Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1870-06-15

President had authority 20 declare
war and begin hostiIities, by anticipa-
tion, against all the people at once,
and put them all in the attitude of
public enemies without regard to
their personal guilt or innocence.
Apart from the religious obligation
of his oath, no loved the Constitution
of his country on his own account, as
the best Government the world ever
saw. ] do not expect you to sympa-
tbizc with this feeling; your affections
are otherwise engaged. But can you
not make some allowance for his at
lachment to that great compact which
was framed by onr forofathers to Sc
cure union, justice, peace, State indie
pcndcnce aud individual liberty for
ourselves and our postcrityg
Another thing All his predecessors
governed their conduct by similar
notions of fidelity to the Constitution.
In peace and in war; in prosperity
and disaster, through all changes, in
spite Of all threats and provocations,
they had kept thoir oaths and assu.
med no ungranied power 1t was the
most natural thing in the world for
Mr.. Buchanan to follow the example
of such men as Washington, Madison
and Jackson, rather than the precepis
Of those small but fcrocious politicians
who thought their own passions and
interests "bighor law" than the laws
of the country.
Again: All his advisers-not !
alone, but all of them-expresscd the
clear and unhcsiiating opinion that
his view Of the law on the subject Of
coercing States was right. His legal
duty being settled, not one among
them ever brcathcd a suggestion that
he ought TO violate it.
Besides: There was q question Of
natural Justice, as well rs legal pro
priety, involved in making war upon
The States at that time. Nine tcnths
of the Southern people were thor
oughly devoted to the Union, and
had committed no sin against it even
in thought Would il have been well
TO bring the visitation of fire, sword,
and famine upon whole communities
ofinnoccnt personsg You will proba.
ably answer this in the affirmative.
You think that no opportunity TO
shed the blood and plumber the prop
erly of men, women and children
who live beyond the Potomac ought
ever to be lost. Mr. Buchanan might
have seized that occasion TO initiate
John Brown on q large scale, and
thus made hinselfa "heroic character
in your eyes. But you must be aware
that he would have been regarded by
the mass OF men as a moral monster
and the admiration of yourself and
; your party in Massachusetts would
have been but poor compensation
for the eternal weight of iniamy witt
which tho rest Of the world would
have loaded his memory.
Further still: You know that th,
. General.in Chief OF the army had re
ported FIVE companies as the Who'll,
! available force for operation in th,
/ South, aud You never proposed L
Z increase it. Yet you wanted war
Why2 You must have desired th,
f Union cause 10 be disgraccd and de
D fcatcd, for nothing else could havl
5 resulted from such war as you nov
Q abuse Mr. Buchanan for not making
!. You and your party 10 Congress wcr
= strirtlv non. .comtnittal. NOu did no
- recommend peace, nor offer your sup
f port to war You would take nciibc
h The olive branch nor the sword. Nol
= refused to settle, and you made NJ
o preparation for the contest But yO
h reveal now what was then the secrc
@ ofyour hcart-that the administraiio
4 in defiance oflaw, and without means
< would declare war on its own respor
n sibiity. This would have been a
II expulsion of the Southern States iror
/. the Union, for it would have place
}. all their people beyond the protcctio
4 of Federal law; they would ncccssi
% rily rise in self defense; our It'll
h army OF five hundred men would pei
q ish in fortnight before the iourt
4 of March The independence Of Oh
r. South would be n settled fact.
come now to the more imporiar
(. part of your article, which dlrectl
% concerns Mr. Stanton Your attack
). upon Buchanan, Touccy and ThomI
Of son, might be safely passed in silcnc
a but tho character Of Stanton mui
n utterly perish If it be not deicndc
against your praise
ID You give us the first iniormatio
VIC ever had that Mr. Stanton, thong
n. acting with the Democratic pau.
,e was an abulitionist at heart almo
IA from his earliest youth For this Ca
you vouch bis declaration TO Judl
re Chase more than thirty years ago, /
@ Columbus, Ohioj aud you attempt
vs. corroboratc il by citing his associate
at Washington with Dr. Bailey an
-v other aboltionisis II you tell ii
nj truth, be was tho most marvcllol
a. impos,cr that ever lived or died.
Il Among US, his political principles wei
.nl lhorght TO bo as well known Us "a
,g name and occupation. lie never allo'
~ ed his fidelity 20 be doubted for oi
~ moment. 1t was perfectly undcrs,o'
nd that ho had no afllnitios whaicy
with men of your schools in morals,
.al politics. His condemnation Of d
n abolitionists was unsparing for th,
lac hypocrisy, their corruption, the
m. enmity to the Constitution, aud the
/. lawlcss disregard for the rights
ko States and individuals Thus he W
the confidence Of Democrats. On
ed faith Of such professions we promot
a him in his business, and gave hi
ire Office honor and fortune. But, /
IL cording to your account, ho was
nd the while waiting and hoping for
its time when he could betray the CO
,ar siitution and its friends in the err
nd clutches of their enemies. For Il
,rd cold bloodcd and deliberate trcachc
or YOU bespcak the admiration of I
.hc American people. You might as W
led propose to canonize Judas lscariot