Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1868-09-24
NEW SERIES--VOL. 8, NO, 10,

President Iinooln's or even Winter
J Davis project wherein did they de-
part from a Republican form That
! which the Constitution authorizes and
enioins us TO guarantee is the form
IL gives no authority 10 touch the in.
ternal administration of the govern
ment Of any of the States on the
contrary, it reserves that powor to'the
several States. This pretense Of right
TO interfere with the local governments
of the States is miserable sophism
resting on false assumption. 1t is
not true, as is assumed, that any one
Of these States, when interfered with
by Congress, had not republican form
government, or that any one Of them
attempted TO adopt any other form.
The forms were various, but all rspub
licau, Hike the constitutions Of tho orig
lnal States at the time they adopted
this guarantee ind Congress, when
they interfered, under pretense of exc
cutting this guarantee, destroyed the
actual republican form, and imposed
on the States, in its stead a military
despotism IL were idle to-assert the
contrary; the events are recent; they
occurred in the presence of us all, and
stand for the information of present
and future ages, recorded in our annals
1t is strange TO hear it pretended by
intelligent men in the presence of
thinking, reasoning public, that the
placing Of ten States under absolute
military rule is legitimate carrying
out Of the constitutional provision,
which requires the United States to
guarantee to each State republican
form Of government. The appeal TO
the guarantee was simply a false pre-
tense; the object unmistakably was
not 10 secure 10 those States republi-
can forms of government, but a gov
ernment in form and fact which would
secure their seventy votes 10 continue
the Republican party in power. To
excuse the arbitrary measures taken
TO effect this object, facts are pervert
ed, language wrested from its true
meaning, and the rights which the
Constitution was framed 10 secure are
secuted and despised.
Mr.. Morton admits that the Crit
tenden resolutions amounted to a
pledge that, having put down the re-
bellion, we would not disturb the do
nestle institutions of the States, but
restore them TO their constitutional
rights in the Union but be says, in
discussing Mr.. Lincoln's emancipation
proclamation, that if we stood by the
pledge we could not restore the Union;
''we must either stand by the Union
and let the pledge go, or stand by the
pledge and let the Union 60"
Admit this to be true; .hen /
thought, and still think it mistake,
and that as war measure it did not
strengthen, but weakened us. 1t d.
vided the North-united the South,
and alienated hundreds of thousands
in the border States. Yet it was no
breach of f.ith--it was resorted to as
war measure, ddgrdnte bello, and no
more a breach Of the pledge made in
the Crittenden resolutions than any
other act Of hostility. That pledge
related TO the use which we would
make of victory, having achieved ii
mot the means we would adopt TO
achieve it. Mr.. Lincoln, therefore,
did not violate the pledge, but IL was
violated when, after the rebel armies
surrendered or were disbanded; when
all the rebel governments were dis
solved when having restored their
republican State constitutions, as
members Of the Union, they claimed
70 accept the duties and enjoy the
rights Of States then when Congress
refused TO receive them as States, but
treated them as conquered territories,
subjected them to military govern
ment, prescribed nearly all the intel
ligent men men of the States by a
sweeping bill ofattainder, and ''raised
up in the language Of Senator Nor
ton, new set of loyal voters-planta-
tion slaves who could not tell their
names nor read their tickets, but
could vote a Republican ticket when
given them-when Congress did these
things, they violated that solemn
pledge which brought at least half q
million Union volunteers into the
field. IL was deliberate breach Of
faith, prompted by interest, not neces-
sity. 1 do not think the party profit
ed by IT,; men, that is untaught men,
love faith and detest falsehood. Be-
side this, il has involved the party in
complications from which they never
can be extricated until they are mer-
cifully relieved from the cares of gov
ernment For myself, l confess to a
lack of progress; ! stand as one of
Senator Morton's mile.posts on a de-
serted road, having learned by the
war no moral code releasing men, as
individuals, or legislative bodies, from
the obligations OF the Constitution,
or law or personal truth and honor.
Mr. Morton shows very clearly that
the guarantee Of republican forms
of government to these ten States
was all pretense. You will remom.
Der that President johnson, at the
close of the war, issued a proclama-
ton debating provisions TO be adop-
ted in the constitutions of the ten
States which would adapt them TO
the changed condition of things, and
tha. they modified their constitutions
according TO the terms of the procla-
nation. Mr.. Morton, in speaking Of
the proclamation, and il was the
same substantially as if be had been
speaking Of each Of the several consti-
tutions, says;
Il did show that the policy Of that proclamation
was even moro radical than that ni Mr.. lincoln.
j did show that it was more radical even than the
Winter Davis bin Of the summer of 1854 But
sir, Il all upon the distinct understanding that,
whatever the President did, bic whole policy or
action was 90 be suhmitoito Congress for Ne con-
adoaton and decision and, a. before rmarkcd,
Il that had been done All would have been we'll"
That is - tho proclamation was
right, even to excess the constitutions
modified in pursuance Of it were right
and would have been accepted il sub.
mitted 10 Congress but this etiquette
was neglected and ten States were