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THE RAFTSMAH'S JOURNAL
Clearfield, Pa?, "Walneilay. S pt. 19. 18S5.
AMERICAN DOMINATIONS.
roR SENATE.
B. F. LUCAS,
Ol Jefferson Countj.
Iubj4d to the action of the other Countits.
FOR ASSEMBLY.
Da. C. R. ERLY,
Of Elk County,
fady'sc to the action of Elk and X'Kta.i.
tOR SHERIFF.
R. F. WARD,
Of Clearfield Borough.
TREASURER.
PHILIP ANTES,
Of Lawrence Township.
COMMISSIONER.
ROBERT MICHAEL,
Of Burnside Township.
AUDITOR.
VALENTINE IIEVENER,
Of Huston Township.
Ths "Whig Candidate. The Whig State
Convention which met in LTarrisburg last
week, nominated Joseph Henderson, of Wash
ington County, as the candidate for Canal
Commissioner. He is a good man, and would
make an honest and faithful officer.
Back Again. After a much shorter absence
than we expected, we have again returned to
onr post, and this week take up the cndgels
aj usual. We are glad to find the prospects for
the success of the American party so favora
ble, and feel assured, notwithstanding the gi
gantic effort of Gov. Bigler last night, that our
whole ticket will be triumphantly elected.
Our business in Court, &c, has prevented us
from giving much attention to this week's pa
per, but it will be all right again by our next
issue.
Taa Hasvest Home. The sensibilities of
ome' people seem to be keenly touched by
the call for an "American Harvest Ilomc,"
which has been published in our paper for
some weeks.
This is not to bo wondered at. "Coming
events cast their shadows before." The wn
terrified are losing their title to the epithet,
and are beginning to realize how bitter it is
to see power that had almost seemed prescrip
tive, passing rapidly from "their hands.
Little as they like the project of an "Ainer
can Harvest Home" in September, there will
e one in October the returns from which they
will like still less.
Fatal Accident. We regret to learn that
" Joseph Morrow, an old and well-known citi
ren of this county, wis kickel to death by
one of his own horses, in the stable of Andrew
Cross, of Boggs township,on Tuesday, the 11th
- inst.
Deceased was passing through the stable
with some deer-skins on Lis arm, and it is
supposed that the horse, scenting the skins,
became frightened, and struck out with both
heels, striking his master in the abdomen.
Mr. Morrow contrived to crawl to the house,
where such relief as was accessible, was vain
ly administered. He died at midnight.
The unfortunate man is said to have left
considerable property, and it is not known that
be had a single relative in the country. His
age is supposed to have been upwards of sixty.
Locoroco Meeting Last Night. The an
nouncement having been made sometime ago
- that "his mightiness," Ex-Gov. Bigler, would
address his fellow Democrats and Anti-Know
nothings,' last night, we prepared ourself to
hear a mighty burst of eloquence, and wendud
our way to the Court House. Grea' was our
astonishment to find one of the smallest politi
cal meetings we have attended in that build
ing, on court week, since we have been in the
county. .11 least one third of those present
were K. N's, and the Locofocos could scarcely
muster a corporal's guard, having actually ap
pointed ttcv members of the Or Jer on one of
their committees!
The ball was opened as usual by Judge Bar
rett, whose speech being stereotyped, it would
be a bore again to describe. He was followed
by the immortal Bigler, in one of the most up
hill, miserable, illogical, heterogtnaous, scat
tering, ill-shaped, sod ill-timed political
speeches we have ever heard. We wete ncv
er more disappointed in our life. We expect
ed to bear an able an i elo juant so ; : jh. an in
genious, logical argument. But the poor fel
low seemed to have got into the 'wrong box.'
Ho admitted that his party, justnow, was'hard
pressed,' but If they arc any 'harder pressed'
than he was for an Idea, we pity them indeed.
He couldn't help giving bis fel!ow 'democrats
and anti-Know Nothings,' a sly shot in the
commencement, very appropriately comparing
himself to the man that wore the coat of many
colors, who was sold by his brethren ! After
a tremendous effort he succeeded in 'deliver
ing himself successfully, but if the mountain
in labor did not bring forth a 'mice,' then rr
we're a Know Nothing, that' all.
We shall have occasion to refer to this mat
ter hereafter, and in the mean time those who
wish to hear any thing further on the subject
. caa tttasd tb American meeting this even-
The Olive-Brancii. It would be amusing, :
were it not rather calculated to inspire disdain,
to note the change that has 'come o'er the spirit
of the dream' of the locofocos, in regard to
those whom they now term Old Line Whigs.
