Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1866-08-02
Letter from Hon. James w. Wall to
Hon. Montgomery Blair.
BURLINGTON, June rs.

reauj Win great interest, your mary
land speech, which | received on Sat
urday last. What surprised me, how
ever, is that a gentleman of your ma
tional proclivities should ever have
been 50 grossly deceived both as to
the origin and object of the late civil
war. The same fell agency is visible
at Washington now that was visible
at the commencement of the struggle.
The fanatical spirits who were there
guiding and directing the storm are
guiding and directing the State. The
present truly alarming condition Of
our public affairs is but the logical
conclusion from the principles taught
so encrgetically by the leaders of the
Republican party from its first organ
ization nay, they are the fulfillment
of the predictions made by the found
crs of this Republic, should such a
party ever attain ascendancy in this
country.
You were won't to attribute TO those
of us, who sternly opposed the late
civil war, lack of patriotism. How
terribly you were mistaken. The
men who could dare the most relent-
less persecution, in the shape Of illegal
imprisonment, social ostracism, and
defy even death itself in vindicaton
of constitutional principles, and to
save this country from the evils Of
which you complain in your speech,
you must admit were more honest ard
patriotic than those timid and corrupt
men who left our own ranks to attach
themselves to the Republican party
for mere mercenary purposes. The
opportunities of official favor and plum
der, by means of war contracts, were
rendered me, if | would sacrifice my
political principles. | turned my back
upon all such opportunities, preferring
the conscience void Of offence, to all
the honors and wealth that might be
found in base betrayal of principle,
and sacrifice Of consistency.
The infamous conduct of the Dis.
unionists in Congress and throughout
the country at this time is vindicating
the sagacty of that little band at the
North, who so sternly aud fearlessly
oppossed the late civil war; and Is
confirming the truth of their allega-
tons as TO the mischievous designs OF
these confederates against the Consti
tuition and the Union. The sober sec
ond thought of the great mass of thC
people who were so deceived by tn,
disunion leaders, is beginning 70 make
itself manifest. They are rapidly dis
cerning the real character and motives
of those who so previously betrayed
them, and are determed to rebuke
their wickedness The reserve force
of the nation is coming 10 the rescue
ofits outraged imperilled Constitution
The time, rest assured, is not far dis
tant when "the peniteniaries will re.
claim their fugitives in office, and the
banditti be scourged back TO their ca
verhs" Men who grasp at arbitrary
lpower, who rashly V contemn theliber
ties of their own race in mad Quix
otic scheme to give liberty to an in.
ferior race, are playing a deep and
| dangerous stake bat the more start
llingand intolerabe their short pre.em
inence has been, so much the more dc.
structive will be their fate, so much
the more exemplary their punishment
Lord Temple once very sagaciously
remarked, "That liberty was in many
other dangers from itself, besides those
which arises from formed designs oil
destroying it. One Of its greatest dan.
gers arises from hypoefiticoi pretenceS, OF
romantic schemes to restoreit on more
perfect plan" 1t is this last danger
that has threatened, nay, is still
threatening us. 1T was under this hy-
pocritical pretense the late civil war
was commenced and carried on to its
conclusion. 1t was under this bold
pretense that great constitutional
principles were overturned, and the
liberties men in the Northern States
struck down by the hand of arbitrary
power; and it is the same insane de-
fusion that would justify ihemad iegis-
tion that to day keeps eleven States
out of this Union, and is aiming to
centralize the Government. This "ro.
mantle scheme 10 restore liberty on a
more perfect ptan," has already torn
millions of contented slaves from the
care and comfort that were theirs in
n state of vassalage and hustled them
as vagabonds npon the community,
or handed them over TO the Freed
mems Bureau, whose tender meroies are
cruel 1t was fortunate for the coun-
try, and for the interests of coming
generations, that all wise Providence
called Andrew johnson to his present
exalted position. Under other au.
spices ere this, the we'll matured
schemes of the Radical leaders in
Washington, would have ripened to
perfection, and the dreams oiSumnor,
Wilson, Wade, and Stevens have be.
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