Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1867-06-06


i've movement in the interest Of hu-
manity. will not blindly cling TO
thc prCiudiccs or traditions Of the past
when they stand in the way Of useful
reform. I will not, in any sense, be
conservative of error, on reject truth
because Of prepossession, or yield my
crcdcnco 70 tho dogma that the limit
of human progress has been attained
Governments and nations are purified
in tho fires Of revolution. They take
shape, and sympathy, and strength
from the collision Of mighty forces,
even as the molten iron from the anvil
and the trim hammer Out of the
storm, and the tempest, and the flood,
arches the rainbow OF promise and Of
hope. Alas that il must be SOL
These revolutions Of society and
government spring out Of high mental
and moral exaltation--out Of an en-
thusiasm for progress which will hesi-
tate at no effort, aud shrink from no
experiment If man were capable OF
sustaining his position in this activity,
and OF attaining absolute truth with
out an alloy Of error, then, indeed,
would he cease to be man and become
like unto God This can not be. The
reaction must strike off the errors
which have accumulated on the pro-
gress Of revolution and this, too, like
revolution, may strike too close and
cut too deep.
The reaction will surely come All
history, all philosophy declare t. ~
has come TO all other nations II VIII
come TO us. 1t has come sometimes
clothed in the white robe OF peace, and
sometimes with its garments died in
blood. In every country there has
been party OF power, and a party
against it. In every country there
have been men who loved liberty as
they loved virtue and honorand truth
men who would avenga its wrongs,
even as they would protect the virtue
of the wife Of their bosom, or tho
honor of the mother who bore thom
Liberty inspires the soul. Its sacred
fires forever burn amid its apostles
and defenders When peaceful means
are exhausted, it draws the sword.
Let its enemies, then, beware, whether
they sit in single solitude on q throne,
or crowd the market places. So will
it be with us.
Our people desire to be wise and
virtuous. Our country is young and
rich, and strong. Experience will not
te. .ch its painful lessons in vain. The
splendid recollections Of the past have
not entirely passed away. Its YES
tices are not all buried in the ruin Of
the present. The hores Of the future
are bright in the reflection of its ex-
iring glories. They will accelerate
the counterrevolution Let us dill
gently prepare the way It's wisdom
to accept accomplished facts 1t is
folly to abandon correct principles in
the moment Of their adversely. Prin-
ciples are al-institutions ofgov-
ernment are but instrumentalities-
facts vary as the days succeed each
other, and seem to change at the bid
ding of the tickle moon. Let us hold
fast to principles, let us modify insti-
tutions. Let us recognize the chang
ing phases of facts 1t is the Office Of
wise men to adopt just principles Of
government by the mid OF fit institu-
tons to every condition of affairs.
Liberty is the great good. Confeder-
alton Is TO be sought only because it
has aided TO maintain it. Centrali-
cation is to be avoided only because
it has always destroyed it. But at
last, liberty is the life, the soul, and
government is the form, through
which it is developed.
Let us, then, gentlemen, look at the
past only that we may select what is
good, and avoid what Is evil, that we
may from its experience catch the in
spiration Of a wise progress that we
may so school our hearts with the les
sons of moderation and truth that pa
triotism and wisdom may guide the
courses of the inevitable reaction, and
lead us back from the perils of cen
tralized Imperialism, to the safety of
confederation, founded, supported
and restrained by the checks and bal
ances of wise Constitution. Thus,
if we cannot restore the Farmer Re.
public, we can at least regain the bles
sings Of liberty regulated by law, and
Of law enacted and maintained by the
spirit Of yirtuous liberty.