THE irailffl 4tiML
Raftsman's $0imrat
1 (m-M
8. B. ROW, EDITOR A.ND PROPRIETOR.
CLEARFIELD, PA., DEC. 15, 1858.
A LIBEBAL PROPOSITION.
Considerable discussion has recently been
.going on in the newspapers as to the probabil-
- lty of effecting a complete and substantial
.union of tbe Opposition to the Buchanan De
. mocracy in the canvass of 1800. Several pro
positions have been made one asking the Re
publicans to discard their distinguishing name
and to abandon their most prominent idea, and
another suggesting that tbe Americans should
-drop their organization and throw aside the
main feature of their platform. Neither of
these, as a matter of course, are practicable,
because there are men in both wings of the
Opposition who would not submit to an entire
obliteration of their principles, though all aro
doubtless willing to make fair and reasonable
concessions. The X. Y. Tribune, of a recent
date, bas an articlo on tbe subject, which it
concludes with the following proposition :
That the Americans and old-line Whigs name
the President, conceding to tbe Republicans
the Vice President, with this simple condi-
' tion, agreed to on all hands and proclaimed to
.the public, that the Administration thus lorni
ed shall do all In its power to confine Slavery
within the limits of the existing Slave States.
It proposes no platform "no party Shibbo-leth"-"-nor
does it ask the President to do
anything which he deems unconstitutional,
tint merely to exert whatever power ho may
bare in tbe premises such as appointing Go-
vernors, Judges, Marshals, Land Officers, &c,
in the Territories, who will use their influence
in tbe proper way to prevent the extension
of Slavery. Should this suggestion receive
the assent of the other branch of the Opposi
tion, tbe Tribune urges its acceptance by the
Republicans, Tbe proposition is a good one
and will doubtless be favorably received by all
parties concerned, and its general adoption
cannot fail to prove a death-blow to Buchan
an Locofocoism in IS 60.
A IIocse Divided agaixst Itself. The
President and his Secretary of the Treasury
ays tbe Delaware County Republican, are any
thing but a nnit in their views upon the sub
ject of an alteration in the present tariff
While the former recommends the imposition
of specific duties on all articles to which they
re adapted, tbe latter adheres to tbe princi
ples of the act now in force, which is an ad va
lorem tariff. Mr. Buchanan Sbrlh, and Mr.
Cobb South, can afford to differ on the question,
provided each can give satisfaction to his sup
porters in the section of the Union he repre
sents. The people of the North, however,
have spoken plainly upon the subject of pro
tection. They will bo beard at Washington,
during the present session and their voice
will sweep away tbe false notions of Federal
officers whoso policy is antagonistic to their
interests.
A New Koute for the Sunbury and Erie Rail
road bas been run between Buena Yista and
Tionesta, a distance of seventeen miles. The
course is np Owl Creek Summit, in M'Kean
county; then down Ten Mile Run to Bower's.
This avoids any tunneling. The wholo line,
from Sinnemahoning to Tionesta, is a new sur
vey, the heaviest grade only 52 4-0 feet to the
mile. The Sunbury and Eric Railroad can be
constructed its wholo length, it is said, from
Sunbury to the City of Erie, without a single
tunnel. The heaviest cutting on the whole
road will not exceed thirty feet.
Save Yoca Rags. There are in the United
States nearly eight hundred paper mills, which
produce two hundred millions of dollars worth
of paper. To manufacture this large amount
of paper, about sixteen millions of dollars
worth of rags are required, and this large
quantity must be saved from the scraps of the
domestic circle. Is it not apparent to all that
economy should be practiced by families in
this particular, even if they do not desire to
profit by the saving themselves T
The Steamer Washington from .Nicaragua
arrived at New York on the 11th. She enter
ed the harbor of San Juan on the 16th. Tbe
government of Nicaragua refused to permit
her passengers to go through the country.
The British ships Leopard and Valorous were
in port. Sir Gore.Ousley was on board tbe
Cotter. The Washington was boarded by the
officers of the British ships, who suspected
her of having filibusters on board. They
failed, however, to find any.
We pnbli&h to-day the "Memorial to the
Citizens of Clearfield County," by "The Tax
Payers of Clearfield," on the subject of the
removal of the- county seat. We also give a
reply to the same, over the signature of "Cur
wensville." Our columns are open to the dis
cussion of both sides of the question.
Decahtated Senator Douglas, who was
Cbajrmaa of the Committee on Territories,
Has been ousted frn. ... ,
, . 7 . position, auu ureen,
ana plague the inventors.
