Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1871-08-02
ADDRESS
OF the Republican State COMMITTEES o.
PennsvlVania.


more to the people of this State for theil
support, points with just pride to its record
and it fearlessly claims the renewed conf
dence of the people because it has beer
faithful to its trust, and is committed to the
only line of policy that can secure continued
prosperity to the State and Nation.
The Republicans of this State first carried
both branches of the legislature in 1859, and
first elected Governor in 1860. Since then
it has held control Of the legislative and e1-
ecutive branches of the government unit
last winter, when the Democrats obtained
control, temporarily, of the Senate
In 1861, when Gov. Curtin came into Of
flee, the State Debt, in round numbers, was
$40, 900. Shortly afterwards the South
ern 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.
IL the ten years that have since passed
away, this war loan of So, 500, 900 has been
paid off; the State debt has been reduced
from $40, ,000,C00 to little over $29, ,000,-
600; 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has been repealed; the tax on professions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 off the an
nual contribution of the State to the Public
Schools has been greatly enlarged /; system
of schools has been built up tor the educa-
ton and support Of the orphans of soldiers
who died in the war-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 elected
their Presidential candidate in 1860, and
succeeded, against many angry threats from
the opposition, in putting him in office in
March. 1851 Almost Immediately after
wards the government was confronted by an
armed rebellion in the South, (openly as
well as secretly encouraged by many Demo
Gratis in the North, whose sympathies still
remain with those who then took arms to
overthrow the government,) and was com
PEELED to maintain the honor Of the national
flag and the integrity OF the country al
whatever cost; and the four years war
which followed necessarily entaicd heavy
debt and burdensome taxation upon the
people.
Since the suppression of the rebellion,
the country has not only returned to peace
but to prosperity. The fears of many that
~ ,,lI ln ho IL tod har lpHnS-
try paralyzcd, and her people ruined, have
not been realized. No people ever recover
ed so soon, SO steadily and so surely, from
the consequences of war, as we have done;
influences of civil strife we are mainly in
debted to the fostering hand held out by the
national government to the industries of the
people.
Among the necessities growing out of the
the MAJ ional Government found
itself compelled to submit to the States for
their ratification, three amendments to the
Constitution-one known as the thirteenth
abolishing slavery another, (the tour;eeth)
securing the rights of citizens to the enfran-
chiscd slaves, and prohibiting the repudia-
tion of any part of the National debt, or
the payment Of any part of the Rebel debt;
and another (the ffteenth) prohibiting the
States from excluding any one from the right
of suffrage on account of race, color, or pre-
vious condition of servitude
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 achievement of an
cient or modern times. No party ever be-
fore undertook so great task and its ac>
in so short space of time,
is 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 ma
tion; and no party is so fit to be entrusted
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 car
ry it out
Daring the war for suppressing the Re
bellion, and in carrying out the great meas
ures which have necessarily flowed from it,
the Democratic party has continuously been
in the opposition. 1t opposed the adoption
of stringent measures to put down the Re
beilion; the leyying of troops to suppress it;
the borrowing Of money to pay the cost of
the war; the Emancipation Proclamation of
President Lincoln; the adoption of all the
amendments to the Constitution the re
measures by which the revolted
States were brought back into the Union
and, generally, every measure necessary to
the successful prosecution of the war, or to
the successful restoration of peace.
At present, too, 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 a semi-re-
pudiation of that debt by paying it in a
deprecated currency, if paid 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 condition