Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1876-11-01
7TLDEN AND Reform.
THE UNION SOLDIERS AND SAILORS RE-
FORM ASSOCIATION ADDREss,--To OUR
FORMER COMRADES AND BROTHERS IN
ARMS, THE PATRIOTIC UNION SOLDIERS
AND SAILORS OF FAMERIcA-r5RErvIYG.

COMRADES; For number Of years
past, many good citizens, without re-
gard to their former political aflinitics
have seriously deprecated and earnest
ly denounced the persistent and dicta
torial spirit in which Radical leaders
have long been and are still attempt
ing to relsindle the old war feeling Of
animosity, and to make use of semi
military organizations for mere parti-
san ends; these efforts, tending TO force
upon the country the false impression
that Republicans alone fought tho bat.
ties Of the Union cause; that none ol
tho soldiers of that army can now be
expected to vote any other than the
Radical ticket that every Union sol
dicr must still array himself against a
section OF our country, and continue to
denounce the people he helped to over.
come in civil war; people who laid
down their arms, surrendered to supe-
rior power, and returned TO their duty
and their allegiance more than eleven
years ago; while no occasion has been
lost, since the war in which grand ma.
tional Soldiers and Sailors Convcn.
tions and Reunions, ,swelled by paradcs
of the "boys in blue" the GAR, and
other military politico associations and
leagues, that they have not been made
to subservc the purposes of engcnder-
ing sectional strife and perpctuating
Radical Republican misruIe. VI
Longer forbeaance of this policy
has now ceased to be virtue. 1t has
been firmly determined that duty and
honor alike demand that we call for q
general enrolment OF all our old com.
rades who are sincerely dcsirous OF the
public good, and who, untrammeled by
party dictatlon, are opposed TO the art
ful revival of the old war cries without
occasion, and who see the necessity for
the overthrow OF the corrupt party in
power and the preservation Of consti-
tutional government In the election
and Triumph of Tilden and Reform
At the close of the war, in the year
1865, the Radical party had reached
the summit of political power, with no
check to its intolerance, save the scru-
pies Of the President, and this was in.
sufficient to restrain its vipdictiveness.
The Congress offered to the people the
18th, 18th and 18th amendments to
the constitution as the basis of its re-
construction. These amendments were
accepted and We're ratified by tho lie
gislatures OF three -fourths OF the States.
The congressional cnactmcnts passed
to enforce these conditions were sub
mitted to, and acquiesccd in, in good
faith. The southern people were thus
restored to all their civil rights by oil
the forms OF law, and it is now but a
mockcry and reputation of the terms
Of their contract, at every returning
election, to threaten them ngain with
the grim trade of death, and to lift
still higher the bleeding testament OF
war. Bloody instructions indeed, which
will return but to plague the inventor.
We appeal to you to take up this
work with us and assist in carrying ii
forward to successful issue in every
State which sent regiment Of Union
soldiers to the war. We wish TO see
the enrolment Of every friend of our
cause who served in the Union army,
and we earnestly recommend the per-
icction, at the same time, Of such local, /,
congressional and state associations, as
shall organize, complete and bring
forth to the election, the soldiers and
sailors vote, in solid column, along
the whole line, and throughout the
country. Let US show to these now in
power, our firm convictions of the me-
ccssity Of return to an honest and
constitutional administration OF the
government by our independent cxer.
else of suffrage. For this we fought in
tho battles OF the Union. The preser
walton Of that Union was q duty para
mount to all Others, but the unframed
cd exercise Of the citizens right ofsuf-
iragc Is not secondary to IL. We sho'd
not permit any consideration of politi-
cal advantage or partisan associations
to mislead us from the duties which
we owe TO the present exigcncy rs well
as 10 tho future welfare Of tho whole
country. Lot us show by our voices
and votes that We are still 100000
strong, aftcr all our losses, In support