Wa biiwms Spam A!ID Mexico It is
SZZZS? 0n G0n; CaM on Sanday ternoon
w.l? vnDCed SP"a b"l declared
wax agktnst Mexico. This news has produced
great excitemeWjMhnagton proluCd
. -embrorewdv7It8
THE COUNTY SEAT QUESTION.
Memorial to the Citizen of Clearfield County t
Tbe citizens and Tax-pavers of the borouzh
Clearfield, address themselves to their fellow
citizens of the county of Clearfield, in refer
ence to the present speculative agitation as to
the removal ot the eounty seat from Clearfield
to Curwe'nsville ; and desire to submit the in
telligent Tax-payers of. the county -a few rea
sons against said removal, which they hope
will receive some thought,
1st. When the Legislature created the coun
ty, they authorized the appointment of three
Commissioners, who should receive from indi
viduals or corporations, offers ot land or money
or both, as an inducement for locating the
county scat upon the lands of the proposer;
Roland Curtin, James Smith and John Flem
ing were appointed Commissioners for that
purpose by the Governor.-" They gave notice
that they would receive proposals as they were
authorized. Several propositions were made
for the. location of the county seat. Abraham
Witmcr owned the land upon which Clearfield
is built, and he proposed to give to the Com
missioners, nine lots of land in Clearfield and
$3,000 in cash, provided, they would locate
the county seat upon his land. His proposal
was reported back to the Legislature, and was
accepted by them. A law was then passed fix
ing the county seat on bis land and accepting
his proposition. The town was laid out, and
a report and plot of the town was filed in the
office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
Abraham Witmer paid his $3,000 as he agreed
to do, and be conveyed the lots to the county.
Afterwards the Commonwealth granted him a
patent for his tract of land. All the owners
of lots in Clearfield claim under Abraham Wit
mer. Some of them have conveyance direct
ly lrom himself. It will be seen therefore,
that a contract was entered into by the Com
monwealth on the one side, and Abraham Wit
mer on the other. On the faith of that con
tract, the Tax-payers of Clearfield have ex
pended some $300,000 in erecting their town,
and rendering it accessible by roads and oth
er conveniences.
Can that contract now be broken ? If it can,
must not the county refund the money that it
has received, to the lot-holders, and pay them
the damages that results lrom its infringement?
The money alone, and its interest, will amount
to more than the expenses of the proposed
new Court-house.
2nd. The borough of Clearfield and her citi
zens, pay more of tbe county rates and levies
than any other two of the remaining districts.
The assessed value of property in that Borough
at tbe last triennial assessment was $69,597.
The assessed value of lands owned by citizens
of the borough of Clearfield in other parts of
the county, at tbe same assessment, was $120,
467. Making a total of $190,064.
The assessed value of property in tbe bor
ough of Curwensvillo at the same assessment
was $31,685. Tbe assessed value of lands
owned in other parts of the county bv her cit
izens, was $12,056. Making a total of $43,641.
So that whilst the county rates were C mills,
Clearfield and her citizens pay $1140.38, and
Curwensvillo and her citizens pay $262.44.
The assessed value of seated property in
1656, in Pike township, was $88,8i7, in Law
rence township, $82,809. Total, $171,706.
Tax, $1030.40. Less than Clearfield borough,
$109.98. Clearfield and her citizens paying
more county tax by $109.98 each year, than
the whole of the populous townships of Pike
and Lawrence.
3d. Clearfield borough is in reality a more
central position than Curwcnsville. TheCher
ry Tree is in Indiana county, at the extreme
south western corner of the county and Kart
haus is in Clearfield county at least 7 miles
from the county line, so that if it be 31 mile
from Curwensvillc to Cherry Tree, it is 28
miles from Curwcnsville to the northern coun-
tv line and Clearfield must be passed in going
there. Tbe distance from Reeder Kings (near
the Cherry Tree) to Clearfield, has always been
counted at 40 miles and the distance from
Clearfield to Three Runs the extreme north
eastern point, is at least 38 miles. The dis
tance across the county is about 36 miles and
Clearfield is within two miles of the centre of
the county even in that direction. These dis
tances however amount to very little, in con
sidering this question, inasmuch as the erec
tion cf Pine county bas becomo a fixed fact,
and necessarily in its erection, tbe location of
Clearfield becomes completely central, whilst
if Curwensville were the county scat, it would
be impossible to obtain sufficient territory to
erect Pine county, without approaching too
near the county seat.
