Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1866-05-02
MIR. INCfvISM.


of this Commonwealth throughout the
whole period OF the rebellion. lie was
| chief of the Democratic leaders in that
body. he had advantages, personal and
acquired, which gave him special influence
over such of his colleagues as belonged to
his party. He was both their mentor aud
champion.
We do no injustice to Mr.. Ciymer in
asserting that from the beginning Of the
war to the end of it his sympathies were
strongly enlisted on the side of the rebels.
Had he been under the immediate direc
tioa Of Mr.. Jefferson Davis he would have
pursued substantially the course he mark
ed out for himself. Whatever obstacles
he could put in the way of rendering eff,
ficient aid to the national authorities in
the prosecution of the war he was sure to
bring forward. Not an important measure
was proposed for arming the State. for
putting volunteers into the field, and fol
repelling actual invasion, that he did not
oppose. In soma instances, to be sure,
he did NOT resort to a bold and defiant
method. lie was fruitful of spccious
amendments, intended to emasculate Wig
orous measures, TO rctard action, and frus-
trate desirable results. When he had
fought a bill in this way, with parliament
tary ambuscades and stratagen:s, and was
Likely to fail, he would often assign the
rejection of his notifications as the reason
for voting in the negative on the final pas
sage. But, in these cases, every body now
sees and feels when reading the official re-
eord-,hat at bottom he was Just as much
! aga;Es, the national cause as the rebels
themselves ; and that, in the sphere in
which his lot was cast, he was laboring as
earnestly as they were to destroy the gov
eminent. Scarcely Na!landighan himself
has a worse record.
Ought such a man to be elected Coy
ornor Of Pennsylvania? Is he a fit sue
cessor to Governor Curtin. whose hands he
sough. to tie, whose plans he endeavored
to thwart, al! through those eventful years?
1t seems to us that the homes of Penn
sylvania's dead patriots. fallen in the great
contest, would shake in their honored
graves, az such a disgrace.
This is not a question Of ordinary diver
sites of political opinion. 1t is vain to
speak of the excellence of Mr.. Clymer's
personal department of the amsni,y of
his manners; Of the compass of his Intel
ligence /; of the breadth of his under
standing. All these considerations weigh
lighter than air against his undenia5Ic in
civism. Who doubts but many of the
rebel leaders possessed all the social viz
tues and graces in as high degree as he
Who doubts that some of them
surpassed him in intellectual culture, in
force Of reason, and in the charm of ora
1T -mattars mot what accomplish
ments a Isan may show, if he has pursued
such a course as to Justly rank him with
the enemies of the country. IF man is
thoroughly Ioyal-if in time of trial
he has been found neutrality-suspicious.
gifts and requirements only make
his conduct the more offensive.
IF Pennsylvania had followed Mr.. ely
lead if she had adopted the line
Of policy. he mapped out and pertinaciously
recommended, not enly would her vast
hsen overran, her fields laid
waste, her towns given to the flames, and
Ter railroads torn rp, but the government
would have been SO psfalyzed that the
Union would have hean lost. 1t is sbso-
utely monstrous to talk Of !electing such
man to the Chief Msgistracy of the
State, There ought to be suct a seuti-
neut among the masses Of the people Is
you'd make his aspirations hopeless, as
would consign bin to private walks for
ne remainder Of his days. That there is
iuch a sentiment aneng Republicans We
eel and know. The Democrats talk of
divisions ant wholesale apostacies
,mong US. Not a half dozen grains OF
act can be s;fted out Of whole loads Of
his chat. A few men, inspired either
" greed or unrest, may be willing to re-
,udia:c or adopt any principle, if BY so
LONG the, can obtaiushe houors and en-
,iumepts Of office /; but the influence OF
hese men begins and ends With them
elves. 1t is a Consciousness Of this that
eads to suggestions Of a third candidate
o help Mr.. CIymer's chances. All such
,xpedients are powerless. The people
rave to cho between a gallant soldier,
Who freely p~eriled everything for the