Up to the period of the election in 185-1, the
word whig was the locofoco synonyme of every
abomination in the eyes cf the patent democ
racy. The proposition, "A whig cm do no
right," bad attained with them a credit almost
equal to that of its English converse, "The
King can do no wrong" both being, in fact,
founded upon the same species of facetious
fiction. Locofoco organs and organ-grinders
have, for years past, vilified whig statesmen
with the rancor of undying hate : have decried
whig measures with the blind bigotry of party
fury; have denounced the rank and file of the
Whig party, with all the slang of that peculiar
vocabulary which seems to have been invent
ed by, or for theru.
Suddenly, iu the twinkling of an eye, the
scene is shifted. The same actors stalk upon
the boards as before, but a new prompter is
furnishing the cue. The black looks,the frown
ing Lrows, the scornful lips have disappeared,
and smiles, as "sweL-t as summer," take their
placa. In the language, too, of thsee Janus
faced performers, is an operation quite as
m trkel. The threat, the gibe, the insult are
wanting, but instead, honeyed words, and stu
died compliments. Unasked even, they swal
kw their long-defended slanders, and with a
better grace, too, than that of ancient Pistol,
when devouring his leek. The names they
have tried to cover with shame and obloqu,
they cow profess to hold in reverence and in
love. The men whom they so vainly strove
to drive unhonored to the grave, have now be
come, in their esteem, the pride and glory of
our land.
Had the locofoco party the fuiutest claim to
consistency ; had it ever relied for success up
oi the intrinsic worth of its principles, or up
on she integrity of its organization, it might
be difficult to comprehend this change of front.
But when we remember, how in 1S41 this ve
ry part- courted the Abolitionists for the pur
pose of defeating Henry Clay: how in it
supplicated Gen. Taylor to suffer it to fight uu
der Lis ever-victorious flag; how in 1S31, it
mude a 'bargain and sale' -with the Native
Americans, and profited thereby; arid how, iu
18.3 I, itabaudoned the Natives, and took to the
Catholics and foreign population, not profiting
greatly thereby, when we recall these facts, it
can scarcely be matter for wonder, to find it in
1855, imploring the Whigs to save it from im
pending annihilation, to lend some aid in its
floundering struggles through the slough of
Despond.
If the expectations of this metamorphosed
parts from the solicited alliance of the Whigs,
are equal to its certain necessities, we are sor
ry for its fate. It must really be painful for
the Whigs, to be compelled to reject over
tures so affectionately and so earnestly urged.
It is not a pleasant task to thrust back the
hand of proTorcd friendship, even whtn we
know it is tendered in a mercenary spirit. Nor
is it especially grateful to our feelings to de
clare, what we deem but the simple truth, that
the perfidy which isan innate principle of loco
fecoism. can never find a resting place in the
tents of the Old Line Whigs.
It may be only courteous to our locofo
co friends, to hint at a very few of the
motives which will at present impel the Whigs
to decWne any connection with them whatso
ever. These motives are numerous as tlu va
rious topics of political discussion in our land,
but a small portion will serve to show how
widely-drawn are the lines which sever the
proposed "contracting" parties.
We assert, therefore, that tho Whigs will
not unite with the locofocos,
Because thj Whigs have a lively remem
brance of the wrongs they have sustained at
the hands of the locofocos:
Because the Whigs hold the locofocos to be
utterly perfidious, and certain to violate, the
moment the occasion demanded it, ar.y com
pact which their present necessitiesmight in
duce them to enter into:
Because the Whigs look with horror upon
tho degrading attitude of the locofocos tow
ards their Southren masters, and havo no wish
to participate in their servitude:
Became tho Whigs will never recognize as
legal, or just, that monument ol locofoco perfi
dy, the repeal of the Missouri Compromise :
Because the Wliigs decline to avow them
selves confederates, under orders from Wash
ington, of Atchinsou, Stringfellow it Co.:
Because the Whigs do not wish to tdiare in
the glories achieved by locofoco diplomacy, at
the Courtsof Ma 1 rid, Ostendand elsewhere :
Because the Whigs want none of the laurels
reajed by the locofocos in tlio celebrated war
against Greytown :
Because the Whigs cannot endorse the acts
of any locofoco, with whose acts they are un
acquainted :
Beccuse the Whigs do not think ?hat the lo
cofoco party, never worthy of respect in its
hour of power, has any sort of claim to their
'aid and comfort," in the tinia of its decay
and dissolution ; an I
Because the Whigs can imagine no greater
evil to their country, than the restoration of
locofoco misrule.