4th. Tbe offer of capitalists in Curwensville
to erect the county buildings, is founded in
speculation, and there is nothing in it but
sharp business tact. The Legislature can
havo a dozen of offers of the same kind, from
citizens of tbe county, any one of whom would
make "a good thing" of it, even at that. Pro
perty in the vicinty is enhanced in value and
tbe pockets of tbe speculator are filled with the
proceeds of the "nice operation." Look at
the reverse of the picture. The mechanic,
the laboring man or the business man in Clear
field who has invested bis money in buying a
lot aud building him a home, on the faith of a
contract with the Commonwealth, finds bis
honest earnings stripped from him to swell
the already "large piles" of the tharp busi
ness man. But say they, Clearfield and her
citizens must build tbe Court House, in other
words, the money of A. must be taken per
force, to build a houso for the joint accommo
tion of A. B. C. & D. Look at the records of
Jury trials in civil cases in our Courts, during
the past five years, see who litigates, andor
whom the Court House is used Since May
Term 1853, there have been but five causes
originating in Clearfied or its immediate vicin
ity tried before a Jury ot the County whilst in
the same space of time twonty-nine causes
have gone to J uries of the county, all of which
originated in the "peaceful" village of Cur
wensville, or with the citizens of that town,
or its immediate vicinity.
5th. Efforts are being made to prejudice tbe
public mind, by arousing personal feeling
against individuals in Clearfield ; we pity the
persons gifted with such petty narrowness of
mind, as to envy any one, whatever his loca
tion, ary degree of personal position, and still
more do we commiserate the condition of
mind, possessed by him who looks with jeal
ousy upon the prosperity of the scat of jus
tice, ot a county of which it should be bis
pride to be a citizen. All right minded men
are proud of that which they, as one of a so
cial community, can call their own, and we
only need point to the fact that we have now
in Clearfield 6 churches of different christian
denominations, all built, not alone by this
borough, but by contributions from citizens
of the connty, that our own citizens vie with
each other in adorning and beautifying our vil
lage and that our public spirit in building
roads and bridges and aiding in all other pub
lic works, will bear at least a favorable com
parison with those of any other village in tbe
connty.
Cth. Removals of the location of county
seats, occasionally become necessary, when
from the growth and development of one sec
tion ot a county, its business is largely increas
ed in a certain location, and tbe rapid admin
istration of justice require tbe Courts to be in
the midst of tbe mass of the population. No
such extraordinary emergency occurs here ;
the increase of tbe county is even and regular,
and no section of tbe county is so much more
densely populated than" tbe Other, as to require
any change.- .-... . .
7h. It is assserted that a large increase of
taxation must result from the erection of a
new Court House and ponderous rows of ciph
ers, are held up to the startled gaze of the
taxpayers, with a 3 to the left of them. $30,-
000,00 say tbey, this building will cost and a
heavy increase of taxation. To this we only
have to say that within the next 7 days a con
tract can be completed with a competent work
man, with responsible sureties, to take the
old material,' and erect and finish a new Court
House CO x 100, in as good stylo and of as du
rable materials as the best one in any of the
adjoining counties, for $15,000.
And further, that a committee of gentlemen
of this Borough, of undoubted means, will
guarantee (from their knowledge of tho finan
ces of the 'County) that there shall ;6e' uo1 in
crease of taxation, ' and that if tbe means of
the county at tbe present rate of taxation, shall
be found inadequate, at once to meet the ex
pense, that -.they -will provide the funds, and
look to the county for reimbursement, out of
the usual rate of taxation.
The present inhabitants of Clearfield have
paid for their property at its value as enhanced
by the location of the county scat there, they
also pay their taxes upon the value of that
property thus enhanced, and in reality they
have contributed largely towards all the coun
ty expenses ; and the hope that their fellow
citizes will accord to them as a community,
those rights, that as individuals, the laws of
land give them, sustain them now and will
sustain them until they are undeceived.
Tue Tax-paters or Clearfied.
Dec. 8th. 1858.
THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE.
Many of our cotemporaries deal severely
with the President's late Message. Some of
them charge the author with unmitigated
falsehood, while others, more choice of terms,
simply accuse him of a desire to misrepresent.
The Press, speaking of Mr. Buchanan's views
of the Kansas question, bas a long article ou
the subject, which commences as follows :
"We do not know that we ever read with
feelings of so much disgust any state paper as
wo have that part of the President's Message
that relates to Kansas. The whole of it is a
gross libel, from beginning to end."
The Pennsylvania Juquiret, always circum
spect iu its language, says :
"In its tone towards the people it is cold
and repulsive in that towards foreign coun
tries it is warm and boastful, courteous, yet
deadly. .It lacks the elements of a first-class
state paper. It is devoid of frankness, and
steadily steers clear of the most important
suggestions upon topics of the most urgent
magnitude to the nation."
