The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-07-27
ADDRESS
Of tho Republican State Committee OF
Pennsylvania.

Of tho Republican State Committee OF
... Pennsylvania.
The Republican party, in appealing
once more to the people OF this state
for their support, points with just pride
to its record, and it fearlessly claims
the renewed confidence of the people
because it has been faithful to lis trust,
and is committed to the only line of
nolicv that can secure continued pros
perity to the State end Nation.
The Republicans OF this State hrst
carried both branches of the Legislature
in 1869, and first elected a Governor in
1SGO. Since then it has held control OF
the legislative and executive branches
of the government until last winter,
when the Democrats obtained control,
temporarily, of the Senate:
In 1861, when Gov. Curtain came
into office, the State Debt, in round num-
bers, was $40, 100000. Shortly after
wards the Southern Rebellion broke
out. and the State was compelled to
: borrow S9,500,000, to arm the troops
and protect our borders, thus adding
that much to the State Debt.
In the ten years that have since
passed away, this war loan of 5000
900 has been paid of; the State Debt
has been reduced from SAC, 600, 900 to a
little over S29, 100000; the three mill
tax which was levied for State purposes
on real estate prior to 1861 has beer,
repealed; the tax on professions and
.oceupations has been taken OF; the
annual contributions of the State to the
Public Schools has been greatly ell
larged; system of schools has been
built up for the education and support
of the orphans of soldiers who died in
the war-a noble benefaction, costing
over half million yearly; and the at.
fairs of the State, generally, have been
so managed as to secure prosperity tc
the people.
The Republicans of the nation elect
ed their Presidential candidate in lS6O
and succeeded, igainst many angrS
threats from the opposition, in putting
him in Office in March, 1861. Almos
Immediately afterwards the governmen
was confronted by an armed rebellion il
the South, (openIy as we'll as secretly
encouraged by many Democrats in tn'
North, whose sympathles still remail
with those who then took arms to over
throw the government,) and was com
pelled to maintain the honor OF the ma
tional flag and the integrity OF tn
country at whatever cost; and the tou
years war which followed necessarily en-
tailed heavy debt and burdensom
taxation upon the people.
Since the suppression of the re9e
lion, the country has not only returne
to peace but to prosperity. The feal
of many that the nation would be oant
rupted, her industry paralyzed, and he
people ruined, have not been realized
No people ever recovered SO soon,
steadily and so surely, from the cons
ouences of war, as we have done; an
for this recovery from the destruch,
influences of civil strife we are main
indebted to the fostering hand held o.
by the national government to the II
dustries OF the people.
Among the necessities growing o
of the Rebellion the National Cover
ment found itself compelled to subn
to the States for their ratification, thr
amendments to the Constitution o.
tkuown as the thirteenth) abolishil
slavery; another, (the fourteenth,)
curing the rights of citizens to the
franchized slaves, and prohibiting t
repudiation of any part of the Natlor
debt, or the payment of any part OF t
Rebel debt; and another (the fifteenth
prohibiting the States from excludl
any one from the right of suffrage
account OF race, color, or previous e(
dition of servitude.
These three amendments having
been duly ratified in the method POI
ed out by the Constitution, are now
component part of that instrume
str, Their adoption stands as the grand
si peaceful achievement OF ancient
ia modern times. No party ever BET
undertook SO great task; and its
complishment, in so short a space
ou time, is a work of which the Repu
can party may well feel proud.
71raIi'T To secure the complete protection
~ these emancipated and entranchi
= people is now one of the unquestlo
duties of the nation; and no party
so Ct to be entrusted with that duty
the rarty which has done the preIll
nary work. The party which has h
erto continuously resisted the po
thus established, is not the one, nov
carry it out.
During the war for suppresSlng