Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1866-09-26
NEW SERIES-vOL. VINO. II.

fellows were, a few years a ago, the
most violent of slavery propagandsts.
If they are representative men OF the
South, where were they before the
war What did they do to arrest its
progress? Whoever heard of any OF
them until the rebellion spued them
out as the exponents of its rascality
They were not trusted on its side,
and they came over to ours, is their
history and now they openly con-
fess that the only chance they have !
nor namuor fortune, is in negro sui
frage They do not pretend that any
white men confide in them, but they
say the negroes will. Quere de hoe, as
the lawyers say, question as to this.
] am afraid that the man who loses
the confidence of his white fellow-clti-
zens would soon lose that Of tho ne
groes. The latter can tell gentleman
as quickly as anybody, and you could
no more cheat him with your Brown
lows and Hamiltons than you could
cheat the ladies Of Paris, or those of
Latrobe with them. Their cry, how
ever, was "Negro suffrage" " from first
TO last but their Northern allies
were obdurate, and the despairing
wall Of these philanthropic statesmen
died away on their ears without
reaching their hearts. They wouldn't
make that an issue.
The question of furnishing people
who engage in a rebellion is not well
understood in this country. We are
apt to forget that our system Of Gov
ernment is double in its nature-that
there are two powers our people are
bound to obey, that is that IS Federal
and State GOUerRments-each has its
seperate claim to our allegiance, and
! the claim of each within its sphere is
equally valid Now, suppose a con
! fiict upon a question about which
even lawyers have different opinions
(; how are layment to decidcg Are
= they to be punished because they
I mistake, and be hanged for treason il
! doing what they think they are right
= in doing Every one answer "No,
5 of course, but how few reflect thai
! this was Just the dilemma in which
: the Southern man was placed in 1861
a HE State commanded him 10 serede--
4 the United States commanded him t.
r refuse. Which was he to obey Z Th'
r law here comes to releave him ant
SAYS, sober the one icko can protect yo
for the time being" Or, in other words
~obey the Government, which, in fact
n has the power over you, and even
V wrong YOU shall not be deemed guilt
! of crime" This, Think, was the Jar
l. in all times, and with all nations
l. why noty Is it not reasont
Is Now, apply this +: In 1861 Sout
le Carolina called upon hcrpeople to s.
it cedc. If they refused, they coul
is only do so, relying on the Unite
n States for protection Who're was I'll
:. United States at that time : Coul
Is they protect the citizen in his refnsa
le or not Let the fact answer.-The
le could not, or did not, for the onl
Of force they had was in Fort Sumte
,e and so far from being able to prote'
re the people, it could not protect itsel
at and was obliged, Afterwards, to su
in render 10 the State What then W.
IN the citizen to do : Was he expects
le to be stronger than the United States
er Certainly not. He was expected
1t. obey the Governmentoverh him, whi'
De has the power to enforce obedienc
rd This Is common sense-anything el
I'll is folly.
ne The State then having power ov
of him. he engaged in the rebellion. ID
m. he do Il roiaRtdrlyy is the questi'
Ie- put by the amendment. | answ
Ier that is not the true question. Gov
BE he help himSelfg is far better. We
an suppose he thought he could not he
lot it, and went in. Was that a crim'
tly Clearly not, and no court would S
mt so, although 70 al appearance he 'r'
ep- IN voluntarily. This amendment m
nd punish him, aud so far is unjust a
~ unlawful. Let us hear him first
ad- Let this amendment be adopte,
Dns then farewell to peace and uniC
to We have planted enemies in eve
ru- neighborhood, village and hamlet
on, over the South. They are the leadi
the men-they are prosecuted into d
pair-they have nothing 10 hope
ate from q Government which refu
by them a trial by law, or chance
srn defence; but, on the other hand,
the one fell stroke, the whole mass
ma them are forever shut outand secluC
ext from all the honor and rewards of
has country, covered with lasting disgr'
Dne and shame, and made, in this w
ore ready to revolt against rs on all
) of casiOns.
lit. Suppose then we were engaged
on, foreign war-which side would Il
ton takeg Which side does the ane
)ok ment invite them TO takeg Sur