Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-09-29

rushed to the front by the hundred
thousands the border States OF the
South gave in their formal adhesion to
the Government and our great mill.
tary leaders drew their swords with
alacrity in support OF the free institu'
tions to which they had shown their
fidelity so often before.
With what base perfdy this solemn
pledge was broken | need not tell you,
Tor this speech shows that you know
1t well, You expressly declare that 80
lar from sustaining the Government
you revoutiouized it. Instead of a
war Tor the Union, you claim that il
put the States out of the Union, and
that you had a right to keep them out
as long as you pleased or admit thcm
TO their places on any terms, however
degrading, which You choose to dictate.
Instead OF restoring the supremacy OF
the Constitution, all your politicians
held and so far as | know from their
public declarations still mold, that the
victory Of the Federal forces abolished
the Constitution, not only in the South,
but IN the North, and therefore they
were not bound to observe its limita
tious, either in the legislative, judicial
or executive measures. Instead OF
bringing back the States with their
rights unimpaired, according to your
promise, you crippled, enslaved, sub.
jugated and disfranchised them. In.
stead of using the war power for the
just and lawful purposes TO which you
we're pledged, you converted it into
Black Republican job to put the
rights Of all the people permanently
under the foot of an unprinciplcd
party,
/ submit this part of the case to
your consideration. | ask you to say
whether you can find in the whole
history of the human race another in
stance OF similar perfdy on scale 30
large. The basenoss Of the Massachu.
setts authority in selling the surren.
dered Pequods into slavery after SOL
emn promise TO the contrary was but
the "germ of an idea" on which you
acted in the fulness of its growth.
Their act was in its nature and char
acter nearly as bad as it could be but
only eight score of helpless people snf-
fered by it the victims Of your treach.
cry are counted by millions.
Tho offenses which you are now en-.
gagged in committing upon the public
treasury are the natural sequences OF
your crimes against popular liberty.
Universal experience proves that
power usurped will always be dishon-
estly used. Seeing that the Abolition
lists were led by men whom no oath
could hold to the Constitution, and
whom no pledge could bind to an OBJ.
seryancc Of its principles VIC had no
right TO expect q decent regard for
justice in their administration Of the
national finances. | do not mean that
the masses of your party were, or are
now, destitute Of common integrity.
But that was overruled by the political
doctrines Of their leaders. Having
once set aside the established law of
the land, they had no standard by
which they could measure the moral
conduct of themselves or others, and
they became incapable Of seeing
the difference between right and
wrong in public affairs. The "higher
law threw the rcins loose on the neck
of all evil passions. 1t not only abro.
gated the Constitution, but the deca.
logue as well, and the eighth command.
ment was nullifed with the rest.
You have consequently made ours
the corruptest Government on this side
of Constantinople, Perhaps you will
say this is a mere general assertion.
But | am ready to maintain the truth
of it against all opposers. You may
take the rottenest monarchy in Europe,
90 over its history for hundred years,
and produce the worst act you can find
of fraudulent spoilations upon its peo.
pie; and if do not show something
worse committed here under the
auspices of the party now in power
will give up the case.
| am speaking of the Government
OF the officials who rule US for their
pleasure and plunder us for their per.
sonal proft-and it is no answer to
quote Mr.. Lords speech before the
Senate on the trial Of Belknap. His
eulogy was on the virtue and intelli-
gence of the people, and he argued from
that the duty of their servants to be.
have with integrity. He certainly did
not mean to whitewash the administra.
ton. If he had meant to do so be
could not have succeeded, for there
was not wash enough in bis bucket to
go over the twenty.thousandth part OF
the job
While you were hunting for certiti.
Gates of character among the speeches
of the impeachment managers, why
did you overlook that of Mr.. Hoar
lie said in effect (for / cite him from
memory that the one production in
which our country excels all others in
the world is the corruption of its Gov
ernment There was the testimony
of a candid witness belonging to your
own party, who knew whereof he
affirmed and spoke directly to tbepoint
But 1t is useless TO cite the evidence
of individuals upon great public facts
that are felt and seen and known Of all
men. Nothing ever was more notori.
Gus than the general disregard Of all
sound principles by this administration.
No people on earth are now suffering
so much from extravagant taxation,
and nowhere does so small a portion of
the taxes 60 to legitimate public pur.
poses, or 80 much TO the rulers them
selves and the rings they choose TO
favor. Industry is orushed'as il never
was before. Labor no longer works
for itself since all and more than all
of its surplus profits are exacted and
consumed by the hangers-on Of the
Government Now, although we call
ourselves freemen or freedmen, we are
to oil intents and purposes slaves, 80
long as you continue TO make us hand
over to you the earnings of our labor
for the essence Of slavery consists in
compelling one man, or class Of men, TO
work for another without equivalent.
We are determined to relieve ourselves
from this intolerable bondage, as far as
we can legally and peaceebly, and il
you do not help us, you must at least
cease to mock us by pretending TO be
an antislavery man upon principle.
You tell us that the Republican
party "wil punish its own rascals."
The newspaper report Of your speech
says that this was greeted with laugh
ter from the Republican side OF tho
House. Certainly II sounds like tho
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