Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1878-01-09

10 absolute cundcmnatiun,a and because
there has grown up in Pennsylvania u
spirit OF caviing at its militia, in mark.
ed contrast with tho kindly feelings
-saA .'yile c,qpiii.sted BY other States
Nh -,.I:a fA4rsxpH-@e~
thas temperate revIcw III Sav isuo
may be made, | believe it will not be
considered pirliaI judgment TO say,
that the conduct of the State troops
during the late strike was, upon the
whole, commendablo and crcditable
In Pltsburg, before u final decision,
many considerations must modify our
judgment. Tho conditions were not
purely military, IL was not simply y
question OF preserving a body OF sol
dicry intact, Of holding position or
defeating M enemy. Expecting u
march INTO friendly community,
whose moral support would be cheer
fully given them, they entered prac-
tically hostile city, were denounced
aud threatened by press aud people,
aud attacked by men who lurked IN
the security Of u sympathetic crowd,
and used women and children as shields
aud Instruments. IL, under such CIR.
oumslances, their action lacked the
energy and severity that purely mill
tury cnnons would have juslilicd, IL
cannot be- II matter al surprise, that
having SO long been accustomed TO
peace, they were unable TO comprc-
hend at once the sudden conditions of
war As II was, though not executed
with the skilled precision OF regular
troops, the movement accomplished It's
purpose, and the failure TO move the
freight trains out OF tho city, to which
more than any fact the subsequent
burning is attributable, was the result
Of the want Of eo-opelaliop OF an ade
quate and competent police, aud the
descrtion, at the critical moment, OF
the railroad employees. Tue behavior
of the Pillsburg troops, in military
sense, is without excuse; butwasit any
worse than the deieclon Of officers and
men in lhercgulur army, who, in 1861,
deserted their comrades IN arms lo JON
tho communities in which they wer,
born and bredg Such things are not
military, they are political or social
and il cannot be expected that they
should be judged by the severest mill
lary code IL was IN Tact the tempo
rary excitement of unlhinkng men
carried away by the universal clamuI
around them. For that reason, when
the burst OF passion was over, ! rein
stated them otherwise new troops
would have had TO he enlisted, Will,
these might be trusted to have keenei
sense OF duty, from q desire 10 retrieve
their fame. In the case Of the Phila
delphia troops, although dishcarlenu
by being placed on the defensive, anc
II part Of the command demoralized by
a too precipitate retreat, the genera
stoadiness aud obedience to ORDER
under comparative bardships and II
real danger, show them 70 have beer
composed Of the best Of soldier rmatc
rial. The failure 10 subdue city il
insarrcction against the laws is not I,
be attributed TO the want Of courage
capacity, or idcli,y in the officers AM
mem but to q natural Dissemination
to take life indiscrimnalcly, and th,
uncertainty as TO how far, under th,
laws, they could exercise u purely mil
itary discretion. For myself hav,
every confidence in the Guard, anC
shall not hesitate, if another occasion
should unhapplly arise, 70 rely upoI
its fidelity aud courage. Tho aite
service OF the Guard, when assemble
together prepared for active campaign
ing was all that could be desired Th'
fac, that ~ many answered the cal
tor service Likely to be long aud dan
gerous, as assembled IN the pcasan
encampment AT the Centennial, is con
elusive proof OF the general zeal an'
fidelity Of tho troops.
recognizing the exact conditions 0
the problem We have 10 solve, invu
your cooperation in making some Dc
slrablc changes IN the law, to bette
prepare the troops for active duty
Tho standing menace, in any iutnr
disturbance, that tho railroads may b.
useless for transportation, either B.,
the absolute refusal of tho engineer
and crews to man them, or from track
being torn up or bridges burned, make
il necessary to fully equip the mllltl
for long marches and the field, bx
cept In one or two instances, tho troop
although in receipt OF the rcgula
yearly allowance ofmoney. We're FOAM
provided only with uniforms aud arm
all the equipments Tor active, con
tinuous and independent service blank
cts, ovcrcoats, haversacks, canteen,
&C., being in part or wholly wanting
A modification of the law is require
to devote the fund to purely milltar.
purposes. Tho Executive has powc
by law TO re,organise aud reduce th
National Guard, in accurdanoe wit
the recommendation Of the Adjutau
Genral, but thu action 0f the Legisla
turo will be necessary to reapp1rtio
tho annual appropriation among th
organizations, aud confer authOrit,
upon the Adjutant General to issu
/, the allowa"eo Il. olething and cqniJ
ments or In money, in his discretioi