Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1865-03-29
Is Justice Cheated9 Or is this a Des-
potism?
The following item appeared in the Jac-
5jia orran in this place of the 18th

ojin organ in this place Of the 18th :
RELEAsro.--A largo number Of citizens who
were arrested la this county have been released
on taking the onth Of allegiance, and giving
their parole to report when required. Their dis
charge was effected through the efforts Of II. Is.
Swoopc, Esq., who has been at Harrisburg and
Washington for the last two weeks FOR that pur-
pose. The following are among tho number dis
charged; Peter Keller, Israel liudnnsc, Henry
ShuEart, George Shuglrt, John Kuhuly, G. shu-
cart, D. S. liuhnagc, Henry HillioX, jr, George
Korb. George j. Weaver, Jacob Keller, Andrew
Miller, Samuel Miles, Jeue Wagner, Isaac
Dunlap, Ross Dunlap, John Mays, Johnathan
Bowman, David Rowles, J. Blake Walters, ia
cob Huber, John D Miller. a number Of 9TH
ers we're discharged in the s0mo way, whose
names ws do not know,
Now, here is problem. Either these
men were most cruelty outraged by this
best government under the sun" or else
Justice has been cheated. Which is il {?
Ifthey we're guilty Of any crime, they
ought to have been punished, and Mr..
Swoore ought 10 be prosecuted for cheat
ing the law. But if they were iuucccnt-
as we are sure they were-tAon what kind
Of Government have we that will drag
men fom their homes and iucarcorate
them in prison hundreds of miles away,
and there confne them until some iusig-
nifcant lawyer away oil in the ba,kwoods
finds time to spend 1.-TWO weeks" in gain
ing an audience at the royal palace, and
laying the facts before the ruling power {?
But, are these men guilty, or innocent,
in the eyes Of Mr.. Swoope? ? This is the
question: In the last Jacojm organ (of
the 18TH this same man-SwooPe-occu-
pies two columns and a half to prove that
the democratic Castle" was u Sworn"
secret organization, and that its purpose
was resistance to the draft" These are
the two facts, and the only two he un-
dertakes to establish and which, with
The ga lblod statement Of Eloom (which
he emphatically disclaimed and repudia-
ted on his trial. and Miles, he affects to
feel perfectly satisfied that he had made
out his case. Well, grant that he has
tie will agree with US, then, that if such
was the character, and such the obign-
tiop, Of the Castle" it was an mlurfA
organization, and its members violllrs of
the law, deserving punishment These
positions arc sclceyident. All members
o! that orgauiz3tion-if it is what S&oope
undertakes TO prove, and Affects to be-
lieye il to behave violated the Conscrip-
ton law, and are subject to punishment.
Now, what do we find Swoope doing lie
tells Us in his own language that at least
two Of the mon who were released through
his efforts were members of this "conspi-
.racy." Mr.. Swoope, therefore, is either
payfctps criaiai, and cheating justice OF
her just dues, or else he disbeieves that
which he occupies two-and-o-haif col
umns 10 prove.
1t is dilemma with two but Aorrs, one
or the other of which ho must take.
We have heretofore said that the Gas
tie" was merely political organization,
requiringno oath, but simply an obliga-
tion Of honor and fidelity to tho Demo
cratic party. We spoke adviscdly. I'm
like the "Know-nothing" party, it pro-
soribed no man on account Of his religion
or birth place, Its platform was the Con-
stitution, and every plank in it was part
and parcel of the States Rights doctrine
upon which the Union was formed. This
was the Castle" What others may have
int erpola;ed into it., we know not Bot
if they added any oath, or resistance to
any law, it thereby ceased to be consist
ent with the Constitution upon which it
claimed to be founded ard likewise ceased
TO he "the DemocfaLic Castle.n