Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1871-07-29
Address OF the Republican state
Committee Of FennsyIyania.

Address Of 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 conf
dence ofthe people because it has been faith
ful to its trust, and is com mitted to the
only line of policy that can secure continu-
ed prosperity to the State and nation.
The Republicans of this State first car
ried both branches of the Legislature in
1859, and first elected Governor in 1860.
Since then it has held control of the legis-
latve and executive branches ofthe govern
ment until last winter, when the Democrats
obtained control, temporarily, of the sem
ate.
In 1861, when Governor Curtin came in
to office, the State debt, in round numbers,
was $40,000,000. Shortly afterward the
southern rebellion broke out, and the State
was compelled to borrow SO, 100000, 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, 500, 900 has been
paid Off; tho State debt has been reduced
from $40, 600, 900 to little over $40, 900, 900;
the three mill tax which was levied for
State purposes on real estate prior to 1861
has been repealed; the tax on professions
and occupations has been taken of, 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 war-a noble
benefaction costing over half a million
yearly; and the affairs Of the State, gener-
ally, have been so managed as to secure
prosperity to the people.
The Republicans of the nation elected
their Presidential candidate in 1860, and
succeeded, against many angry threats
from the opposition, in putting him in
Office in March, 1861. Almost Immediate
ly afterward the government was confront
ly as well as secretly encouraged by many
Democrats 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 nation flag and the integrity of the
country at whatever cost; and the four
years. war which followed necessarily en-
tailed heavy debt and burdensome taxa
tion upon the people.
Since the suppression of the rebellion,
the country has not only returned to peace
but to prosperity. The fears ofmany that
the nation would be backrupted, her in
dustry paralyzed, and her people ruined,
have not been realized. No people ever
recovered so soon, so steadily and so surely,
from the consequences of war, as we have
done; and for this recovery from the des-
tructive influences OF civil strife we are
mainly indebted to the fostering hand held
out by the national government to the in
dustries of the people,
Among the necessities growing out of
the rebellion the national governerment
found itself compelled to submit to the State
for their ratification three amendments to
the Constitution-one known as the thir-
tcenth), abolishishing slavery; another (the
fourteenth), securing the rights of citizens
to the enfranchised slaves, and prohibiting
the reputation of any part of the national
debt, or the payment ofany part of the
rebel debt; and another (the iifteenth), pro,
hibiting the States from excluding any one
from the right of suffrage on account of
rase, color, Or previous condition Of servi-
tude.
These three amendments having all been
duly ratified in the method pointed out by
the Constitution, are now component
part of that instrument Their adoption
stands as the grandest peaceful achieve
ment of ancient of modern times. No
party ever before undertook so great task;
and its accomplishment in 50 short peace
of time is q work of which the Republican
party may well feel proud.
To secure the complete protection of
these emancipated and enfranchised people
is now one of the unquestioned duties of
the nation; and no party is so fit to be en-
trusted with that duty as the party which
has done the preliminary work. The party
which has hitherto continuously resisted
the policy thus established, is not the one
now to carry it out.
During the war for suppressing the re-
bellon, and in carrying out the great
measures which have necessarily flowed
from it, the Democratic party has continu-
ously been in the opposition. 1t opposed
the adoption of stringent measures to put
down the rebellion; the levying of troops
to suppress it, the borrowing of money to
pay the cost Of the war; the Emancipation
of President Lincoln; the adoption of all
! the amendments TO the Constitution; the
reconstruction measures by which tho re-
volted States were brought back into the
Union; and, generally, every measure ne
cessary to the successful prosecution of the
war or to the successful restoration of
| peace.
At present, it is opposed to the means
necessary for raising revenue to pay The
interest on the public debt, and secure its
steady reduction; is in favor of n semi-re-
pudiaton of that debt by paying il in de-
preciated currency, ifpaid at all; is watch
ing for an opportunity to annul the new
amendments to the Constitution; and is
generally committed to any line of policy
which will remit the country to its condi-
tion prior to 1860.
1t may be urged here that the Demo
cratic party of this State, in the ninth re-
solution Of the platform adopted by its
late State Convention, has acquiesced il
the adoption of the amendments Of the
Constitution we have referred to, and can
not be now charged with hostility to them
We answer that the acquiescence express
ed in that resolution has not, itself, beeI
acquiesced in by the rank and file of TIN
party. Over one-third of the Convention
voted strenuOusly against it, and the ac
tion of the Convention has since been repu
dated by many leading men and Journal
of the party. Besides, whatever acquie
scence has been given, has been givel
sullenly and not heartily-as a matter G
policy, springing from party necessity, AM
: not from conviction of its propriety
, Whatever vote has been honestly given
or voice sincerely raised for this ''new dc
parture," it may very properly be regard