Mr. Fillmore at tub French Court.
The ex-President was presented to the Empe
ror of the French on the l;)tl of August, to
gether with nineteen other Americans. Mr.
Fillmore was to have been favored with -a pri
vate presentation, and in consequenso went in
a bl icfc coat, but by some unexplained acci
dent was thrown among his cor.ntrym .'n, who
were in uniform, and he" thus presented in
more than ono respect the most noticeable
figure in the company.
Clark Mills, Esq., the sculptor, has re
cently sustained tlx- loss of a beautiful elk he
had procured at great trouble and expense to
be us.-d as a model iu some of tha works upon
which he is now nsra.d. Tiie animil, it ap
pears, escaped from his enclosure at night,
and, though wearing a broad collar, was mis
taken by some sagacious sportsmen for a buck
doer, and by thorn killed, quartered, and
bwnjjbttb uBrirt ard s'Td vwnisrir.
Passmore Willamson Case. Four out of
five of the Justices of the Supreme Court of
Pennsylvania have decided to refuse the writ
of Habeas Corpus prayed for in this case. Our
readers will remember that Mr. Williamson is
now lying in Moyamensing Prison, restrained
of his liberty by virtue of a commitment for
an alledged contempt of Court, directed by
John K. Kane, the U. S. District Judge, for
the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
The prisoner presented his petition to the
Supreme Court, asking that a Habeas Corpus
be awarded. The Court, in an opinion read by
Fl ick, J., refused the prayer of the petitioner.
We shall say nothing, save that it travels out
o! the record, to insult and wound, in the most
wanton manner, the feelings and motives of a
man who only sought to exercise what we have
until now deemed one of the most sacred
rights of every freeman of Pennsylvania.
Fortunately for the cause of freedom, there
was read, ai the same time, an opinion of an
other Judge. To our readers, the name of
Judge Knox is familiar, for it is remembered,
and honored in the remembrance, as that of
on of the ablest jurists that ever sat upon the
Bench of this judicial district; Judge Knox
dissented from tho judgment of the majority
of the Court, and stated his reasons for his
dissent, in an opinion, lucid, masterly, and in
our humble view, conclusive of the law. This
document, besides, breathes a noble spirit of
hum-inity, and manifests a patriotic devotion
to the Constitutions, both of his native State,
and of the Federal Union.
We regret exceedingly that the want of
space forbids our publication of thi3 most able
opinion, the more, that its transparent reison
ing, and irrefragable conclusions are not en
cumbered with the special pleadings, nor mar
red by the professional mannerism too much
affected by lawyers and judges of the present
day. We have not been able to refrain, how
ever, from laying before our readers, some ex
tracts, which will serve to show the positions
taken by Judge Knox, and the mode in which
lie sustains them:
I have not ha 1 either time or opportunity to
examine all o! the cases cited, but, as far as
I have examined them, they decide this and
nothing more th.it where a Court of com
petent jurisdiction convicts one of a con
tempt, smother Court, without appellate power,
will not re-examine the c ise to determine
whether a contempt was really committed or
not. The history of punishments for con
tempts of Court, and the legislative action
thereon. both in our State and Union, in an un
mistakcablc manner teaches, first, the liabili
ty of this power to be abused; and second, the
promptness with which its unguarded use fns
Ijc-en followed by legislative restrictions. It is
no longer a:i undefined, unlimited power ot a
star chamber character, to be used for the op
pression of the citizen at the mere caprice of
the Judge, or Court, but it has its boundaries
so distinctly defined that there is no mistaking
the extent to which our tribunals of law may
go in punishing for this ollence.
In tliQ words of the act of Congress! of 3d
March. 1S31, "The power of the several Court
of the United States to issue attachments and
indict summary punishment for contempts of
Curt. shajl not be consiructed to extend to
any cas-s except tfce misbehavior of any par
son or persons in tha presence of vaid Courts,
or so near thereto as to obstruct the adminis
tration of justice, the misbehavior of any of the
ollieera of the said Courts in their official trans
actions, and tlte disobedience or resistance by
any officer of the said Courts, party, j'-ircr, wit
ness, or any other person or persons, to any
lawful writ, process, order, rule decree, or
comm mil of s.tii Courts."
