Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1867-10-10
Security for the Future.

nation or race OF men who had their
freedom thrust upon them, who ever
long enjoyed it. Only those having
energy and intelligence enough to
earn liberty, have shown themselves
capable for any length of time of
maintaining liberty. A race which
patiently submits to bondage, never
rightly use their freedom Through
long and patient effort, through need
and blank despair do races grow up
to the high estate of free men All
reason and all history confirm the
truth of these propositions In more
quiet times, when the minds of men
are free from excitement, they would
be regarded as 80 self evident as
scarcely to need enunciation.
At the South are four NJ illion- Afii-
cans, a race, which left TO itself, has
always and only existed as barbarians,
and among civilized nations, only in
state Of the most servile bondage I;
with us, from the first settlement of
the country, they have occupied this
last position Never in all this lapse
Of years have they made even the
shadow Of an effort to obtain their
freedom They have never been agi-
tated for it, as did their pretended
friends at the north. Indeed, we think
we are not going too far, when we say
they never as race desired it.
When their masters were engaged
in a mos. desperate war, as has been
alleged, to perpetuate their bondage,
they, the Africans, made not the
slightest effort to throw of the yoke.
During the four years Of our late war,
their is no reason TO suppose that the
negroes made even an attempt a. in
surrection in any part of the South.
Quietly they waited upon and assisted
their masters, and as the country, or
any part of it, was overrun by the
Federal troops, they just as impassive-
ly waited upon and trusted in the new
comers. No one thing did they do or
attempt TO do, of and by themselves.
Yet to this race, who yesterday were
trampled slaves, so degraded that they
accepted the liberty thrust upon them
with as little apparent concern as they
endured their bondage; the Radicals
Of the North wish to entrust, not only
the liberties, but the material inter.
ests of great, rich and important
section of the country. Not only this,
they seek to entrust TO them, equally
with the intelligent, enterprising aud
educated anglo-saXon, the contracts
of the government of this great repub-
lic-the hope of the world. And with
this they, the Radicals, wish to dis
franchise and exclude from power aud
influence the ablest and wisest of the
whites. All this, it is said, is needed,
ms security for the future" We beg
leave to ask Is ignorance, sclfindul-
gence and degradation in the govern
ing class, the best guarantee we can
have for the pcrpetuity ofour institu
tions Z Is intelligence and high toned
honor dangerous 10 the rel ublic If
so, these same Radicals, few years
ago, when they called themselves
Know Nothings-which they were
were greatly at fault. They then
taught that our institutions were in
danger from the ignorance of foreign
ers-that the immigrants from the
most enlightened nations of the world,
should live with us twenty-one years
before they could be safely entrusted
with the elective franchise. In this
State they declared by law, that no
native or foreign born citizen was
fit to vote unless he could read and
write. Yet, to-day, these same Know
Nothings would disfranohise that class
of men who, as they allege, have for
seventy years controlled the policy of
tho best governed country in the
world, and enfranchise race of black
besotled slaves hitherto found incapa-
BILE of organizing any government but
that Of King Cannibal
Security for the future" We
had supposed that the security of n
free republic rested upon the intclh-
genoe and manliness of the people
having controlling influence IN its
affairs. Notso think the leaders of the
great party of progress and social re
form. They fad The only guarantee
for safety in the future in giving the
control of one fourth Of the republic,
to the ignorant, aimless and degraded
blacks, a race, incapable Of working
out their own liberties are to be en-
trusted with the guardianship of ours.
''Security for the future p The only
security for the future OF our liberties,
worth having, is in the high order Of
manhood we may be capable of devel-
oping. Not in the masculine suffrage
we are foolish enough TO confer. Con-
stitutional amendments amount to
nothing. Plainly speaking, constitu-
tions amount to onothing. Ofwhatavail
arc old charters or conventional agree
mcnts when brought into conaictwith
the fierce passions of excited popula-
tions What was the constitution and
the union Of our fathers, cemented by
blood and long associations, against
the wrath of the South, stirred by the
taunts and threats of tho abolitionits Z
What are these things TO weigh against
the pride of opinion and the lust of
power pervading the North in the
hour Of victory The meanest chat
Under strong excitment, each section
sneers at and goes "Outside the con-
stitution"
"Sccurity for the future" is only TO
be found in a dignidcd and poised ma
tional character If the eniranohise.
ment of the blacks adds to these quail
tiles in the governing class, then is