Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1867-06-06
NEW SERIES--V0L. I, NO. 45.

dicted that it would be written over
the grave Of our political institutions;
"Here lies u people, who, in order TO
give freedom to three m 'llions of Az
ricans destroyed their own liberty"
| do not say these things with pleas
ure. Ine errors Of our countrymen
the mislortunes of our countrS-are
not the fit subject Of fippant com
ment. or Of partisan and acrimonious
criticisms. l have avoided harsh cpl
thets and the imputation Of improper
motives. know personally many Of
the leaders Of this revolution / re-
spect their intelligence-their pure
lives her sincere love of country.
They themselves would have stood
aghast, five years ago, at the work
they have wrought They did not IN
tend to 20 50 far, but stimulated by
the length and severity Of the militia
ry struggle, stimulated by the ardor
of more jealous or less honest spirits,
stimulated by the popularity Of ex-
treme measures, they have reached
conclusions Of which they did not
dream.
They have obeyed tle inevitable
law. / would not unkindly criticise
them. ! have puposely avoided per-
sonal controversy. / have with de-
sign refused to enter the field Of mere
party strife. ] have avoided an ex-
| preston Of opinion as to the merits
OF any one Of the great measures of
administration which divide our peo-
pie. Power TO adopt them all resides
somewhere in our system, either in
the State or Federal Government
Opinions will differ as 20 their wis
dom. The attainment Of the re-
suit is only a matter Of expediency.
Their adoption or rejection would not
affect the system Of government. And
| did wish to divert your attention
from the fact that a great revolution
in the framework Of government has
been accomplished, by any discussion
of the wisdom Of particular enact
ments or Of the desirableness Of the
ends which they propose TO attain. l
have, therefore, ken orly Of the
tendencies Of great movements, and
illustrated them by the general effect
of measures Of litigation.
And 1 have dwelt on these so long
only that might ask you whether we
have indeed lost ,he Farmer Repub-
lie forever. Did the apostle of Radi-
calism read the portents arightg
/ can not certainly answer. All
history is written for our instruction.
Ii tells us that liberty lost is with dif.
iiculty regaincd that constitutional
law once dragged to the dust by the
passions of men is rarely again raised
to govern them in the same genera
ton; that when violence and arbitra-
ry arrests and destruction OF the
press, and disregard Of law, enacted
by the ignorance or prejudice or pas
sion of the people once destroy the
pure appreciation of the value and
safe guards of liberty, it IS difficult to
restore the iace of beauty when it is
SCARED, or to revive the lustrous pu-
rity of innocence when it is defled.
Mr.. Webster, years ago, bad occa-
sion to discuss the same subject, and
with that pomp and splendor of die.
ton which marked all his political ad.
dresses, he said
"Other misfortunes may be borne,
/ or their effects overcome. If wal
should sweep our commerce from the
ocean, another generation may renew
it; If it exhausts our treasury, future
industry may replenish it, if it desc
late and lay waste our fields, still un
der new cultivation, they will grow
green again, and ripen to future har
vests. 1t were but trife, even, i
E the walls OF yonder capitol were tC
crumble, fits lofty pillars should fall
and its gorgeous decorations be cover
ed by the dust of the valley.
"All these might be rebuilt. But
. who shall reconstruct the fabric Of q
demolished government VINO shal
rear again the well proportionod col
umns of Constitutional libertyy VINO
shall frame together the skillful archi
lecture which untes National Sover
eighty with State Rights, individua
security andpu5lic prosperity Now
if these columns shall fall, they will b,
reared not again. Like the Coliseum
and the Partheuon, they will be des
tined to a melancholy, mournful i'm
mortality. Bitterer tears, however
will flow over them than were eve
shed on the monuments of the Roman
or Grecian Art, for they will be th,
remnants of more glorious ,diiio,
, than Greece or Rome ever saw-th,
edifce of Constitutional American
I Liberty"
Gentlemen. l feel the force of thos,
words. know that others feel then
! more deeply, perhaps, than l. / sc,
, among many good men tendency &
- despair. / see among my own friend
, those who agree with me general,
on public aiIairs-a disposition TO Civ,
{ up all for lost. They have lost hope
= they have lost courage-thoir despon
4 dency counsels inaction. The news
e papers, the epublic speeches, but abov
e all, the private conversations, indicate
g this feeling. Gentlemen, do no
r sympathize with it. have higl
. hopes for the future | see the dan
e GERS which are before us. | see n Ion.
, and weary way. see a long and ex
hausting struggle in which success
}. will vary from one side to the Other
J., do not conceal for myselfthat il ma.
be a struggle of the sword. Man.
y of us NAV 30 down with harness o