Now, Passmore Williamson was convicted
of a contempt tor disobeying a writ of habeas
i corpus commana.iig mm to procure oeiore me
I District Court certain persons claimed by Mr.
I Wheler a.-!.ves. Was it a lawful writ.'
j Clearly not, if the Court had no jurisdiction
to issue it ; and that it had not, I think is
jveiypliin. If it was unlawful, the person to
whom it was directed was not bound to obey
i it; and, in the very words of the statute, the
j power to punish tor contempt "shall not be
I construed to extend to it."
But, s ivs the opinion of the majority, he was
, convicted of a contempt of Court, and we will
! not look into the record to see bow the con
j tempt was committed. I answer this by ;is-
sorting that you cannot seo the conviction
j without seeing the CJiise. for it Is a part of
1 toe same record whieh consists, 1st, of trie pe
tition ; - t. the writ and alias writ ot habeas
corpus ; Td. tht return, and lib. the judgement.
"It is ordered and adjudged by the Court that
the sai l Passmore Williamson be committed
; to the custody of the Marshal without bail or
l m linprizi-, as lor a contempt in refusing to
! make return to the writ of" habeas corpus here-
I tofore issued ajrainst him at the Instance of
Mr. John II. Wheeler." As I understand the
1 opinion of a majority of mv brethren as soon
I a. we get to tin; word contempt the book must
j be closed, and it becomes itistantly sealed as
j to the residue of the record. To sustain this
I commitment we must, it seems, nrst presume,
in tfie very teeh ot the admitted fact, that these
were runaway slaves ; and second, we must
be careful to read only portions of the record
lest we should find that the prisoner w is com
mitted for refusing too ev an unlawful writ
I cannot forbear the expression of the opin
ion tint the rule laid down in this case, by the
majority, is traught with great danger to tho
most cherished rights of the citizens of the
State. Whilst in contests involving the right
of property merely, I presume we may still
treat the judgements of the United States
Courts, in cases not within their jurisdiction,
as nullities, yet, ira single Judge tlnnks prop
er to determine that one of our citizens has
lecn guilty of contempt, even if such determi-
I natb-u had its foundation in a case upon which
the Judge had no power to pronounce judge
m:it, and was most manifestly in direct vio
lation of a solemn act of the very legislative
authority that created the Court over which
the J ud 40 presides, it seems that such deter
mination is to have all tho force and effect of
a judgement pronounced by a Court ofcompe
tent jurisdiction, acting within the admitted
sphere of its constitutional power. Nay more.
W'e confers ourselves powerless to protect our
citizens from the aggressions of a Court, as
foreign from mr Sta e government in matters
not committed to its jurisdiction as the Court
ol Queens Bench in England, and this upon the
authority d decisions pronounced in cises
not at all analogous to the one under consider
ation. I believe this to be the first recorded
case where the Supreme Court of a State has
refused the prayer of a citizen for the writ of
habeas corpus, to inquire into the legality of
an imprisonment by a Judge of a Federal Court
for contempt, in refusing obedience to a writ
void for want of jurisdiction.
I will conclude by recapitulating the grounds
upon which I think this writ shculd be award
ed 1st. At common law, and by our statute of
17S5, the writ of habeas corpus ai aubjicien
(frwf lp a writ of rijfht da4bla wIjvmtpt a
petition in due form asserts what, if true,
would entitle the party to relief.
2d. That an allegation in a petition that the
petitioner is restrained of his libefly by an or
der of a Judge or court w ithout jurisdiction,
shows such probable cause as to leave it no
longer discretionary w ith the court or judge
whom application is made, whether the w rit
shall or shall not issue.
31. That w here a person is imprisoned by an
order of a Judge of the District Court of the
United States lor refusing to answer a writ of
habeas corpus, he is entitled to be discharged
from such imprisonment if the Judge of the
District Court had no authority to issii the
writ.
ith That the power to issue writs of habeas
corpus by the Judges of the Federal Courts is
a mere auxiliary power, and that no such writ
can be issued by such Judges w here the cause
of complaint intended to be remedied by it is
beyond their jurisdiction.
5th. That the Courts of the Federal govern
ment are Courts of liiuited jurisdiction, deri
ved from the Constitution of the United States
and the Acts of Congress under the Constitu
tion, and that where the jurisdiction is not
given by the Constitution, or by Congress in
pursuance of the Constitution, it does uot exist.
