Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1872-11-27
Ia SUGGESTION

IA SUGGESTION. H
1T being in order for the Press to
advise upon tho changes in the Con
stitution, we would be out Of the fash
ion Of tho day did we abstain from
putting in word. t,tf ge.lytf.
1t seems 10 us that ono very import
ant object which the Convention should
endeavor 10 attain, would bc TO devise
some means by which to lessen the
influence Of tho United States govern
ment upon tho elections of all officers
under the State government. The
Government Of the United States has
become so powerful, and appears 80
much disposed to absorb all power
over the States, that the quicker 1t is
curbed in all it's illegitimate outreach-
ing, the better for the people and a
due care of that virtue, liberty and
independence, which is the motto of
Pennsylvania, would appear TO require
at the hands Of this Convention some
efficient action in that direction. A
provision disfranchising all United
States Office e-holders, and making 1t a
penal otfcnse for any of them to inter-
fere in any way in any election held
under the laws Of the State, would be
move in the right direction.
The people of Pennsylvania a little
more than month ago, met in their
several election districts TO choose
three high State officers as well as
members of the State Legislature, and
also to elect twenty seven persons to
represent tho State in the Congress OF
the United States. The chief organ
izer of one of thetwo parties in that
State contest is, and has been for
about twelve years, an office holder of
the general government; the most
Industrious as well as probably the
most INSCRIPTIONS public speaker on
that side was another pensionor upon
the general government These two
instances are mentioned, not because
they are singular but because they are
familiar; there was not in all the
State solitary offico-holdor under
the United States, who did not spend
most of his time in electioneering for
the administration, save perhaps few
holders Of obscure post-ofiices, tho
whole annual salary of which did not
equal tho tax assessed upon them for
the Radical election fund
Such conduct is simply disgraceful
and the time was when the, hired SER
wants of the government would not
have dared to set themselves up as in
structors of the people. The people |
in former days would have pelted the
mercenary crew with the very bread !
and butter they were toiling TO pre-
serve; but they don't become indig- |
nant now at exhibitions of party sub
serviency; the political virtue of half
q century ago has been so wonderfully
diluted Of late years, that it requires
an adept in political chemistry to dis
cover the merest trace of that valua-
bic substance in the office. holders of
the present day; and nothing short
of some such action as has been above
suggested will preserve the liberty Of
the people or the independence of the
States.
A good deal has been said in refer
ence to other questions which are
likely to engage the attention of the
Convention, but we know of nothing
bearing more Immediately upon tho |
well being OF the State than the pres
ervation Of its entire independence
from the money, the patronage, and
the military power Of the general gov
'ernment. The Introduction of the
Marines into the election in Philadel-
phia in 1871, suggests the propriety Of
a provision denouncing exemplary |
punishment to any officer, soldier, or
sailor, in the United States Army or
Navy, who shall appear armed within
any part OF the State upon the day Of
election; surely Pennsylvania can pre-
serve peace within her own borders
without the aid Of the mercenaries of
the general Government If she can
not, the Governor if the Legislature is
not in session, can call for assistance
after tho State authority has been
proved to be Intellectual
To the Radical members of the
Convention it will readily occur, that
although the party with which they
affiliate may bold the power for the
present, these things win change and
do change. Their party has not the
strength the Democratic party had in
1852. Another set of men may rulo
in Washington, if not in the near fu-
ture, yet at some time and makers of
Constitutions should build for the fu-
ture. The principle we are pressing
would be admitted to be a correct one
by every Radical member of that
body, if Democrat was President
and the Democratic party held pos
session of the two houses OF Congress
In that contingency, there is not one
Of them who would not be as earnest
TO preserve Pennsylvania from dicta-
tion as we are to-day. If the princi-
pie is sound one let it be placed as a
protection to the people In our Organic
law w-PittSburgh Post.