Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1864-09-28
Gen. McCIellan's Threat.

The Union ia the one condition of peace
We ask no more. Let me add what doubt
not, although unexpressed. is the sentiment
OF the Convention, a. it is of the people they
represent. When any one State is willing tn
return tn the Union. it should be received at
"nce. with full guarantee If all it's cnnsti'
tntinnal rights. # a frank earnest and per
sistent effort to obtria those objects ShouM fail.
the responsibility for anterior consequences ,oiH
faU up0a th0se aoto remain an arms
against the Union - McClelan's Letter of
Acceptance.
Throughout the General letter, SAYS
the Erie Dispatch, there is much talk
about the preservation OF the Union,
but very little of war for that purpose.
Indeed, the only talk that seems to
hint or imply war is in the above
extract. He tells US Immediately af
forwards that ''the Union must be
preserved at all hazard" and gives us
to understand that he should be
ashamed to look bis gallant comrades
in the face if that object fails. But
what kind of a Union does he propose
to give us, and how does he intend to
secure it?
1t seems the platform is little too
obscure for even the Generals percep-
tlves, though we are told by an able
Democratic orator that he sis broad
over the eyes" and gives chronological
evidences of Il very high order of
craftsmanship. SO he introduces anoth-
er plank, which, he doubts not, 'Eis the
sentiment of the convention" &c Now
we ask the rea Ter to examine that un-
progised plank very carefully care
fully, indeed, as the General wrote it
He tells us that "when State is
willing to return to the Union, it should
be received at once, aoih n FIJI g,r,rnntce
of MI ITS constitutional rights" Now, it
should be rememh hered that "cOnstitu-
tiOnal rights in the Democratic vo-
cabalary means one thing, and in that
OF Il supporter OF the war another; and,
further, that the General writes as the
leader of the Democratic party-the
Chicago Democracy, if you please
the Democracy that is willing to give
the South all aud even more than it
asks, il it will come back into the
Union and help the party to get back
the offices that the Republicans have
wrested from it.
. Now, we understand we'll enough
what the Democracy means by conSti
Wtionat rights 1t means the re-enact-
ment and reinforcement of the Fugi-
tive Slave Law, with all it's provisions
for the Imprisonment and punishment
of aboitionist offenders. 1t means the
repeal of the Missouri Compromise and
all other compromises which have
ceased to be useful to the South, or
give preponderance of advantages to
the North. 1t means the extension of
slavery over territories now free, by
peaceable means if possible, but by war
II necessary. 1t means the national
enforcement of the doctrine establish
ed by the Dred Scott decision, that 6 a
negro has no rights that white man
Is bound TO respect" 1t means the
recognition of the principle attemp. ed
to be established in the Lemon case,
that master can bring his slaves into
any free State, and hold them in bon
dage as long he pleases. 1t means the
right to imprison the man who dares
to tell the slave of his rights under the
laws Of free State, until the raven
locks become gay, and disease that
brings death t:istens upon his vitals.
1t means the right to tar and feather,
rob, shoot, hang, drown or burn, any
hated :" Yankee abolitionist" who NAV