Oth. That when it does not appear by the
record that the Court had jurisdiction in a pro
ceeding under our habeas corpus act to relieve
from an illegal imprisonment, want of juris
diction may be shown by proving the facts of
the case.
7th. That where the inquiry as to the juris
diction of a Court arises upon a rule for a ha
beas corpus, all the facts set forth in the peti
tion tending to show want of jurisdiction are
to be considered as true, uuless they contra
dict the record.
fcth. That when the owner of a slave volun
tarily brings his slave from a slave to a free
State, without any intention of remaining
therein, the right of thd slave to his freedom
depends upon the law of the State into whica
he is htus brought.
9:h. That if a slave so brought into a free
State escapes from the custody of his master
w hile in said State, the right of the master to
reclaim him is not a question arising under the
Constitution of the United States or the laws
thereof , and therefore a Judge of the Uuited
States cannot issue a writ ol habeas corpus di
rected to one who, it is alleged, withholds the
possession of the slave froni the master, com
manding Lim to produce the body of the slave
before, the said Judge.
I"th. That the District Court of the United
States for theEestern District of Pennsylvania
lias no jurisdiction, ecausa a controversy is
between citizens of different States, and that a
proceeding by habeas corpus is. in no legal
sense, a controversy between private parties.
11th. That the power of the several Courts
of the United States to inflict summary pun
ishment for contempt ol Court i.i disobeying
a writ of the Court is expressly confined to
cases of disobedience to lawful w rits.
12th. That where it appears from the record
that the conviction was for disobeying a writ
of habeas corpus, w hich writ the Court had no
jurisdiction to issue, the conviction is -coiam
iionjudicc, and void.
For these reasons I do most respectfully but
most earnestly dissent from the judgement of
the majority of my brethren, refusing the writ
applied for.
In the meantime, Passmore Williamson lies
in prison, at the mercy of that tyrannical and
notorious. Judge, John K. Kane. According
to tho intimation of Kane from the bench
which he disgraces, Williamson must be there
until he dies, or until his spirit shall be so bro
ken, that he will condescend to lie perhaps
to swear to a lie, for the gratification of the
of the me:m and paltry official, who has biien
his accuser, judge, and jury.
There is one hope, yet, for Williamson, and
for th:se who care for their liberties. This
hope rests in the Legislature of Pennsylvania.
Oath-Bovnd Traitors. For the last year
every locofoco orator, and every locofoco
sheet in the 1 md, hive been rabidly denoun
cing, with all the eloquence ol their billings
gate, the American party. Traitors, conspi
rators, dirk-lantern plotters, underground un
dermlners of the constitution, and words like
these, feebly express the virulence, which a
defeated oligarchy, iu the last convulsive
throes of despair and men iced oblivion, ex
hibited towards its victorious foe. So far as
its interdict had virtue, Americans were ban
ned. So far as i" s pretences bad scope, in it
alone existed political virtue and honor.
What was the gulf which thus parted patri
otism from treason ' Simply, wholly, exclu
sively i oalh ! Because the American aircre
he would keep inviolate the secrets of his or
der, he was a traitor. Because the American
sirore to maintain his political creed, he w as a
conspirator. Because the American swore to
prevent, so far as his voice anil influence
could go, the peril at foreign ban Is he dread
ed for bis country, he was an infidel to the
constitution. An oath the taking or an
oath, comprised the sole distinction 'twixt
honesty and treachery.
This has been for a year or more, locofoco
preaching. The proceedings of the Democra
tic (.') Convention of the Delegates of old
Berks, the G:bral!er of Democracy, which w ill
be found in another chimin, show what is lo
cofoco practice. We commend the extract' to
our readers.
Deluded locofocos ! they sawjust far enough
into a mill-stone to catch the idea that in the
onlh lay the secret of the American triumphs.
Visions of fat offices, happy dreams of sine
cures, laurels, honors and profits, glancing be
fore their eyes, they forgot their Spartan
firmness, lapsed from their Roman virtue.
They have become oath-bound democrats,
and qualified patriots. How are the mighty
fallen !
SrnocTED Wheat. The New York Tribune,
thus discourses of sprouted Wheat.
'When wheat is .sprouted a good winnowing
machine will remove most of the injured ker
nals which m ike excellent feed for animals.