The J few York Tribune says:
"To undertake to refute, within the compass
of a newspaper article, all the sophisms, mis
representations, distortations, and positive un
truths that aro crammed into a modern pro
slavery President's message, would be prepos
terous." "Independent," the intelligent Washington
correspondent of the AbrfA American, thus re
fers to the message :
"Whether the President designed bis Mes
sage for the express purpose, or not, be has
furnished the staple of a new slavery agitation
at the North, quite as potential as Uncle
Tom's Cabin, though, perhaps, in a much less
attractive form than that immensely popular
publication. Ho has chosen precisely the
topics best calculated to excite sectional re
sentment, and to renew tbe conflict in a more
aggravated form. Kansas, Cuba, Mexico, the
seizure of the Nortthern provinces, and . the
Amistad case are all so handled as to encour
age this feeling, and, perhaps, were intended
with special reference to that object."
THE PEESIDENI'S ECONOMY.
President Buchanan, in his message, admits
that the revenue of the country is wholly in
adequate to the expenditurs of the country
upon their present scale. The public debt
on the 1st of July, in the present year, was
$54,910,772 GO, to which $ 10,000 ,UOO, the
remaining half of tho loan authorized on the
14th of June, is to be added, making the total
public debt within a few dollars of sixty-tive
millions. Upon this state of things the Pres
ident observes, first, that to resort to loans to
meet tbe ordinary expenses of government
would be a ruinous policy ; second, that tbe
revenue must be increased by an amendment
of tbe tariff in some particulars ; and third,
that a rigid economy must be practiced. On
this latter point he dwells with some minute
ness. The objects of expenditure should be
reduced in number and what appropriations
are necessary should be strictly scrutinized.
He has instructed the departments totcutdown
their estimates,' and promises to aid 'Congress
to do this to even a greater extent. This reads
well. But now let us see how the President
practices what he commends to Congress,
bearing in mind that the public debt is already
sixty-five millions of dollars, and the public
revenue is not adequate to the public expendi
tures even of the most ordinary character.
Under these circumstances be accompanies
his homily on economy with the following
recommendations, and these in addition to
the ordinary appropriation bills :
1. The purchase of Cuba.
2. Payment to Spain for tbe Amistad ne
groes. 3. The establishment of an indefinite num
ber of military posts in Sonora and Chihua
hua, and the support of an army to occupy them.
4. Tbe employment of the army and navy
to open and keep open the Nicaragua transit
route.
5. The employment of the army and navy
for the same purpose with reference to the
Panama route.
6- The employment of the army and navy
for the same purpose with respect to the Te
huantepec route. .
7. A resort to a war with Costa Rica and
Nicaragua, if our demands are not complied
with at an early day.
8. Tbe construction of more war steamer.
9. The construction by government aid of
the great Pacific railroad. '
10. Some undefined boons to the District of
Columbia.
The President is quite anxious that a rigid
economy should be exercised, and intimates
to his Secretaries that they roust cut down
their estimates as closely as possible they
must not ask anything from Congress beyond
the bare appropriations tor their respective
departments while he himself launches out
into half a score pet projects of incalculable
cost, for not more than one of which there is
either reason or necessity. . Suppose all or
half of the President's recommendations are
complied with, can the expenditures of the
country be possibly kept within tbe revenue J
And what will be the amount of the public
debt five years hence 1
Judge Eckles, of Utah, has placed in charge
of Lord Napier, Miss Polydore, the young
English girl in behalf of whose rescue from
the Mormons the good offices of our Govern
ment were asked by the Government of Great
Britain. The father of the rescued young
lady is a lawyer of wealth and high standing,
and has been tor a long time engaged in efforts
for tbe restoration of bis daughter, who was
inveigled away from her home in England
several years ago.
CUEWENSVILLE VS. CLEAEFIELD.
' Mr. Row: My attention bas been called to
a "Memorial to the Citizens of Clearfield
County," on the subject of tbe proposed remo
val of tbo county seat, published iu the last
number of the "Clearfield Republican." I am
informed it was written by a gentleman "learn
ed in tbe law," and that he was engaged in its
composition' for five consecutive days! After
hearing that bis travail bad been so great, yon
may imagine mysurprise when I discovered,
on its perusal, that he had brought forth so
paltry an abort Ur. Metbinks a more transpa
rent effort at special pleading, or weaker tissue
of sophisms, was never concocted to deceive
and mislead the public. I fear should its learn
ed author fail by his brilliant forenr ic efforts
to perpetuate his fume, it will scarcely be safe
for bini to rely upon the classic style, gram
matical accuracy, mournful pathos, or irrefra
gable arguments of this splendid composition,
to transmit bis name to an admiring posterity.
