Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1865-03-01
"THB WAR IN OLEARFIBLD."

laws, certain distinguished leaders OF the
Democratic party in this town, have labor
| ed anxiously, through the columns OF their
organ, to shift the responsibility for what
has ensued from their own shoulders where
it properly rests, and fasten it upon certain
cowardly Abolition leaders," whom they
cannot find language sufficiently strong to de-
nounce. To this end they have misrepre-
sented and distorted the facts, published
deliberate falsehoods, and exhausted every
expedient that political cunning and legal
ingenuity could devise. But all this tine
the true record is steadily being made up,
and when completed, it will not only fully
vindicate the cowardly Abolition leaders,
SO wanting in principle and every manly
instinct, but it viii demonstrate to the
most humble comprehension, that the men
who counseled their fellow-citizens not to
furnish another man or another dollar to
prosecute the war, are justly accountable TO
them for all the suffering, calamity, and
trouble, the adoption of their advice has
entailed.
We publish to-day one chapter of this re-
cord-the clear and lucid statement by Col.
CAMPBELL, Of the reasons which induced
him to make requisition for troops to be
sent to Clearfeld. No doubt many persons
will be surprised to learn, after the fulmina-
tions of the ClearfeId Republican, that the
information upon which he acted reached
him through the direct official channel, y
and that the troops were asked for by that
''vigilant and attentive" officer, whose re
signation'' the Republican so much depre
Gated, Capt. JOHN S. NJ KIERNAN. Sure
ly that faithful and gentlemanly officer,
who was able to discharge his duties so as
. to meet the appreciation of the Govern
ment and the people" could not have
been mistaken when he reported ''the i'm
possibility of obtaining aid or assistance
- from the inhabitants In the prosecution OF
his duties-that, on the contrary, desert
9 ers and non-reporting drafted men were
secreted, harbOred and employed by ma
ny influential citizens-that his efforts must
proUe fruitIess ualeSS sustained By q mill
tayy force, and that he had been repeated
''Iy fired upon while in discharge of his du-
"ty." Can it be possible that lifelong
Democrat-a supporter Of VI Clellan-''a
high-minded gentleman and true soldier =
one who was removed because he would
not participate on behalf of the Abolition
party in the late political contest (ri;5e Re
publican, 10th Nov. 1864, could have been
guilty of manufacturing base fabrications,
to induce the authorities to send troops to
Clearfield, and perpetrate "a fraud upon
the Government ?" Certainly this report
of the special favorite of the Republican,
cannot be charged upon the ''cowardly Alb
clifton leaders,. With still less propriety
can they be charged with the failure of over
three hundred and nftty drafted men toreport
Had their advice been adopted, the quotas
would have been filed there would have
| been no draft, no failure to report, and no
troops sent to the county. They did not
place over proclamations for the draft, the
headings, in glaring capitals, Your money
or your life, y The bloody wheel and O.
theirs of Ike character, to make the measure
odious to the people. They did not hold
meetings and advise those who looked to
| them for counsel, not to furnish another
man or another dollar to prosecute the war,
! and then when trouble ensued in conse-
quence Of the advice, place themselves out
Of reach of the men they had deluded
Theysold no revolvers, distributed no ammu-
milton, either to resist the draft or to hunt
| deer, and held no secret meetings to swear
to rescue each other when arrested by the
authorities With none of these things
which induced the sending of troops to
! Clearfield, can they justly be charged But
how is it with ''the distinguished leaders of
the Democratic party?''
That the failure of over three hundred
and fifty drafted men to report the con
certed action to resist the draft'-the band
| ing together of men who swore to rescue
each other when arrested-were all legiti-
mate consequences of the speeches made by
! Ex-Gov. Bigler and Senator Wallace in this
town, on the 18th of August last, is as plain
as that two and two make four Had these
| men, instead of advising the three thousand
persons who assembled to hear them on that
day not to furnish another man or dollar to
prosecute the war, told their followers to go
home, I'll their quotas and obey the laws,
who will pretend that we would have had
any such trouble in Clearfeld? The de-
rnands Of the Government would have been
promptly met, and 10 necessity would have
existed for enforcing its authority. No
| men WouId have gone from that meet