If there be a predoininence of sprouted grain
in the grist that goes to the mill, it is only
spoiled for light bread. The dough, instead
of rising by the ordinary process, has a ten
dency to liquify and spread out and form a
sticking mass that will not be kneaded into
loaves. It niae.es good nuleavened bread, and
is quite nutritious, with a sweetish taste. By
many persons bread made of sprouted w heat is
preferred, but in market the least appearance-
of grown kern. ils will injure the sale. Some
millers even contend th.it ouo per cent, of
such kcrnals will injure the quality on the
whole. It is therefofe important to the farmer
that he should keep the sprouted sheaves from
the sound, and should seperate the sound from
the unsound grain in winnowing, as far .ait
possible.'
The Facts! The "Orgin," in noticing the
nomination of Passmore Williamson for Ca
nal Commissioner, by the Republican State
Convention, says : "Williamson, we believe,
was never heard of before he assisted some
dozen or twenty negroes to steal away the
servants of Col. Wheeler, &c."
It is usually deemed the part of generosity
not to strike a fallen foe, but the political
ethics of our neighbors know no such weak
ness. We suppose, however, that Mr. Wil
liamsou will be able to endure even this taunt,
in addition to the injuries he has sustained at
the hands of a judge, w ho must be in the eyes
of our neighbor, a very Solon.
The facts of .the case are so well known by
this time, as to leave no doubt that such ig
norance of them as the sentence we have quo
ted infers, is wilful. The ."aert-an of Col.
Wheeler," were free. Judge Kelly charged
the jury who tried the fiiioze or twenty ne
groes," prcisely six, as the record shows
"that when Wheeler brought Jane Johnson
and her two children into the state they be
came as free as he was." Moreover, when
some of the jackals of the Distrct Court of the
United States had concccfed a charge of fti'i
way robbery against these "doze t or tiroiy,"
for "stealing the servants of Wheeder," the
District Attorney of Philadcphi.x publicly
abandoned the charge, and pronounced it
simply absurd.
These dozen or twenty, (in t'.e 1 nguage of un
adulterated truth, these six negroes ) were in
dicted for riot, and assault and battery. All
of them were acquitted on the charge of riot ;
two of them were found guilty on the charge
of assault and battery upon the person of
Wheeler.
This is a statement of the facts of the caje,
so far as they are pertinent to the matter in
hand. And the simple statement of them is
all that is needed to disarm the sneer which
our neighbor thinks fit to fling at Mr. William
son, because a convention of the freemen of
Pennsylvania, had dared to nominate him for
an oflice, which he neither solicited nor desired.
Senator Bkomejid on a kkw Hobby.
Hon. Richard Brodhead made a speech at
Easton on Monday, having gone there to pre
vent an explosion agtinst the administration in
lavor of Gov. lieeder. He spoke of everything
but the great question of the day, and was
careful to assert the most ultra proslavery
doctrines ; and. indeed, went a little further
than any other doughface yet in his servility.
One part of his speech deserves particular no
tice, and is thus reported in the Tribune ;
"Now you will all agree to one proposition ;
Are not all the States of this Union coequal,
and are they not equal partners I Undoubted
ly. Then conies the great question of power
in the Territories. The Northern people claim
the right to go into the Territories with their
property. jhe Southern people claim the
same right. Now will you accord it to them
I s iy the Constitution gires those who on-n pr. ji
erty in the Southern Slates the same poire r we
have. I would not deny a man the sanu right
tu.it I ask for m3sclf. I claim the right to go
into the Territories with my property, and I
accord to any man from any other State tho
same right.''
Thus we sse how the South takes advantage
of the treachery of Northern men to the cause
of freedom, to proceed, step by step, to con
vert this Republic from the borne of liberty to
the basest purposes of slavery extension. The
position of Mr. Brodhead, as shown in his
speech, is thus defined by the Tribune :
Here the whole doctrine of "Squatter Sov
ereignty" is pitched over board. That doc
trine as origanally promulgated by Gen. Cass,
affirms the right of each Territory, as an in
ternallv independent politicrl community, to
establish or exclude Shivery, as a majority of
the peop'e m y prefer. It is m vain that we
have repeatedly pressed upon the advocates of
this doctrine tho questions "Who are the
people of Kansas or Nebraska, who hvu the
right to determine that certain of their feKow
inhabitants shall be doom ed to eternal bondage .'
Are they the trftoe people or only the white
Are they the citizens of the Uuit'-d Stat.:3 or
are the resident emigrants from Europe also
entitled to a voice in deciding this momentous
question; so vitally affecting them as well as
others And however these questions may
lie answered, what is the state of the law re
specting Slavery prior to any decisive action
of the people on the subject Let these ques
tions be frankly answered, and then we shall
know what is ment by "Popular Sovereignty"
in the Territories.
