Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1871-02-01
cLEAEfTEtD PA. "WEDNESDAY y, FEBRUARY h 1871. 5l.
NEW SERIES--V0L. l2, NO A.

! ilary force delensiycly against those
who resist the Federal officers IN the
execution oftheir legal functions, and
against those who assault tho proper
" ofthe federal government, is clear
} and undcniable. :"
On the 22d Of January, Judge
, Black having "a slight attack Of rheu.
matism," could not meet with the
Cabinet, but wrote the President
letter, as "a mode of saying what |
Chez probably would have said il |
(he) had been with you (them.)" He
refers TO supposed plot of the seees-
sionists to got possession of Washing
} ton, and urges (what was afterwards
adopted) that the President provide
proper military force to see his sue
ccssor safely inaugurated, and to hold
the Capital against all hostile at
tempts. lie then cnumcrales long
list Of "gross imposturcs practiced"
recently by"the enemies OF the Union, ("
and warns the Presidnt TO listen to
no voice from that quarter. After
warm and pointed allusion TO certain
naval affairs, and the unfortunate or
der by reason Of which the comman.
der of the Brooklyn "fclL himself
compelled after he was in sight of
Fort Sumpter not to 60 in" and an
other strong appeal in behalf of Maj.
Anderson, the letter concludes
"In the forty days and forty nights yet remain
ing To this administration responsibilities NAV be
crowded greater than those which are usually in
oident to four years in more quiet times. sol
emnly believe that you hold this revolution in
ehock, and so completely put the calculation ofits
leaders out Of joint that It will subside after
time in peace and harmony. On the other hnnd,
by leaving the government On easy prey, the
spoilers will be tempted beyond their power Of
resistance and they will get such an advantage as
will bring upon the country a whole Illiad Of
woes. The short official race which yet remains
to US, must be run before cloud Of witnesses and
in order TO make the prize sure we must east
aside every weight and the sin Of stateoraf which
doth so easily beset US and look simply upon our
duty and the performance Of Il as the only prize
Of our high calling
We have not used these documents
literally, for we are not authorized TO
do so. They are not in Judge Blacks
possession, and we were not permitted
to see them with bis privity or consent.
We understand, however, that some
of them are to see the light in e.rtenso
in Col. Ward IL. Lannon's "I.ifo of
Lincoln" book which it is to be
hoped may not long be delayed. The
author would do good thing-a
thing edifying TO the "loyal" if he
should place among his pages a fac
simHe ofthe memorandum" in Mr..
Stantou's handwriting.
The following letter not being sub.
cct TO the same restrictions as the
others, VIC are permitted to print II
in full;
STATE DEPARTMENT,
January l7th, 1851.
| Ny Dear Sir ~ am much obliged By your
letter. II undoubtedly would bo a great party
move as between democrats aud black republicans
10 let the latter have civil war Of their own
making. II would also be poetcal we'll as !
political Justice to let them reap the whirlwind
which must grow ont Of the storm they sowod
But can We avoid doing somothingl i not the
business altogether beyond party eonsidoration.y
For South Carolinians compel Us to choose be- /
tween the destruction Of the government and some
kind Of defence. They have smiticn us on one
check, shall We turn the oiherl They have taken |
our coat shall we give them our cloak. alsoy The |
gospel commands this in private affairs, but the |
rule is not understood, | think, as applying to
public property held by government in trust /
for It's people. / am not in favor Of war but |
cannot resist the conviction that when war Is /
made against US a moderate selfdefcncc is right /
eovs and proper. Coereion-well / would not
about coercing South Carolina IL she would |
moi Ia ne Hat ~. -
abuses, spits upon us, commits all kinds Of out
RACES against our rights, and then cries out that
she is cocrccd il we propose to hide our dimin-
ished heads under shelter which may protect US
little better for the future.
/ agree with you that we ought not to make
civil war. Do you disagree with me in tho
opinion that we are bound 10 defend ourselves
from an unjust and illegal attack Whatever
your answer may be, it cannot prevent me from
being your friend. j. S. BLACK
HoS. A. V. Parsons.
What might not an average Radi
cal politician have done with a bold
and glorious record like this9 What
would Stanton have done with it If it
had been his A much meaner one
-one wholly subordinate to this
got him the War Department upon a
surrender of his political convictions.
With this he would have swollen be-
yond the dimensions Of mere Cabi.
net officer; he would have crowded
Mr.. Lincoln from his seat and occu-
pied il per force. There was a time
when the Radicals would have sus.
tanned him II he had done so.
OF what is here written no word is
intended to reflect injuriously upon
Mr.. Buchanan. Judge Blacks union.
ism was not more intense than his
When they differed it was not about
the end, but about the means and dc,
tails. In one Of these letters from
Wheatland in the latter part Of 1861,
when they were both private citizens,
Mr.. Buchanan refers to the past with
a touch of friendly paihos, and recall.
ling Judge Blacks remark that he
(Mr. Buchanan) "had conceded too ,
much to the South" while in power, j
and too much TO the Republicans
when out Of power, be admits that
they had honestly differed about con.
clusions, but never about facts" ITO
wards you" Gays he, amy heart is in
tho right place" and times and events
have shown that throughout this
broad land, no heart beat trucr in ro.
turn, than that of his correspondent
Dix went over to the enemy and got
high place; Stanton betrayed him
basely in the hour of his utmost need '
Holt sold himself for prico and be. {
came hideous and bloody monster
in the service of his new master.-- I
Alone of all these trusted friends who I
had taken his Office and sat in his
council, upon whom he had relied for
the care of his fame against the day !
Of trial and trouble, Judge Black re- {
mained true to the end, Singular it !
is, that the only man in his Cabinet ]
who had the courage TO offer him un- J
welcome counsel, should como forward !
after the lapse of years 10 rescue his ]
memory from the host of vcnal de- I
iamers that besot IL on every side,and {
i'm doing so. (strnnOcst Of all in these I