Bloomsburg democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1867-1869, 1868-01-22
NO.4G.

" -i-Hht ~ fdtaf.h h4AyOeNIIOe
nearly al might, doubtless, be mat erl.lly
improved. The policy Is not sound cne
that crowds together, indiscrilninatcly, chill.
drcn and others convicted Of their flyst and
triaing offences with men and women
whose whole lives have been blackcned
with crimo. ~ '''1
NATIONAL ATFAIRS.
\ brief reference to the condition of tho
country will DO proper, and will doubtles,
be expected by all who were earnest IL
their desires aud cooperation for the sup.
preston Of the rebellion, .ni who arc. now
equally in earnest in their wishes and en-.
deavors to secure an early, final and Der.
mancnt settlement Of our national dificu..
ties, upon the basis Of loyalty anil patriot.
Ism. Tt r5t = o.,,,' ,.."''..
Contrary to the hopes ofthe great taassc,
Of our people, that portion Of our country
which was lately in rebellion has not yet al.
tanned complete tranquility. And this
seems to have been inevitable; for all his.
tory teaches us that . people who engag,
in the preparation Of high crimes canno.
entirely nor Immediately escape their conse
quences. Nor, perhaps, is il desirable that
they should. However this may be, II i.
certain that perfect repose cannot BE- secured
until the insurrcctionery States shall resume
their original practical relation to the Cen
erll Government. .tt t.....
How, whca and Mrouyh whom this can be
best done, is the great question Of the pres
ent. t...-
That the views and conceptions Of sin.
gle individual, however high he may be &C.
cldentally and Temporarily exalted, .houll
be allowed to control or determine this
question, cannot for moment bc consider
ed. The Constitution provides tha. tho
United States shall guarantee to every, n
State in the Union republican form Of
g g)vcrnment; and where the will Of the per.
pie is the acknowledged law Of the land, it
requires an extraordinary amount Of poli,-
cal cffrontery to assume that Chief Ey-
ccutive Of the nation, to any degree or un-
der any circumstances, is tho United States.
And yet in effect or substance. If not in
plain terms this was assumed shortly after
the surrender Of Lee and his armed forces,
BY the President; and he has continued to
act on this assumption, even in hi. late an.
nual message, in which, while claiming, in
wo. ds unknown to our fIrehihers and our
Institutions, to be the ''elected defender
'f the people, he arrogantly calls on Con-
,rcss to Immediately strike from its sat
lte books its reconstruction laws
That Congress will surrender its Plan Of
to this maniicstly despo,ie
lcmand, cannot be even imagined or con
ecturcd. That plan, carefully natural as
I was, and fully approved when it was a
iircet issue before the PEOPLE, is cmincntly
ust, wise and patriotic. 1t insists that men
who were loyal in acts during the rebellion,
'r loyal in their feelings, should alouo par
sicipatc in the immediate government Of
he "insurrcstionary districts" Going be-
'ond the mere surface, il rests ultimately
M the important doctrine, tha. the desti.
lis OF the nation can only be safe lin the
lands Of Its friends Of those whose po.
itical and moral nature remain sufficiently
'ure to feel the impulse Of patriutism anl
he obligations Of oaths. f
In my inaugural address, I said, that
While Pennsylvania will ccniiie in loyal
congress, she will not hesitate to sustain it
y her influence ana power" This 70.
eat. Nor can be induced to change thi.
purpose; nor do / believe the people Of the
State can be, by an appeal to the humanita
ianism of the age and the invocation Of
aorcy for those whose atrocious deeds have
arkcned the pages Of our history. It has
en- well said, the pity Of the magistrate
'.ich suffers criminal dangerous to society
, escape from deserved punishment, 10 net
,crcy, but weakness. Truo mercy in.
ines us to pity and relieve the unfortunate
nd guilty; but only in accordance will,
stice. And it may well be aided, that it
at least weakness, if not crime, to pe,.
il unrcpentant and only outwardly su..
led traitors to exercise the elective fran.
liso, hold Offices, or take part in the delill,
atoms aud legislation OF tho nation. Is
ability anl prosperity. the wei ar, Of the
,ople now and hereafter, canno, permit
csc things to he done. M .r,
The people Of Pennsylvania, ever true to
% Onion, and unswervins in their deter.
nation to pre- orte its honor, integrity aud
,rpe etuity, are proud and FREQ to assert tho
crcdncss Of the national debt, and that i.a
innate payment in full must be secured.
As regards the tariff, the protection Of
'me labor and resources, need only refer
the views expressed IN my inaugural,
me and continued reflection have strength
cd the views therein expressed. But
is subject is committed to the watcLful
rc Of our rcpresentativcsin in Congress, anil
is hoped their labors will bo crowned with
0 bappicst consequences, Surely tlo
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