Adopting the pulpit-polemic style, he di
vides bis subject into seven distinct beads, and
proceeds to give his "reasons," long drawn
forth, why the people of Clearfield county
should erect their public buildings and spend
their money for tbe special advantage of the
"wealthy" citizens of your "enterprising" and
"public spirited" borough! Let us examine
them briefly in their order.
1. He argues that the Legislature, by fixing
the county seat on tbe lands of Abraham Wit
mer, (who paid $3,000, as an inducement,)
thereby entered into a contract, which, if vio
lated, will compel the county to ref und tho
money it received, and pay to the lot holders
under Abraham Witmer, the damages that re
sult from its infringement ! What an argu
ment for a lawyer Its simple statement car
ries with it, its own refutation. The Act of
the Legislature fixing the county seat at Clear
field, is like every other Act ot Assembly, and
subject to repeal, change, or modification, by
the power that enacted it. But assuming it to
be a "contract" liable to infringement, no one
save Abraham Witmer or bis heirs could avail
themselves of its breach to recover damages,
and it is impossible for them to sustain any,
as they do not own a foot of soil in or about
tho borough of Clearfield ! To argue that tho
"owners of lots" who trace their title to Abra
ham Witniet, could recover damages for tbe
violation of such a contract, is simply puerile.
As well might it be said that I would have a
right to recover damages from the owner of a
manufactory who, alter selling me a lot conti
guous to it, removes bis establishment, thus
depreciating the value of my property. Yet
were I to employ the learned author of the
"memorial" as my attorney to institute an ac
tion under such circumstances, h would be
laughed out of Court. But the refutation of
such an argument is idle. No one knows bet
ter than the writer of that "memorial," that if
there was really "a contract" such as he labors
to prove, there would bo no danger of the re
moval of tbe public buildings from Clearfield,
for any Act of Assembly that would affect the
rights of tho parties under that "contract"
would be declared, by tbe Supreme Court, un
constitutional and void. Hence if ho believ
ed his own argument, be would bo tho last
man to spend fire days of bis valuable time in
the preparation of his "memorial," or exert
himself to defeat the bill asked for by the cit
izens of Curwensville. He would calmly and
dispassionately await the issue, and if they
obtained tbe passage of an Act, go to the Su
preme Court and have it annulled on the uni
versal and firmly rooted principle, that no
State can pass a law impairing the obligations
ot "a contract." The tax-payers, therefore,
may rest assured that, if the public buildings
can be removed at all, there will be no dama
ges to pay in consequence. So much for his
first position.
2. His next "reason" is that tbe assessed
value of tbe property of tbe citizens of your
borough is greater than that ot any two dis
tricts in the county. Admitting it to be true,
the force cf this argument is not very appa
rent. If tbe people of Clearfield arc so very
wealthy, and so much opposed to the removal
of tbe county buildings, why do tbey not offer
to do what the people of Curwensville propose,
and thus save the tax-payers tbe cost of their
erection Why, too, do they not build a re
spectable hotel, that when people attend court
they can be comfortably accommodated? It
is a fact, known to every man compelled to
visit your town, that there is not a building iu
it that will afford decent hotel accommodations.
It is impossible for any inn-keeper, however
much he may be disposed to promote the com
fort of his guests, to furnish proper entertain
ment in the miserable, old, rickety buildings
now used as hotels. They would be a disgrace
to a village possessing one-fourth the wealth
that the "Memorial" attributes to the "enter
prising" and "public spirited" citizens of
Clearfield. If the people of your town are so
rich, and the loss of the public buildings so
great a calamity, why surely they can afford to
erect them at their own expense, togethei with
a first class hotel, and thus prevent their remo
val. One would suppose if poor, poverty
stricken Curwensville can afford to do so, that
the wealthy nabobs of your enterprising bor
ough wouhi scarce miss from their overflowing
coders the paltry amount necessary lor the
purpose. It comes with a bad grace from men
so opulent the owners of such large posses
sions to ask the 'poor' taxpayers to improve
their town and increase the value of their prop
erty, already worth more than twice as much
as that of any other two districts in the coun
ty. The complacency with which the author
of the "memorial" boasts of tho affluence of
your town, and at the same time asks those of
other parts of the county, whom he demon
strates to be so poor in comparisou, to forego
the opportunity of having their public build
ings erected free of cost, for the special ad
vantage of the borough of Clearfield, reminds
one very much of "beggars on horseback."
We come now to bis 'third' division.
3. It is argued that "Clearfield borough is
in a more central position than Curwensville."
It is a well known fact that Curwcnsville is
within two miles of the centre of the county,
and assuming it to be otherwise, there can be
but little doubt what conclusion will be arrived
at, when the alternative is presented to the
people of traveling a few miles farther, or pay
ing increased taxes. But, says the "memori
al," it "amounts to very little inasmuch as the
erection of Pine county bas become a fixed
fact." If it has, it is certainly not to be at
tributed to the redemption of the oft-repeated
pledges of the "wealthy men of Clearfield."
