The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1867-10-03
Knoyv-NOlhings In the Field.

A few years ago the Know-Nothings
organized themselves into a band, sustain
ed by impious oaths, for the purpose of
excluding citizens of foreign birth or of a !
particular religious belief, from the rights |
of citizenship under the Constitution and
laws of the country. This party, though
successful for a while, soon sank into
merited oblivion, and. you can find no man
n0tc willing to acknowledge he ever was
member Of it.
A new secret order has sprung up among
us, and seeks to control the ballot-box as
the knowNothings did. 1t has assumed
the name of the ''Grand Army of the Re-
public and has sworn in large number
OF members, especially in The Southern
portion of Cambria county. 1t has al
ready had sufficient strength to dictate the
radical nominations and control the desti
MES of that party in Cambria county.
is of course secret, and we can't tell
whether it is organized precisely upon the
same principles as the Know-Nothings
Its arOwed object, we are informed, is TO
confine all political nominations to those
who have been officers during the late re-
beliion. We presume this is correct, for
they have placed in nomination number
OF officers, from Colonel down to Sergeant.
but not single private, though many of
these have qualifications superior TO those
Who, by accident, became officers.
But we are opposed to this secret socie-
ty upon other grounds. The war is over,
and we all rejoice that it is ended. The
gallant soldier who served his country or
the field of battle, having performed hi:
whole duty, returns to his home and sink,
the soldier in the citizen He knows full
well that the people, who are the bes
judges, will appreciate bis services at th,
proper time. The Democrats, for in
stance, have at the head OF their ticket
Tor the two best offices in their gift, a gal
liant soldier of the recent war in the person
OF Col, Linton, and brave soldier of TN
> Mexican war in the person of John A
Blair. All distinction between the soIdie
and the citizen should be lost.
But, further, the people are not willin!
that their fellow citizens, too old for war
shall be deprived of the right of holdin.
office when they are otherwise qualified
nor are they willing that those whose mis-
fortunes have rendered them incapable O
taking the field shall be excluded from III
offices of the people ''Fair play is
1t Jewel" and no brave soldier nor goo
sc citizen will ask to appropriate all the off
'r ces of honor and profit to particula
e class. The Democrats have been lust +
to the soldiers, and at the same time recog
lg nized the most deserving citizens, by plac
ing those on their ticket who are not onl
IS incaPacitated for service in the field, bu
IA unable TO labor by reason Of their inffrmi
r, ties.
IN Major Ryckman, the Radical candidat
y FOR Sheriff, Sergeant Ogden, the Poo
e House candidate, and perhaps others G
the Radical ticket, are members of thi
secret political organization. If we mis-
represent this society, or its members, on
n columns are open to correction But w
,e do trust the people of Cambria count
le will give wide berth to this oath -boun
Is society, boasting the lofty name, of th
r "Grand Army of the Republic" Th
Republic, thank God, has no need of
"a 'Grand Army" now, and least of all
+ "Grand Army" of Office Holders,