American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1867-10-02

next three months What is needed
realize the worst Of these forebodings
Only Democratic success ID the fall
elections? ~
If the ever loyal state Of Pennsylvania
the rock agaitfst which the tempests Of
rebellious Democracy have sp.nt their
force ia vain, should prove recre ant to
her well earned glory-if the great State
of Pennsylvania should belle her splen>
did reeord-what fearful enco uragement
would it not give to the miserable band
who are plotting and sebeming for the
overthrow of our institutions2 Pennsyl-
yania is again the battle ground of the
Union, and n ot at Gettysburg were the
lines more closely drawn or the issues
more distinctly bala need. As Meade
and Lee then led the opposing armies,
so now ere Williams and Shaiswood,
Thayer and Ludlow, Cowell and Lyle
the leaders of their sespective parties.
In such contest, for ends SO mo mentous
personal preferences are as uaught. The
mau disappears in the cause, and the
country claims the devotion Of every
citizen at the ballot,box, as she once
claimed his services in the field.
Should we, through fatal apathy and
shortsightedhess, permit the enemy tc
carry Peunsylvania, what hopes can we
have of, New York and New jersey |?
Our example would be contagious, aud
we may well look forward with unaffect,
ed dread at the results If the great Mid
die States should appear to rally to the
support of Johnsonism. Who can
predict the mad career of Presi-
dent thus encouraged by the apparent
applause of the peoplc-of President
who has so obstinately misused and tran
scended his powers even when the ad-
verse verdicts of election after ele ction
have warned him to desist Intoxi cate d
with success, there is scarcely crime
against the State which may not in ad>
vance be imputed to him on the testi
mony of his own adherents.
Even should Heaven avert from US
these unimaginable evils which we
should veinvited, hardly less disas,
trous would be the result upon the sets
tiement of all the great questions arising
from the war. Congress is the repre-
sentative of the people politicians there
are in it, quick to discern and apt to
magnify the evidences Of apprehe nded
popular reaction. Supported by the
people, Congress has bravely withstood
the assaults of the Exec utive, and has
laid the foundations of reconstruction
based upon broad and enduring princi>
Piles. Abandoned by the people, the
moral force Of Congress would be gone
Doubt and indecision would take the
place of frmness and well considered
actibn. Every rebel would spurti anew
the idea of submission. Every hostile
element would unite for cooperation
Anticipated triumph would draw around
them the venal the unprincipled, and
the thougntless, and with aggregated
strength they would control the position
Forcing their way into Congress, all pos
sibihties Of evil would be open to them.
Assumption of the Con federate debt, re
pudiation of the national obligations, FIRE.
trade, desperate tinkering with the fin,
nances, slavery revived under guise of
peouage-such would be the prog ramme
before us, and 1t is worse than useles to
shut our eyes to its probability when a
change in little over one per cent. Of
the voters in Pennsylvania and new York
would give the prestige of success to
those whose principles and whose policy
would bring about such a catastrophe.
1t matters little to us as citizens which
OF two emine nj jurists shal sit upon the
bench. 1t is absolutely uninportant to
us which Of two men, both equally diff
erent to us individually, shall collect the
fees of The Sheriff's Office or shall draw
the salary of the City Treasurer But,
BY the sport of circumstances, questions
of the highest sigui6cance that can effect
the existence Of great people underlie
these local and trivial issues. When
pennsylvania speaks, her voice is heard
throughout the nation; and when she
speaks in October, it will not be merely
to decide as I'd the Incumbent of local
Offices. It is Andrew johnson who is
upon trial, and 1t is her voice which
will then pronounce the verdict.
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