North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1865-09-20
VOL. 5 NO.7

e VOL. 5 NO.aT
Union, not as territories, but 40 free, sover-
eien, and indepen lent States, 40. they were
when Washington gave them, to us. We
would call to the memory of President Joha-
son the declaration he made in 1860 in, the
United States Senate, when he said ;,"When
the time comes, if it ever does come, which
God forbid, intend to place my feet upon
that Constitution which have sworn tosup-
port, and 20 stand there and battle for'aliiss
garantees and if this Constitution 10 TO, sbe
violated or this Union broken, it, shalhabe
done by those who are stealthily and insid-
iousy making encroschments upon lie every
foundation" In this reorgan,zationbEwe
would also ask that some mercy be- shown
the people lately in, rebellion. True, when
they opposed US W it'll arms IN their hands,ws
could inflict the usual panis hmcnts !; hua
when they grounded their arms, when they
submitted to the laws in good faith, ~e
| should not oppress them. The man isha
colcard who would now insult our late, afoes.
who would wreak vengeance on unarmed
men, upon women and children, Shakespeare
truly SAID r-.,.l f.----,.f-z
THE quality of mercy is not strained ,. ....F
1t dropPeth as the gentle rain from Heaven
Upon the place beneath il is twice blessed g.
II blesseth him that gives and him that takee.S
Tis mightest in the might, est ; it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown:.T
his sceptre shows the force of temporal pows.
Ihe attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth set at the dread and fear OF Rines
But mercy is ab. We his sceytred sway ~7..r|
1t is enthroned in the hearts of kings
1t Is an attribute TO God himself ; -"a ""A@
And earthly power doth then show likest God,am
When mercy seasons justice" -
Thank God none but the political clergy
prate of vengeance. a class Of men who did
more to cause the war aud less to aid it than
any other body of uer. But we regard II as
unsolderly, unmanly, to strike fallen foe.-
We, through our general, told them that IL
they would lay down their arms and return
to their homes they should not be nolested
by the United States authorities. The
pledged word Of a soldier must be kept and
however much stay-st-home patriots NAV
urge the hanging Of General Lee and the men
under him, the true soldier is opposed to it.
In short, we want the Southern States and
the Southern people back in the Union. We
want no more internal dissensions, but let nm
present united front to The world, and in n
lew years our people will be as good friends,
nay better than we ever were before =.
We also insist that elections shall be free
and equal that men shall vote as their iudg.
ments dictate. The object Of the war was
not to do away with vested rights. tut to
assure them to ourselves and our descendants
We want our legislators to be representatives,
OF the people, and not the selections of de.
partment generals, operating through sousds
III soldiers Had the time | would tell you
now my interference" in an election cave
ne pleasure trip to the Mississippi. {tLes's
hear it-teli it."l Last fall, about the time OF
the Columbia county invasion, and soon after
the Petersburg mine explosion was sent to
Annapolis hospital, sick with fever. The
october election coming on, in order 60. sec
how such things were managed, I, secured Am
appointment as clerk of the election board
captain from Philadelphia was made Judge
and portion of the board consisted of OH.
GERS OF negro troops, Who were not and meyer
had been citizens of Pennsylvania. They
concluded it was unnecessary TO swear tha
board, according to law, because were thew
not officers snd was not their word sufficien,3
protested in vain, because | was alcne.-
They at once, in conjunction with some chan.
'a'ns' commenced electioneeriug and circulat-
ing Abolition ballots. Not Democratic one
was to be had. AS squad after squad of men
came in | proposed asking ie they were citi-
zens of the United States or of Pennsylvania
whether they were of age, or had paid tax
within years. But was asked IL / was
not assumed to press such matters : these
men were soldiers, and was opposed to let
ting soldiers vote ? had to submit. Al
Camp Parole, where we had about 8Ooo "a.
rolled prisoners, the same process was car.
rled on, and the met were shifted from ons
point to another. After we had closed aha
polls, sergeant brought in SQUAD of abou.
oo men, whose votes were admitted for fear
they bad not been taken else where We then
commenced counting off but tho judge deciar.
ed il was late, be was tired, and we would
adjourn until the next day whereupon' he
put the ballo t. into his coat tail pocket. Aand
| did not Sc him any moro that day. Ilept
the tally list, however, and have il at homo
now. We met the next day but he had
more ballots in his pocket than / had names
on the tally list; by some bogus process they
had increased. Here was quandary but
1t was soon settled. They remarked ashs
thing was very simple; the Democratic
ballots, save pine, had been cast by mistake,
and they would take ont enough OF them to
make the hallofa and 4. H., Ia.