Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1868-09-30
LOCAL CORRESPONDENCE.
scriptural Views Of Political Dutie

All our dealings with men should be de
signed to promote ''on Earth, peace. gooc
will toward men, andin order to do this W,
should seek true light and knowledge, over
come prejudice, and render strict and inpar
tial justice, to all mankind, iuSall condition:
in life.
We therefore owe it to our God. our coun
try, our families, and to the present and
future generations. to know and do the fol
lowing in our present national affairs:
First. Every man. woman and child should
know that the late rebellion, tfr, m whatev
er causes brought on,) was unnecessary, un
just, cruel and wicked, and cannot be recon
ciled with any correct views of Scripture
because 1t was principally intended to per
petuate Slavery over many of our fellow
beings, who never harmed us, and who were
created by, and accountable TO, the same
God that we are; and because it caused the
destruction OF an immense number of lives,
and filed the land with widows and orphans.
with untold additions of disasters and ex-
penses.
Second. Every man, therefore, who vol
unfairly engaged in the late rebellion agains,
the Government of the United States. clearly
forfeited all his right to citizenship and pro.
lection under the Constitution; and every
man who opposed and discouraged the rails
ing of troops, and vigorous prosecution OF
the war for the defence of the Union, and
thus encouraged the rebels in their murder
Gus and ruinous resistance to the Govprn-
ment of the United States prolonged the
war, and is amenable to God and his country
for much of the blood and treasure lost, and
unsafe to be trusted in the council of State.
or the Nation, or in executing the laws OF
either
Third. Whereas, leadiag rebels drew the
Southern States into the rebellion, with the
design to perpetuate human bondage and by
employing these bondmen in many ways to
break up this Government, thus uirusting
Slavery into the way of the authorities OF
this Nation,-it became the duty of the
same TO emapcipat these Bondmen, and in
turn TO employ them as a means to break up
the Rebellion. and having succe ded, by the
blessings OF God, justice, humanity, and f.
deity to Col and men, .forbids that these
freedmen should be re- enslaved, or further
oppressed by their for'''fef
Fourth, Men, before God, are justified by
faith, but before mcsl, are necessarily justi
fed by works for God judgeth by the heart,
and men can only Judge by the actions of
men Of outword appearance. Therefore, the
Congress Of the United States is plainly
bound TO see that after the collapse of the
rebellion, the rebellious States are re con
structed uponthe safe basis of justice, coupled
with lenity, as an assurance of prolonged
aud perpetual peace and to this end ALL,
or at least most of the late leading rebels,
must be DISTINGUISHED, and the friends Of the
Union, though but recently released from
Slavery, and without regard to their color,
wust be entranchiscd to balance enfranchis-
ed rebels at the polls, in order to assist in
establishing a safe re construction.
Fifth. Conservative men, in making choice
between the two great political parties, should
calmly and inpartially consider the issues
that at present exist between them, and 1t
will not take deep penetration OF mind to
discover that the so called Democratic party
evidently holds that the rebellion WIS justi-
fable and right, that rebels forfeited no CIV
il or political rights, thatcolored people have
no rights which a white man is bound to re-
spect and to this end chiefly and continually
appeal to white men prejudices against our
colored population, and hence to please the
late rebels whose numbers and power for
evil they usilanimousy fear, they are aid
ing all they can to deny the rights OF hui
manity and Justice to the poor colored pco-
pie, merely because of their color, and be
cause they consider them weak aud lightly
esteemed
But on the other hand, it is evident that
the Republican party, far from being vindic
tive, has only claimed that for future safety
and assurance of peace, feic iedt{iag reJet
shall be disfranchised until their good cJn-
duct shall justify tuil restoration to clti
zenship, while the great majority OF the late
rebels may be, and are now, fully restored
besides this it labor, to get rid OF all unworthy
preiudices, and grant our coored people "a!
needed facilities to become Intelligent, self
reliant, and useful citizens labors to pa!
our lust national Indebtedness in good faith
labors to do tie greatest possible good TO tn,
greatest possible numbers, labors for peac
and the perpetuity of the Unicn of thes
United States. And who. in considering al
these thing, can help but vote for GRAN
and CoLFAX? BRADY.
Madam, said polite traveller to al
eccentric lady, IF see fit to help mysel
to this milk, is there any impropriety il