The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1865-09-20
S P E e EcH
COL. JOHN G. FREEZE,
At the Mob Mountain Meeting; Wednesday
Morning, August sOth, 1865.
Reported By D. F. Murphy. E.q

Reported by d. F. Murphy Esq
My Fellow CIr1zsNs This morning has
been devoted TO the review of an episode
of the late war, popularity known as s'ihe
Columbia County INVASION" :" and 1t has been
assigned 10 me, to perform hat duty The
I false and malicious representations made
and published broad cast over the land !,
concerning it, were intended to poison and
misiead The pnhllc mind. and thus make a
cover for the authors of ,his foul wrong ard
! deep Onlrage, from The just indignation OF
all honest aud right minded men. The
Il ne has already come when thorough
exposition is required, aud there can be no
more fitting occasion Than this, when the
ritizens of the county Interested in the
thorough ventilation OF this enormity, are
hpfe TO cornborate the facts addnced and
many people from distance for the first
lime shall become fulIy acquainted with
the gross insult and deep wrong 10 our
population when in peaceful and quiei
community, The evil passions OF bad men,
stirred up 10 feeling of intense hatred bv
disappointed political ambition. called OPP
on the military 20 avenge their private
wrongs, and in direct violation ofIhe law
and the Constitution, made the civil power
subordinate TO the military
The suspension OF The writ of Haieds Corr
prs vas a fitting and necessary prelude 10
lhisscrnsade. Without hat not one OF the
men who were subsequently arrested on
fal-e aud frivolous charges. which IL is pro-
posed now 10 investigate. could have been
IakeB beyond the county, could have been
dcuied trial in the civil CoGr;s, or could
have been convicted therein because the
rules of legal evidence, and the conStitu
lioual right 10 a trial by jury would have
projected innocence, and exposed the NAL
ice and rancor of political Tarri7anship.
| say therefore, Fellow Crizens. and
hope to satisfy you before close, That this
Invasion of Columbia County was purely
political raid, and the local leaders of the
Republican abolition party are guilty OF an
outrage, which will make such record
against them, as many OF our citizens re-
member against their lalhers during the
Revolution. They have made history
whirh they shall not escape-rhey have
made a record, during their short lease of
place aud power, which will remain forev
er against them, and which their sOns will
blush 10 read. if public virtue and prvare
rectilUde shall ever find lodgmen, in their
breasts.
On Saturday evening, August 13fh, 1864.
the Quiet village OF BioomsburS, the County
Seat Of Columbia Comfy, was suddenly
disturbed by The appearance on lis streeis,
Of eighty cavalry and forty infantry and two
pieces of artillery. The town was Instantly
in an excitement The exullatiOn of The
Abotii0uists was most intense, their eyes
spafkled with delight, lhsir loyal tongues
were loosed, and threats against The Demo-
Gratis and Democratic prIating Offices, ahd
statements that the t,oop- were TO senur
~. IL of 7
Leaguers and their followers. Very many
expressions, showing The Gnimus of the op-
position. have been taken down aud are
Iemembered and the fierce desire on the
part OF some OF Them to Inausufate reign
Of riot and bloodshed, was painfully appa-
rem.
On Tuesday morning following. Major
General Couch, com mandng the Depau
menl of the Snsquehanna, which included
Columbia County, with two hundred ani
fiity more troops made his headqH afers IN
Bloomsbury. Reinforcements conliesed 10
arrive, and within few days "The Army
OF the Fishiugcreek' numbered one thousand
menf
And you will observe, my Fellow Ctr
zens, that il was not nutil after fbe State
and Presidential eIertions in The Fall fol-
lowing were over, that it was fonnd tha,
Tue FtculNgCf06k heDclitOU WIS dt an
end-Then the political object having been
fully accomplished, those one thousand
armed men were all Withdrawn from your
miIst.
In order 10 show you mere fully the dead
Iy malice which actuated these men,
shall refer you to letter published in that
general receptacle of fal~ehood, folly and
sensation stories, the Philadelphia Inquirer,
dated "Camp CadwaIader, Columbia eoun-
ly, Penna., September 6ih, 1861 But uu-
doubiedly written in Bloomsbury, and but
one man there, 10 my opinion, could have
had the hardihood 10 write such mass OF
deliberate, wilful and malicious falsehoods.
The letter was promptly conlradIeted but
The editors of The Inquirer, TINE 10 their poll
iical instincts, took 10 HosIce OF the coiItra
diciioa the lie once started could go on lis
way thus endorsed, and effect the desired
results. l will read parts of the letter and
comment as proceed. isopens as follows:
Correspondence Of fhs Inquirer.
SCAMP CsDwALApER, Col. Co., Pa.
September 8, 1864.
We Of ihs army of The ssFishiug Creek"
feel surprised and exceedingly disappointed
that your valuable paper has not pursued
your usual course of enterprises, aod had
reliable correspondent, with this sFmy Our
deeds Of valor aud hardships have been all
lowed TO pass unchronicIed, and OR praises
may 10 unsung !" Il s
Yoo will find, Gentlemen, before iaves
6nisnsd, that there was . very reiisable cors