Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1876-01-19

HoME, January l7th, ls70.

HOME, January nth, 1879.
That the enemies Of tho Democratic
organisation are willing at all times to
sink their own principles in any scheme
that promises to bring success TO them
and defeat us, needs no proof to those
who remember tho repeated change
of principles and Of name their party
has undergone, In days past they
have changed their name, covered them.
selves with darkness and avoided light,
appealed to prejudice, and ignored
sense and reason, and did all OF these
only TO beat and defeat the success OF
our principles, Their victory was
short.lived and our resurrection came
quickly. !.
History repeats itself, and Jefferson's
maxim, "The arraignment OF abuses
at the bar Of public reason is again
forgotten and ignored, and Grant and
his party are preparing now to seek
darkness and avoid light. They will
not appeal TO reason, but are endeav-
oring TO arouse prejudice and passion
Secret societies and oath-bound con-
claves are about TO DO substituted for
an appeal to tho intelligence Of the pco-
pie. II any one doubts that the sole
purpose of these political secret socic
ties is TO deceive Democrats and TO
perpctuate the power Of those who
have brought the country to its pres.
ent condition, lot him remember 1850
aud its dark.lantcrn history, Why
are the o, U. AS brought to the front
now? Why Is 1t necessary to meet at
midnight, and with the right hand on
the Bible and the left on the flag, swear
to bo secret and TO support the Consti.
tuition and the Common Schools2 Who
are attacking them ? Who can attack
them under the Constitution n The
answer Is o plain ono, This .. y. A,
Society and lts kindred, the 76ers, are
intended only 70 capture silly Demo
erats 10 fnaintain Radical power Look
around you wbo led them among you 2
fs It Democrats in whom you have
cuhfdcncs2 Mol the very worst elc-
ment of Radiralism in your county is
at its head, and you blindly follow An
appeal to prejudice BY men who seek
public office and political power is no
new thing, but it is strange thing
that those who believe in the principles
of Democracy are willing to follow
such leaders through the o. U. AS
and the '76ers into the camp of Grant
and the Radicals. DO The blind lead
The blind? How earnest is the convert
who has already been the leader of fac
tion when he meets you at the door
and speaks for you, proclaiming that
you "have been oppressed by capital-
lists and have come for relief And
how true his words were too, If you
happened to be man who has sought
office for years and was never known
to labor, or was then living on the in
dustry Of your wife, or was an active
seeker for a deputy-sbip about the
Court House. In all of these cases,
you and each of you needed relief
With wha. JUNCTION you must have re-
ceived the lecture of the ldborioS school
master, who told you his object was
to protect you against the expressions
of capital, and how the sonorous periods
of this long -winded address must have
split the ears Of the groundllngs. And
then comes the oath. How grave and
solemn The open Bible in the centre
of the sacred place. How binding and
how forcible Administered by those
who neither follow Its precepts, nor be-
lieve IFS teachings of course, you
were bound by that oath TO vote for
and elect to Office q man who neither
believed nor followed its teachings.
And then the terrible penalty Hear
the Judge pronounce the anathema :
"If you reveal the secrets of this Or
"ganization, or violate its injunctions,
eve will hurl at your head curse so
"potent that you will never recover
from it." Duck your head or send for
the doctori
But enough. We reserve for the
future more of the workings of the
majestic power of the secret circle.
A secret oath-bound organization
for political purposes is always wrong
ira free State and among free peo-
pie. 1t is sure to become the tool OF
It's worst members, and TO be used for
the vilest purposes. Are the manipu-
lators of this organization men who
labor ? Are they recognized as pure
and honorable men? Are they street
brawlers, political mendicants, or va
grant ofiice-scckcrs ? There are hon
est men in all such associations, but
they become the tools OF designing
demagogues and are deceived to for
ward the ends of those who betray
them. The liberty Of obeying their
own judgment is taken from them.
They are sworn to obey the command
of those who lead. Is this liberty II
you have grievances, does your com
mon sense tell you this is the way to
correct them Is it not wiser to heed
the maxims Of Jefferson, and arraign
the abuses that oppress you at the bar
of public reason? Remember you arc
following the blind into the camp OF
Radicalism, and you are forgetting
your own COMMON SENSE.
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