But Mr. Broadhead adopting the ultra posi
tions of Calhoun, Soule. and Jefferson Davis,
ignores "Popular Sovereignty' in the premi
ses altogether. He hol-is that any single em
igrant into Kansas from a Slave State, may
take his slaves with him and hold them in the
Territory as slaves, in defiance of any act or
inhibition which the residue of the settlers
may have adopted. All other settlers may be
conscientiously and determinedly hostile to
Slavery ; but this one slaveholder steps in with
bis black servitors and over rules them. "Pop
ular Sovereignty" condemns Slavery .but one
slaveholder weighs down thousands of freeinen
and decidesth it Kansas shal beaslave territory.
For the slaveholder, says Brodhead, has an
indefeasible constitutional right to migrate to
Kansas, to take his slaves with him, and hold
them there in bondage interminably because
they are his property, and have it respected
and secured to him as property, in any terri.
tory of the Union.
We propose at this time merely to state
this doctrine not to refute it. The rum-seller,
the faro-dealer, the counterfeiter, will find it
as convenient and serviceable as the slavehol
der for all these have 'property' which the
laws of some States protect, while others sub
ject it to confiscation. If Mr. Brodhead is
right, then all the remaining territory of the
Union is destined to form new Slave States,
and nothing can prevent that consummation.
Kansas Legislature. The Kansas corre
spondent of the St. Louis Democrat says:
"The latest unconstitutional enactment passed
by this body is contained in the Election Bill.
It decrees that aliens, desirous of becoming
citizens, shall take an oath to support the con
stitution, Organic Act, and Fugitive Slave Law.
Congress alone has the right to prescribe the
conditions of naturalization, and it does not
enact that an alien shall support the Fugitive
Slave Law.
C"The Kansas correspondent of the St.
Louis Democrat says: ,
"I warn all capitalists and intending emi
grants to Kansas to be suispicious of newspa
per descritions of cities and counties in this
Territory. A few days .ago, I was offered a
lot, which three disinterested judges should
estimate as worth $100 at least if I would give
the city of Lccouipion favorable Mcticws la
tba Hiaftouri DomasM'st.
I tor the Kafumio'i Journ.-ii. '
LINES TO .
Fair are the dreams of otbr year.
But ah ! as fleet as fair;
A meteor's transitory gleam
Not sooner melts in air .
And its, when the brief ?p;iik is qnencheJ,
Deeper the darkness falls.
So. from those dreams, the wakening,
Saddens, if not appals.
While yet tho tpring of buoyant life
Sparkles within the breast.
And faith, and hope, too credulous,-
In their wild dreams are blest,
A magic spell, a wizard charm
Seem o'er all nature cast ;
Only the brighter, that they are
Too beautiful to last.
Tbey rie. they shine, they fade, they die
Leave they no traes behind f
Is there no power to seize the joy.
And fix it in the mind ?
The flowret droops the sweet socge-dj
The sunshine leaves the lea
Their present charm is gone but still
It lives in memory.
O'er pleasant fields thro' proud, old woods,
Our earliest footsteps stray .
Perchance the path we tread but leads
To deeper shades, the way J
Forward we gaze the scarchiLg eye
No gleam of light can find
Happy 'tis then, to pause and turn,
A lingering look behind.
So with thedrenms of other dsys
They never all depart;
Unsullied, pure, and bright is left
Their imago in the heart;
And olteu when the lurid kkv
Portends but woe auA wrath. .
These unregarded, shrink before
The power dear memory haih.
Well have I known her witching power
To soothe, when hope is gone.
Some solace, from my darkest hoar.
Hath her enchantment drawn ;
Me hath she ofleu helped, dar girl.
From grief and p.-du to flee
To dream again long vanished dreams
Of hope, of love, of thee. r. r.
Clearfield, Sept 19, 1865.
Proscription is defined by Webster to be
first, "dooming to death;" second, "putting
out of the protection of the law," or 'con
demning to exile and third, as "censure and
condemnation. To persecute is to '-alllict,
harass, or destroy."
