Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1866-08-01
From the Reading (Berk7 County, Journal
HESTER CLYMER IN 1863.
He favors the Secession of Pennsylvania
from the Loyal States etc.

He favors the Secession of Pennsylvania
from the Loyal States etc.
The friends of Hester Clymer. now that
he is a candidate for Governor. are endea
voring to impose upon the loyal people OF
Pennsylvania, and the soldiers especially,
| by the fallacious assertion that during the
most trying period In our country's history,
while the Nation was struggling for exls-
tence. he was a War Democrat, and ap-
proved of the war for the Union. To show
that the facts are exactly the reverse we
submit the following statement:
In the winter and Spring of 1868 the
| Copperheads of Berks, and throughout the
State, were organized in every electioB> dis
trlct into secret, oath h-bound associations
known as "Knights Of the Golden Circle. :"
| Similar associations, acting in concert, were
also organized in the rebellious States, with
a mutual understanding, by signs, grips and
| passwords, by which they We're able, III and
out OF the contending armies, to recognize
each other and thus cripple the efforts of the
| Government to subdue the Rebellion. That
| Hester Clymer belonged TO this secret or
| ganiZation OF Tories and Traitors, and was a
| leading spirit among them, there is no room
| for doubt. 1t will be recollected that sever
al members of this Tory Order were arrest
| ed in Berks county in the Spring of 1868,
charged with conspiracy against the Govern
lnent OF the United States in opposing the
draft, or ''Conscription law, as the Cop
| perheads termed it, and that several hun
dred members of this tory fraternity, known
as the Heidelberg Brigade, marched into
| the city of Reading from the western part
of the county, for the purpose of rescuing
| these prisoners fellow members s-from
the UnitedStat authorities. This infamous
rad took place on the 9th of April, 1868.
| Two days afterwards April llth, a call was
| issued for democratic County Meeting,
to back up the knights, and among some
two hundred signers To this call, tie name
| Of HESTER CLYMER appeared second
on the iist-Hon. S. f. Ancona, the then
and present member of Congress from this
district, being the FIRST. The meeting took
place on Tuesday, April p, 1868, in and
back of the Court House in this city. The
long series of Resolutions adopted at that
meeting, are believed to have been drawn
up by HESTER CI4YMER We give the
following as a specimen OF their import.
''Resolred, By the Democracy. of Berks
county, in mass meeting assembled, that
while we will obey the Constitution and laws
of our country and make no forcible resist
ance to the execution of any process admin
'lstered by the Government within the linn
its of its legitimate functions, zee loW not
submit to, nor tolerate the slightest encroach-
nte,ets upon oar rights and privileges; such
attempt ,oiW meet ,oiHt oar resistance at all
hazards, and regardless Of consequences.
''Resoiced, That secret societies, political
or otherwise, are not in themselves in vio-
lation of the Constitution and laws, and
that whenever a free people see proper to
organize themselves IN secret or an public,
they hare right to protection, and II the
n y =,
render that protection ,ce pledge ou;setces
to furnish at to the e.rteet Of OHr pO,oer.
"Resoired, That We are infiexibly and |
unalterably devoted to the Constitution
and the Union, with such additional guar
antees as may protect the rights of minori
ties from all future aggression We do
not approve Of this War as at present con-
Quoted. WE NEVER DID APPROVE OF IT IN |
ITSELF but accepted it in preference to dis
union anarchy and despotism under pied
ges that it should be conducted solely with |
view to the restoration OF the Union. |
These pledges have been broken, the war
is converted into an abolition crusade, and
: zee are free from any obligations, except |
those of obedience TO law.
fResotced That We will patiently wait
the progress Of events, until power passes
from the hands of the present Administra- |
tion under the forms of law. We will con |
tinue to urge upon Congress and upon the
States the repeal of all unconstitutional |
acts, and the calling of National Conven-
ton to amend the Constitution. If these |
fail, our hopes centre in the soreregin
rights of the State cf Psansylrania and in
order that she may be prepared TO exercise
those rights, we urge upon our fellow cltl-
Zens the necessity of organization, the Sc
lection and election of our ablest and best |
fo,-G / lafn nd 4
the meantime, we have no terms OF peace
basis of reunion"
1t viii be observed that the pervading |
spirit of these resolutions, though specious
ly worded, was expressive of the most bitter
hostility to the then ,.Auttorties Of the u
nited States, y and of determination on the
part of the Tory Democracy Of Berks coun
ty, to resist ''dt all hazards and Tegardtess
Of consequences, any encroachments upon
what they called their constitutional rights,
or the right to resist the Government and
aid the Rebels. The resolutions also de-
clare, in effect,
/. That .ssecret pnlitical societies, -
(meaning the knights, )-organized to
subyert the Governments had right to the
protection of the Government. which if it
The Government failed to give, they 1.-THE
Democracy of Berksl pledged themselves to
furnish to the extent Of their power
2. The Emancipation Proclamation, the
Conscription law, and the Confscation acts,
we're clearly unconstitutional" and there
ore of no binding force so far as they fthe
Jopperheads of Berks) were concerned /,
B. That they do not approve Of the Wdr
Is at present them conducted and THAI
THEY. NEVER DID. APPOVE OF Ii
IN 1TSELFfi
q. That as the War for the Union was