Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1866-11-28
The Treatment of the Republicans.

The Treatment of the Republicans.
No political party in the history of the
republic, says the North american, has
ever encountered so much malignity at the
hands of opponents, has ever been treated
with such uniform disrespect and reprpach,
has ever been 50 fiercely assailed, as that
bearing the name of Republican. The first
Senators 1t had in Congress were formally
refused place on any of the committees,
because they were considered as outside
of any healthy political organization. Of
these men one was the present Secretary of
State, William I'll. Seward another the
present Chief Justice OF the Supreme Court,
Salmon p Chase; another the present Min
lister TO Spain, John Z. Hale and the pre-
tentious and contemptuous Statesmen"
who did this were Messrs. Jefferson Davis,
Hunter and Mason, of Virginia, and the
rest of the rebel crew.
When there seemed a prospect that Ere
mont, the candidate of this party, would be
elected President, the southern Democrats
made preparations to secede When at
length the candidate of the party, Abraham
Lincoln, really was elected President, the
southern Democrats did cause the rebellion
they had SO contemplated. When we had
crushed this rebellion, and the submission
of the south was inevitable, Democrat
murdered the Republican President, in or
der that a man who had been southern
pro slavery Democrat might take his place.
When Republican Congress exercises its
constitutional rights, and legislates accord
| ing to Its own principles, the Democratic
party demands that it shall be expelled from
the Capitol at the point of the bayonet, and
the whole Democratic pack yelp at 1t as a
| Rump Congress.
So it is through the whole history of the
party, from the hour of its birth. 1t has
met with nothing but contumely, oppres-
| sion, arbitrary usurpatlon, ASSASSINATION,
| SANDER, and every other weapon that could
| be used by envenomed hate. During all
this time we have counselled moderation
towards our opponents and opposed extreme
measures. But we have grown weary oi
| this persecution, and think that there has
now arrived period when We should put a
stop to it, as we know that we have the
means of doing. Our enemies invariably
show us no quarter when they have the
power. In the entire south, even TO this
| day, our party is not allowed to organize, to
run ticket, or to advocate It's views. We
| hold nothing but what our main strength
keeps tenaciously in our grasp.
If we are to have no quarter shown US, i
the enemy will still continue to fight under
the black flag, we can do nothing else thar
! accept the policy, and act upon 1t ourselves
We must now insist upon the uttermos
fraction Of all we can rightfully claim. w,
owe to our opponents not the slightest con
sideration They have not treated US with
the most ordinary decency, and though il
is not in the nature of our people to retail
ate their rudeness and offensive language
we must put the pressure of the laws upoI
them, and WELD the actual power we pos
sess to its fullest extent. As the rebels il
the late civil war did not act with honor
chivalry or courtesy according to the rule
of war, so the Democratic party, in th'
same spirit, would, under any circumstan
ces, rather act meanly and dishonorably to
wards the Republicans that evince eithe
respect or courtesy.
| 1t is clear that the enemy we have to dea
with does not acknowledge the force of an,
rules whatever. We must fight fire witt
fire. All We have we have fought for des
perately, and we must be ready to use what
ever opportunity offers to make good wha
we have gained This is not a matter o
choice 1t is sheer necessity. We canne
possibly go on as we have done heretofore
Our rights must be respected, and ther
seems to be no other way of compelling
this than by making the enemy feel tn
power we have.
t'DUKE" GwIN.-Several letters writtel
from Mexico by DIR. William Gwin, to hi
mother, which were intercepted by our Gov
ernment, have been published. Gwin re
veals that he was in the confidence both O
Maximilian and the French Emperor, tina
his son had control of rich gold mine, ar,
was asking the concession of all the rail
roads in Sivoloa Gwin was in absolut
ecstacy over the glttering fortune just with
in his grasp, but cruel Mr.. Seward wrote t
our Minister in Paris, and the whole schem
was exploded Poor Gwin.
The Detroit Advertiser says: 1t is con
fidently believed that while in Congress
John Morrissey viii turn up a trump.
He viii also act as Faro to Presiden
Johnson's Moses. Tn case he should prat
about the Constitution, as President John
son says, he will be an easy man to spot.
Those congressman who call upon Nh
Morrissey will have no need to take thei
= cards" as he will have plenty of that article