Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1871-07-12
DRESS
or THE
Democratic State Committee.
Powerful Indictment Of Radicalism-Rot-
tenness of the Notwithstanding
incapacity of Grant.
To the People Of PennsNlvanIa.

NNI'N W N''h'g
Tho Executive Committee of the
Democracy Of this State, to whom the
following address was referred by the
recent State Convention, now present
the same to you MS embodying some
of the reasons which aotuatc and con.
trol the organization they represent:
We here solemnly renew our often
repeated declaration of fidelity to the
great principles upon which our party
has acted from the time of its first
organization. Our ultimate objects
are those Of our fathers when they
adopted the federal constitution, viz
ITO form a more perfect union, to
establish justice, to insure domestic
tranquility, to promote the general
welfare, to provide for the common
defense, and secure the blessings OF
liberty to ourselves and our posterity."
We sincerely believe that the govern
ment of the United States, admins
tered as it was in former days, with a
direct view TO the advancement of
these principles, would do for us and
for our children all that any people
can reasonably desire from the politi
cal system under which they live.
We are equally sure that, if not car
ried out in the spirit OF those by whom
it was framed, it must become curse,
instead OF q blessing Situated as we
are, obedience to The fundamental law
means not only tho honest perform
ance Of sworn obligations, but free.
dom, peace, and prosperity TO all
classes of the people. On the other
hand, the usurpation OF interdicted
or undelegated power is not only a
crime in itself, but the fruitful parent
OF other crimes, and will lead, as it
has already led, to indefinite misgov.
ernment, corruption, and tyranny,
subverling all liberty and rendering
the rights Of all men insecure.
When we speak of the federal con.
stitutfon, we mean the whole instru.
ment, with all its amendments, and
acknowledge the equal obligation of
every part, Several of those amend.
ments were carried by brute force,
and by frauds upon the public will so
glaring as to take from their authors
all claims upon our respect. But we
cannot deny that they have actually
became part of the constitution; nor
can we avoid that fact, or get behind
it, by showing the corrupt misconduct
of the men who at that time controlled
Congress and mastered the State leg.
islatures. Whosoever swears to sup.
port the constitution must perform all
that is "nominatcd in the bond" Any
change which experience and reason
shall prove to be desirable must be
made in the prescribed way, and not
by revolutionary or disorderly means.
TUE DECLARATION OF ISL.
No candid person will deny that the
leading men in power ut Washington
have been unfaithful to their duties.
They have broken the pledges they
made TO the people, and, in reckless
disregard Of their oatbs, they have
violated the plainest provisions of the
constitution. They have deprived the
States OF IL cir sacred right Of self.
government in matters purely local,
and disarmcd them of the power TO
enforce their own laws for the prcser-
walton OF order within their own boun-
daries; they have passed bills of pains
and penalties operating on millions AT
once without regard to the guilt OF
innocence of the parties; they have
tramplcd on all the securities of life
liberty and property; treated the
hdJeds corpus law with contempt, and
denied the right of trial by jury; they
have sent out swarms of their hirplinl
agents with instructions to kidnup
imprison, aud kill free citizens FOL
political offences, without judicial accu
sation. without warrant, and withou
legal trial. They have not only trod
den upon the great principles embodied
in the original constitution rs II cam'
from the hands of its trainers, but evol
the amendments, which they them
selves interpolated, have been broker
without remorse whenever II suitc'
their interests. In defiance Of tn
XllIth, they have doomed many per
sons TO tho worst kind of"slavery o