Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1865-09-16

ignominiously defeated tho straight re.
publican candidate for congress and II
was feared that now it might elect my
friend Col. Piolet, straight Democratic
candidate, 1t would never do to let him
get into congress--ho would make the fur
fly off OF tho shoddy contractors and the
robbers of the public money. That at all
hazards must be prevented.
The county was put under strict milf
tary surveilliance--nght after night citi-
zons were arrcstc d, detained under guard,
locked up in Jail, or hurried to some point
beyond the county-reports were circula-
ted that others were to be arrested
for the purpose doubtless Of inducing them
to leave home for the time being-lists OF
prominent Democrats were made and
handed about with mock secrecy, and in.
tmations Of their arrest given out-ThC
"Loyal League" held it secret nightly
meetipgs-tho abolition newspaper al
Bloomsbury gave notice that every draft
ed man who approached the polls to dc
positc his vote, would be arrested as a
desorter-and every other device known tc
political rascaIity, was made use OF to in-
innate and dislranchise Sc voters.
But the grand climax Of this never-to-bo
forgotten Political raid was reached on the
night before the October election.
In defiance of the statutory prohibition
against stationiDg troops near the place Of
holding elections, this Army of the Fish
ing Creek" was once more "posted in diff
erent portions of the county and upon the
breaking Of day." several prominent clti-
zens in different parts of it were arrested
The only remaining member ofthe election
Board in Benton Ga crtppte) was arrested ,
so as to delay or prevent the opening OF
the polIs--several persons in Sugarloa
were arrested and detained until the cleo.
ton was ovcr-along the roads leading 10
the places Of holding the elections, squads
Of soldiers were statiOned-many citizens
crossed the fields 10 avoid them, others
remained away altogether, rather than be
subject to insult and annoyance, or arbi'
trary, illegal, grOundIess and vczatious
arrest.
In Centre township, eleven soldiers stood
at the polls all day with muskets aud bay
oncts-L Here several persons near the
speaker stated that their respective cleo
ton districts had been similarly watch
ed
In BloomSburg itself, the insolonco o
these petty officials lowered toward sub
Unity. There, one man was arrested witt
the very nose of the Provost Marshal, aut
it was only when he was going to th
polls to deposite democratic ballot, tha
his arrest became "military necessity.
Even your Sheriff and his assistant
(and you through your chosen official,
we're subjected to the outrage and indig
nifty of an arbitrary arrest, for no othe
cause than enabling two Democrats VIII
had been arrested as deserters, to vote. -
Those four, and another arrested tw,
days previously, were all, OH the night o
the election, hurried 10 Harrisburg, ant
locked into rooms more filthy than pi
pens, companioncd with niggers and bouu
ty-jumpors and fed with them: And tn
telegraph flashed the important announce
mcnt OF the arrest to all the North.
After two days, the whole su bjoct hav
ing been submttedto Governor Curtin an
the proper military authortios--it ap
peared that two Of the men had bee
called in the state draft, ant: were conse
quently not doscrters nor subject to arres
by the national authorities aud the othe
one had really never been either draftet
or notified f; and all three had been con
stantly aud regularly at their housos ant
about their lawful callings, during In
long months between the Draft and tn
arrest--The whole Five-citizcns, Shcrli
and assistant were sent home.
But no reprimand was administered t,
the busy official. and no check put upo,
his use and abuse OF unlicensed power
Those days and nights are still unanswcr
ed for, save at the Bar ofpublc opinion!
The heart sickens at the recital of th
wrongs insults and oulrages to which Co
lumbia county has been subjected, n
man was safe from the malice of an cne
my. Neither worth nor station nor limo
cenco, nor all three combined were
protection. Nor was the law or the col
stitution efftctual to shield the accused O
to afford him speedy or legal trial.
The presidential election was made til
occasion for repeating many of these Out
RACES, but il is now unnecessary to pal
tcularizo or elaborate them. The "reig