OF their success, that the
! rebellion must first become military tri-
| unph. This is not an assumption Of our
| own to make an argument against cur enc
| mics. The history OF the whole course OF
! the shareholders rebellion corr0borates it
on the one side, while the career Of those
who sympathise with treason, afiirHls it OH
| the other Hence the necessity OF 80 iden-
tifying the Administration with the Gov
ernment in the coming political contest. as
| to make them inseparable--the Que as po-
tential as the other-invineble against their
| combined enemies, North aud South. TINS
| can only be done by the denomination and
re-eiectiOR Of dbrdhGni LincolH. Until the
| rebellion is put down, or az least until its
armed force and vigor are broken, there
| should be no change IN the Administration
representing the Government Obvious
| reasons impress us with the Importance of
| this position. 4 change OF men would in
yoiye a change OF measures 80 that while
| the loyal States were undergoing such a
| revulsion, the States that are IN rebellion
would be accorded tine 20 gather new strength
| wherewith possibly To overwhelm and de-
stroy the Government. Campaigns then
just projected wou,d be immediately coun-
| termauded TO appease the rage of parJizan
| rivalry. Leaders fairly tried would be re
| duced in command to make room for the
| ambitious, incompetent and useless Iubecile
! The depreciation OF the currency, now so
! eagerly aimed at, would thea be speedily
accomplished. The ruin cf the national
! credit, now treated rs a Jest, would then be
| received as a reality, and Knocked as deser-
wing result, Our diplomacy would become
! the channel OF conveying to the nations Of
| the world the evidence OF our internal broiis
| and the facts OF our national weakness. And
| thus, with schSm where the Union Is now
| strong. and antagonisms where cordiaii'y
| now prevails, the general wreck of the Gov
ernment would mark the imprudent change
| in its present administration, and the ca
! sIayement Of q people who are now free and
! independent. conclude the bleak record of
the nation decline and fall
IT a nation safety Is worth party no
| blest efforts, then indeed have we, claiming
| 10 be the loyal men ofthe land and ready
TO sacrifice all that is dear or valuable. the
nobleSt incentives n labor Tor our political
success. Believing, as we do, that there is
! but one principle of politics now aniuiating
/ the public heart-aud that principle inYoly-
! ing the purity of the government and free
! dom of the governed-our duty becomes at
once plain, forcibie and bding. IN the per-
| forInance OF this duty, we are asked to make
| no sacrifices. On the contrary, we are in
| voked TO contend against the sacrifice of
what is essentially necessary for the perma-
nency of the Government We are asked
| to harmonic our political organization, and
to unite on a tried and faithful servant. in
order that the contest at the ballot box may
| be Z victory worthy of the emulation OF our
| fellow-citizens on the battlefield, victory
which will forever seal the doom of treason
In all the States. In the contest for the
! Presidency we have 1t In our power materi-
! ally to aid those who are carrying on strug-
gle where blood marks their progress and
death hoters over the combatants IF we
succeed in rejoicing Abraham Lincoln, our
brothers in the field will triumph over the
| armed foes of the Government. IF we re-
affirm the power of the National Admins