Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1864-08-24
WHAT DOES 1T MEAN Z?

AhA DOIS L L 1tih1A~'
Ln reading the speeches delivered at the
late Copperhead meeting in this place. ana
the resolutions then passed, as reported IN
the Rep,sJlican, we were forcibly impressed
with the fact, that they do not contain one
rord AGAINST the rebels, but are tissue OF
abuse, from beginning to end, OF the Ma
tional authorities of the Union.
As these men profess to be the especial
keepers of the Constitution, and are contln-
ually talking about its being violated,
''usurped, and set aside by our rulers,
why don t they also tell their hearers of its
violations by the rebels? Why don't they
inform their followers of how the rebels
stole the arms of the United States-rob-
bed its Treasury up arms and fired
upon our, flag-set aside our Constitution
and formed a new one-murdered our clti-
zens and burned their houses and stole their
horses and cattle and grain? Can these
great sticklers for the Constitution see no
wrong in such things, and are these deeds no
violations of the Constitution and laws III
their eyes? 1t would appear not Judg-
ing them from their acts and sayings, ro
matter how great an offence the rebels may
commit, it is all right and Constitutional on
their part but if, perchance. our National
rulers, who are using every effort to preserve
our Government from destruction and our
property from the torch of vandal traitors,
do anything that, in the estimation Of these
=, .t.,.+l,y on1 ,lni,ly- JafInoI IN
the Constitution, they at once raise great
hue and cry about usurpations, viola
tions" etc, of the Constitution.
Now, why do these men adopt such a
course? Is it because they love and revere
the Constitution more than their neighbors ?
Is it because they desire the preservation
of the Union more than those whom they
deride and abuse and SANDER? Is it be-
cause they are a lawabiding people above
all others? Nay these can not be the rea-
sons. If they were, certainly then, these
men would not refuse to give more men and
money for the further prosecution of the
war-they would not deride our rulers as
corrupt" and lawless'' and declare that
those rulers had forfeited their obedience =
and neither would they denounce, the acts of
the legally elected President of the United
States as revolutionary, while they new
er, in a single word, denounce the lawless
and fiendish and revolutionary doings of the
traitors and rebels. Then, what are we to
infer from the course pursued by them !?
The only plausible inference that can be
drawn from their acts and sayings is, that
they are not really the law-abiding citizens
they would have the public believe, and
hence they indirectly counsel resistance
of the conscription and revenue laws-that
they would rather see the downfall of the
Union than that rebellion and slavery should
perish together-that they are ready to
make peace on any terms if they can only
perpetuate slavery and thereby strengthen
their party organization and, failing in
their object, they are willing to acqui-
esce IN an irretrievable dismemberment of
the Union, the downfall of freedom, and
in the establishment of an Independent
Southern Slave Confederacy upon the ruins
of this once great and free Government.
That such is the object and tendency cf
the Copperhead Peace party, throughout
the Northern States, little doubt exists
fact, which is, from day to day, more fully
developing itself