If they have been suddenly waked opto tho
Pine county movement, the friends of that
measure may thank the people of Curwens
ville. Had there been no effort to move tho
public buildings, the erection of Pine county,
so far as they are concerned, might have been
postponed till tbe Day of Judgment; and it
yet remains to be seen, whether they will keep
the faith they now pledge any better than they
have heretofore done. Perhaps, when it comes
to be tested, they may be as loth to loose tho
large section of Clearfield county sought to be
cut off, as they are now to relinquish the pub
lic buildings. But there is nothing in the for
mation of Pine county to prevent the people
of Clearfield lrom erectiug their public build
ings where they please, and where they can do
it at the least cost, and with tbe least difficul
ty. Wo come then to his fourth head.
4. The very strong and convincing argument
here used why the public buildings should be
retained is, that the offer of Curwensville to
erect them "is founded on speculation, and
t&ere is nothing ia it but sharp business tact !"
I suppose there was nothing "sharp" about A
braham Witmer when he paid three thousand
dollars to get them located on his land f He
did'nt "make a good thing of it ". It wasn't
a "nico operation!" He didn't realize "a
large pile !" His three thousand dollars was,
doubtless, a charitable gilt to the "poor labo
rers and mechanics" over whom the author of
the "memorial" sheds his crockodile tears
such a gift, I imagine, as those for which the
"wealthy men ot Clearfield,' of the present
day, are so justly celebrated ! Which of thorn
has ever yet failed to make charitable gifts to
the "poor laborers and mechanics," when he
could realize fifty or a hundred per cent by the
transaction t There is no "sharp business tact"
among the millionaires of Clearfield, who pay
taxes on $190,064 worth of property, when
they are worth in reality ten times that a
mount ? They never engage in any "sharp
speculations," or "sharp" practice, or "sharp"
shaving 1 No, certainly not ! They belong to
the dull, methodical, plodding, six per cent,
stamp of ''business men," who would shudder
at tbe idea of shaving a note, or taking twen
ty per cent, off a "poor laborer or mechanic I"
They are entirely too innocent to engage in so
"sharp a speculation" as erecting the public
buildings at their own expense. There can be
no doubt that they would rather see the tax
payers "sharp" enough to do it for them.
Tbey prefer to exercise their "business tact"
in their usual way, by making the peoplo 'pay
the piper,' while they keep their money in their
pockets. It is, however, I opine, a matter of
indifference to the citizens ot the county which
are tbe "sharpest" the business men of Clear
field or Curwensville, so that the controversy
results in the erection of new public buildings
without expense to tho tax payers. But, says
the "memorial," during the last five years
there have been but five causes tried from
Clearfield, while there have been twenty-nine
from Curwensville ! A powerful argument,
truly! The learned author must surely have
felt relieved after delivering himself of this
destructive volley, and it is to be hoped be
was on guard lest he met the fate ol that re
nowned hero who?c guu
" when aimed at duck or plover.
Recoiled and kicked its owner over."
If tbe proportion of business at Curwensville
is so much greater, why surely there is the
place tbe county buildings ought to be. Jf
there is no necessity for them at Clearfield,
why object to their removal f But we come
now to the filth branch ot the subject.
5. After fishing here for some time to dis
cover the ''reason against the removal" which
ought to follow "5th," as promised in the com
mencement, I am led to conclude that it is be
cause the accomplished author of the "memo
rial," in bis expansion of heart, "pities the
persons gifted with such narrowness of mind
as to arouse personal feeling against individ
uals in Clearfield !" I must confess, although
I am able to find no other "reason" under
"fifthly," that this one is decidedly above my
comprehension, and I can only hope, if the re
moval of the public buildings is likely to di
minish the "pity" that swells the palpitating
breast of tbe learned author of the "memo
rial," that the people of Curwcnsville will de
sist in their effbris, lest the large vacuum left
in his susceptible bosom produce a collapse,
and Clearfield county be left an orphan ! How
terrible a calamity ! But I find another "rea
son" in 'fifthly' that escaped me that "there
aro six churches in Clearfield" and strange to
say this "reason" is accompanied with tbe
candid acknowledgement that "they were built
not alone by this borough, but by contribu
tions lrom citizens of the county !" I pre
sume there was no "sharp bhsincss tict" ex
ercised by these innocent, honest, wealthy
men, in getting other people to build their
churches 1 They were acting then, doubtless,
as they aro acting now, from principle, it be
ing, for them, entirely too "sharp" a "specula
lion" to build either churches or court houses
at their own expense. But truo it is that
there are six churches in Clearfield, and equal
ly true it is, doubtless, that, like the hotels,
tbey are grand and magnificent structures!
