The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1871-08-01
ADDRESS
To the 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 its trust,
and is committed to the only line of
policy that can secure continual pros.
perity to the State and Nation.
The Republicans of this State first
carried both branches of the legisla-
ture in 1859 and first elected a cover.
nor in 1860. Since then it has held
control of the legislature and execu-
tive branches of the government until
last winter. when the Democrats OBJ
tanned control, temporarily, of the
State.
In 1861 when Gov. Curtin came in.
to office, the State Debt in round mum.
bers, was s40,000,0O0. Shortly after
wards the Southern Rebellion broke
out, and the State was compelled to
borrow S3,500,000, 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 SO. .5O0.-
00O has been paid of. The State Debt
has been reduced from $4,000, 900. to
a little over $29,00O,O00; the three
mill tax which was levied for the State
purposes on real estate prior to 1861,
has been repealed; the tax on profes-
sions, and occupations, has been taken
Oft The annual contribution of the
State to the Public Schools has been
greatly enlarged; a system of schools
has been built up for the education and
support of the orphans of soldiers who
died in.the wa--a noble benefaction,
costing over half million yearly !;
and the affairs of the State generally,
have been SO managed as to secure
prosperity to the people.
The Republicans Of the nation elect
ed their Presidential candidate in 1860,
and succeeded against many angry
threats from the opposition, in putting
him in office in March, 1861. Almost
Immediately afterwards the govern
ment was confronted by an armed re-
bellion in the South, (openly as we'll
as secretly encouraged by many Dem
ocrats in the North. whose sympathies
still remain with those who then took
up arms to overthrow the government
and was compelled TO maintain the
honor of the national flag and the in
tegrity of the country, at whatever
cost and the four years war which
followed necessarily entailed a heavy
debt and burdensome taxation upon
the people.
Since the suppression of the rebel
lion, the country has not only return
ed to peace but to prosperity. The
fears OF many, that the nation would
be bankrupted, her industl y paralized,
and her people ruined, have not been
realized. No people ever recovered
so soon, so steadily and surely, from
the consequences of war, as we have
done; and for this recovery from the
destructive influences of civil strife,
we are mainly indebted to the foster
ing hand held out by the national gov
nment TO the industries of the people.
Among the necessities growing out
of the Rebellion the National Gov
ernment found itself compelled to sub
NIT to the States for their ratification,
three amendments to the Constitution
--one (knowp as the thirteenth) abol-
ishing slavery; another (the four
teenth) securing the rights of citizens
to the epfranchised slaves, and pre-