In what sense can these terms be applied to
the act of declining to place in office mtu
whose opinions you believe to be such as
render their elevation to public station injuri
ous to the community Have not demo
crats and whigs voted against their political
opponents for many years and does not each
new administration, on its accession to power,
remove from oilice those who disagree wish it
in opinion ? May the Postmaster Gener.ti
dismiss a Protestant Democrat and appoint
Catholic Whig, or a Whig who bitterly de
nounces Knownothingism, witl out rem rk
from these "proscri pti on" hraal.ug p.dri -ts
and yet men who honestly Injlive a BrovMison
should not hold power to betray us, be accu
sed of "Proscription" and "Persecution "
These are questions to be pondered by those
likely to be misled by the clap-trap of latter
day politicians.
We bold that a man'sacts and a man's opin
iont are proper subjects for consideation by
voter"!, w hen h5 is a candidate for public M
tion, no fr.r as those ac- and t!-ose opinions
arc likely to influence his official conduct. .
Since wehavw had no opinion on the subject,
we have held thut the natives of a civilized
coniitry should rule it that a minority ij.id
natural rights that no. majority, .should tr.im-
1? ot, and that no one who acknowledged
the right of another to control his opinions i;x
a safe depositoiy of political power ;u a re
public. Honestly holding these opinions,
since we have had a vote wo have pu'.d.c'y
proclaimed them and for them we have
tho sense those words are used by a portion 1"
the press,) been 'proscribed' and 'persecuted'
by those who held the contrary opinion :,r oa
those points. We hav neTer held an othoe
of profit in our native state, and, with the con
sent of those who disagree with us, we prooi
bly never shall. Of this wo do not a;:d we
have no right to complain. They doubtless
consider us a dangerous man, holding opin
ions at war with their interests and adverse to
their views and however incorrect wv may
consider their judgment in these respects, we
must, as a republican and a domocr.it, bow to
the decision of the people.
Having always acted with political organi
zations largely in the minority, oar fat; when
placed on a part' ticket has ever been that of
those who 'don't get votes cnouph' Jo s'.-.fler
defeat. Yet we never felt that we had lioen
'proscribed' or 'persecuted' and, hiving lv.eu
horn in this neighborhood, never believed that
we had a Tight' to some good fat ofiice.
What folly it is for men who go to the polls
and vote for those who agree w ith them in sen
timent, to raise the cry of 'proscription' and
'persecution,' when others are merely doing
the same thing. Pittsburg Diipa'ch.
KivTALi vriox Threatened. The Richmond
Wiiiz is furious because our laws would not
condemn the men charged with assault upon
Col. Wheeler, without sufficient proof, and
fets off its steam after this fashion, tho italics
belonging to the irracible Whig.
Citizens of Pennsylvania no doubt have a
1 irge amount of property goods, wares, and
Meichandis; and perhaps some heavy debts
within tho limits of Virginia. Let the law lay
hands iipon every particle that can be found
in the Commonwealth, and let express provi
sion be made that no officer shall be sworn
to support the Federal Constitution, wheru
those states are concerned who disregard that
instrument. We are against disunion. Wt
much prefer carrying on this sort of system or
reprisals with our Yankee brethren. There i
plenty of Yankee property in the South at thix
time to reimburse us for all the negroes they have
stolen from us. One general, comprehensive
sweeping statute in every Southern State will
reach the whole of it.
The Silver Lake Ssake. It seems to bo
an absolute certainty, that a monster of some
kind exists in this famous lake. The Perry
(N. Y.) Times states that a company has
been formed for the purpose of capturing it,
with a capital of twelve hundred dollars. They
have constructed large hooks, attached to ca
bles, which they intend to bait with live birds,
and in that way put a hook In the jaws of th?
leviathan. An observatory is to be constructs
ed on the shore, and constant watch kept.
Other parties are in pursuit of the nondescript
with intent to capturo and exhibit him. Sev
eral shots have been already fired at the snako
by persons watching for it.
It is to be hoped the parties will be success
ful, in order that both the snake and the
community at large may be put ont of their
misery.
HF-The "Whipping Post," it appears, has
been revived in Virginia. A white man, con
victed at Parkersburg of stealing several ar
ticles of clothins. was sentenced a few days a-
goby the county court to receive 'twenty lash
es on bis back, well laid on,' ana me senienco
was accordingly executed, we are told, with a
good hickory switch.' 1 ne uuiormnate man,
is said to have been an old offender, not long
out of the penitentiary.
We copy the above from the Philadelphia
Sun. The'whip'ping post has not been TcviT
ved' in Virginia. It was never abolished. It
is one of tha old 'institutions' afthat higalf
progrMH re state.