And they are worthy, too, of boasting ! They
cost, I presume, an enormous sum ol money.
The whole six, perhaps, could not be built for
less than the cost of one of the palatial resi
dences of these "wealthy men V It would
have been better, perhaps, for the large heart
ed author of the "memorial," if he had left
the "churches" out of the argument, for he
cannot disguise the fact that there is not a
church edifice in your borough at all commen
surate with tho "wealth" of yonr citizens, and
instead of boasting over the cheap, uncomfort
able structures used as churches, these "weal
thy men" ought to bide their beads in shame.
He winds up his "fifthly" in laudation of the
"public spirit-' and "liberality" of, I presume,
these same opulent citizens who pay so much
tax, and own so much property, and get oth
er people to build their churches. He might
have quoted, as a case in point, the subscrip
tion raised within a few days past, to defray
the expenses of printing his "memorial" and
other documents. It was necessary to raise
some twenty or thirty dollars, and these 'lib
eral, 'public spirited,' rich men, actually sub
scribed as high as two dollars each, and then
went round to the "poor laboring men and me
chanics" to raise the balance in twenty-five
cent subscriptions ! What excruciating "lib
erality!" 6. It is said "removals of county scats oc
casionally become necessary," and, I may add,
this is especially the case when by removing
them the tax payers can save some forty thou
sand dollars of expenditure, without discom
moding themselves, and in addition get a bet
ter location. We come then to his "seventh"
and last reason.
7. This consists of a proposal "that a com
mittee of gentlemen or' your "borough, of
undoubted means will guarantee that a new
Court House shall be built for $15,000, with
out any increase of taxation !" What a "liber
al" and "public spirited" proposition ! There
is no evidence of "sharp business tact" in this
offer ? But how does it contrast with the pro
posal of the people of Curwensville 1 They
offer to build, not only as good a Court House
as can be found in any of tfco neighboring
counties, but a new jail, (needed as bad as tbe
court house,) and to erect a first class Hotel,
so that the people when tbey attend Court can
find comfortable and respectable accommoda
tions. They intend, also, to erect Gas works,
of which the public buildings will derive ad
vantage, and which will add to the comfort
and enjoyment of tbe strangers who may so
journ in their town during tho courts. No one
can fail to observe that if a new Court House
is erected in Clearfield borough, it will be but
a brief period until the tax-payers will bo cal
led upon to build a new Jail, for it cannot be
denied that the present structure is utterly
unfit for the purpose. So many prisoners have
escaped from it, that it has really ceased lon
ger to be a terror to evil doers. How much
this has bad to do with the recent alarming
increase of crime in our county, it is difficult
to say, but of one thing all are assured, that
anew Jail, capable of holding prisoners, is
badly needed, and must, sooner or later, be e
rected. The single instance of the escape and
re-capture of Warden, about a year since, cost
the county a large sum of money, and since
that a number of persons have succeeded in
getting off altogether. It is high time that a
building should bo provided that would be a
terror to criminals, and a protection to tbe
lives and property of tbe community. Let
tbe "liberal," "public spirited," rich men ol
Clearfield rrree to erect tho public buildings
without any expense to the county, and so to
improve their town that persons compelled to
visit it can obtain comfortable accommoda
tions, and it may be possible that the people,
in tbe submission of the question, will decide
in their favor. All that Curwensville desire
is that tbe tax-payers of the county may havo
the opportunity vt deciding for themselves
where they will erect their buildings, and
wherever the majority fix it there let it be.
The public buildings are the property of tho
people, over which they have a right to exer
cise control, and if they see proper to erect,
or have them erected at Curwensville, or any.
where else, they have the power to do so. To
deprive them of this right would be a grot
outrage, only equal to that of depriving an in
dividual from the control of his own , private
property an enormity that dare not Ins perpe
trated in our free and enlightened Common
wealth. Having thus, as briefly as possible, examin
ed the seven different branches of this "me
morial," permit me to inquire does it con
tain a single good "reason" why the publio
buildings should not be removed, if the tax
payers are thereby relieved from their erect ion f
Do not all its "arguments", sum up in this
that for a long series of years the citizens of
the borough of Clearfield have been enjoying
the advantage of tbe public buildings until
they have grown wealthy, and now, when new
ones must bo erected, tbey refuse to do it
themselves, and desire to prevent the tax-payers
from taking them to where they can have
it done without expense t I fear all the soph
istry and special pleading of the learned au
thor of the "memorial" will fail to convinco
the people that they should forego the oppor
tunity of getting their public buildings erect
ed without cost, and build them at their own
expense, merely to gratify the opulent and
wealthy men of Clearfield, and save them from
the stings of conscience that would ensue on
their engaging in any -'sharp speculations t"
Awaiting the next manifesto from bead quar
ters, I remain Yours, Curwexsvillk.
