The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1865-09-20

:
New York, have been in the mountains in
the northern part OF Columbia County, on
the head waters OF Fishing Creek, where
they have openly defied both the civil and
military authorizes OF our country"
Now, Gentlemen, say here that there is
not one single syllable OF truth in that sem
tence. There never was in he northern
part OF Columbia county. among the III oun-
tains, or anywhere else in this section OF
country, band of men, efther citizens OF
the county, OF other counties in the State
or of portions of The State of New York,
associated together for any such purpose,
for any illegal purpose, or indeed for any
purpose al all--thal neither the civil nor
military authorities of our country were de-
fed, openly or secreily-and that in fact
there never was any such body OF drafted
men in he locality specified by this cores
pondeHt. The assertion is absolutely and
unqualifedly false.
MATTERS had reached such point that
few weeks ago party OF drafted men fred
upon and severely wounded Lieut.. Robson,
upon his attempting TO arrest them"
Now word on Iha, point. It has never
been shown anywhere, by any sworn testi-
mony, by any evidence whatever, that the
man who is here called Lieut. Robson had
authority from any person or power, mill
tary or civilio make special or general ar
resls. Fhe facts are, that this Robson, a
LuZerne county man, and three or four other
persons raiding around the county of Coum
bia after midnight came across several citi-
zens OF the county travelling upon their own
business, not drafted men, so far as. is
known, nor men liable TO arrest for any
known cause, who upon being challenged
oy Rooison's parry and ordered TO sop or
else they would be fired upon, seem 10
have fred themselves, in reply to the cha-
leDge. The act is neither 10 be defended
nor excused but it was night afffay be-
tween those persons and citizens of Luz
zerne who had neither right nor authority
here, no lawful power over our people and
no legal right TO arrest them. The meeting
was accidental, The parties unknown, the
numbers Insignificant; and il is sheer nou
sense 10 tdik about al army OF 200 men
or any other number being required 10 ar
rest them. And yet, that is given as one
OF The causes for this Invasion.
''The.force of the insurgents proving to
be much larger than supposed, we were
reinforced by battalion OF infantry under
command of Lieut. Col Stewart. We re-.
mained in camp at Bloc nsburg tor several
days, when all lhines being in readiness, we
advanced 10 Benton, distance of eighteen
miles. There we again eucampe1 aud
Veteran Reserve Corps, making a command
OF about one thousand meE."
Yes, my ID bw Citizens, this valiant
t'army of the Tkhing Creek' rested in
Bloomsburg from b e 18Th % The 2Ist of Au-
gus and on Sunday morning broke up lis
camp and took up ils line OF march. With
ont any necessity, against all proPriety and
all decency, ;ne holy hours OF the CHRISTIAN
Sabbath were desec rated by The sounds of
martial music and the measured tramp of
solGiers-who, themselves mostly innocent,
were made the instruments Of designing
men. and sent on political mission against
peaceful citizens, whose only crime was a
devotion 10 The principles o. the Consttu.
tion, and an unforI una,e propensity 10 vote
the Derocratic ticket. "a AppIsuse). For
mark you Fellow Citizens, tn e facts make
il perfectly clear ihs: it was not against de-
serers that this immense force was sent
The best information ! can procure makes
il probable that IN that entire region there
ere less than 100 non reporting drafted
men. when The "army OF The Fishng Creek"
arrived in Blooms burg: being a less per-
ceutage Than almost any county in the
Slae, or the entire North couij show And
very few 1t anY men charged and shown TO
be deseuers-under the act OF Congress- were
seul TO the tront 5y the 900 men who COM
posed the 'army OF the Fishing Creek"
SO far the military results were not very
brilliant. Bot cali public attention 10 The
fact that rot one OF the one hundred men
who were arrested on the 3lsi of August,
1854, was deserIer, not one OF them was
ever charged with deseriion, nor one
of them ever lred for tha ofense. IL is an
i'm portant fact also: that not one OF them
had had anything 10 DO, or any connection
with the Robson shooting affair previously
noticed, nor was any one OF them ever
charged with any participation therein.
All Ladies and Gentleman this was
remark able march-the streets were full OF
exnltanl and jobilant abolitiopists, ihirsIing
for blood and lusnly cheering on the SOL
dlers in this delesiable business. The po-
litical aspect of the invasion was still more
fnly developed upon this occasion. Al
least a dozen carriages aud bugeies filed
WITH aeoiliouists, whose Joyful faces will
long be remembered, folio ~ed this AMY of
Invasion and Occupation like The famous
aooiilion congressman whose splendid turn
outs followed McDoweli 10 the first battle OF
Bull Ron. (Laoghter and applause
Bu,.iel us follow the Inquirer correspen-
dent-a liltle further
..On the 2sJh of August General Cadwa-
ader arrived and assumed command Mat
iers remained quiet until The morning OF the
3lsi. The last Gay OF Summer, 1864 Will !
be long remembered in the annals OF CO.
lumbia County. During the night of the !
3o:h the loTces were posted in different por-
tious of the county, and upon the breaking
of day which was the time appointed, about
one huKdred OF the cilizens who were i'm
pIicated in the troubles were quietly arrest
ed and brought into camp"
A memorable day truly never to be for
gotten ''Iu The annals of Columbia Counly''!
One hundred OF her citizens arrested wiia- |
oui due process oi law, in defiance OF their
constitutional rights, without authority from
the legal and constituted magistrates, ,5ul by
virIue O: the brute force OF 1000 armed men.
One hundred Citizens "quielly arrested !