PENNSYLVANIA ITEMS.
PREPARED Foil TUK "R AfTSU AX'S iOlIHAL."
Delaware Cocxtt. On tbe 4th inst., Wil--liam
Sparks, a watchman at tbe railroad bridgo
at Ridley creek, died from an injury r-crivol
a few days previous, from a piece of wood,
projecting lrom a freight car, which -.truck
Lini on the bead Serious complaints ar
made relative to the bad condition of the roads
in Chester Borough, and the Republican says a
horse in charge of a teamster from the country
got fast in the mud, a few days since, and came
near perishing. Six or eight mcu were en
gaged nearly an hour in extricating him. It
was thought at one time that the job would
have to be abandoned. The delighted team
ster, when his animal was released, turned bis
back upon the town, and resolved to haul no
more lumber or coal until the roads becauiu
frozen.
Clinton Coi-stt. As theRv. S. B. Dal
rymple, of Lock Haven, was returning from
Belle fonte on the Cth inst., his horses frigh
tened in the Fleming! on bridge. Ono of tbe
horses was thrown off the bridge and Mr. D.
precipitated out of the carriage, landing iu
the mud somo 12 feet below. Neither the
driver nor horse was injured, although the
latter hung by one leg in the bridge some tirue
lcfore he was released. . . . One day last week,
six boys were committed to jail in Lock Ha
ven, for assaulting an old gebtleman with
clubs, &c. Served them right.
Crawford Covstt. As Col. Jos. Douglas
of Meadville, was passing up Chestnut street,
about 10 o'clock, on Friday night to bis resi
dence, he was assaulted, thrown down and
stabbed by some unknown villain. The affair
took place just below tbe canal bridge, and
owing to the darkness of the night the Col.
was unable to distinguish or even see his as
sailant. The wound is about 3 inches in
depth, upon bis left side, below the arm.
Tbe blow was undoubtedly aimed at tbe heart.
No doubts are entertained with regard to Mr.
D.'s recovery.
Bctler Cocxtt. Thos. Fletcher., Esq., ot
Wbitestown, struck a German, who was work
ing for hini, with a billet of wood, fracturing
bis skull and causing his death. It seeixs a
difficulty had taken place, during which the
Germau attempted to strike Mr. Fletcher, who
seized a piece of wood and gave him the fa
tal blow. Fletcher is in prison. He admits
the act, but says it was in self-defence.
Vksaxco CorxTT. The grocery store of II.
Evans, of Franklin, was broken open on the
night of the Cth, and a quantity ot Cotfeo, Su
gar, Oysters, &c, taken therefrom. Entrance
was effected through tbe back door. The
thief was evidently quite a modest one, else
he might have taken more booty.
Cambria Corsrr. George Berkey, a hand
in the Rolling Mill, at Johnston, had ono of
his legs fractured on Tuesday the 7th, by tbe
falling of a heavy piece of iron across it.
Michael Weyland, another hand, also met with
a similar accident on Thursday, in the same
way.
GeneralCass is very feeble. He is often con
fined to bis room, and is compelled to forego
all heavy labor in Washington.
NEW ADVEETISEKENTS.
TYRONE A.ND CLEARFIELD RAIL
ROAD. Notice ii hereby given to the Stock
holders that an election for President and Direc
tors of the Tyrone and Clearfield Railroad will be
held on the 2nd Monday of January. (10th day.)
1859, at the office of the Company, in Philipiburr.
JAMES T. HALE, President.
Chas. R. Foster, Sec. lce. 13, lSeri.
CLEARFIELD ACADEMY STOCKHOLD
ERS will ineet at the office of James Wrig
ley, (Register and Recorder,) at Clearfield, on Mon
day the 3d day of January. 1859, at 2 o'clock, P.
M., to elect a Hoard of Trustees and other offioers,
for the ensuing year. Tbe stockholders are re,
quested to atteud . J. B. M'EiiALLY. See.
Dec. 15. 1358. of the Board of Trustees.
REGISTER'S NOTICE.-Notiee it here,
by given, that the following accounts have
been examined and passed by me, and remain filed
of record in this office for the inspeotion of heire,
legatees, creditors, and all others in any other way
interested, and will be presented to the next Or
phans' Court of Clearfield County, to be held at
the Court House, in the Borough of Clearfield,
commencing on the third Monday of JAN UARY,
1859. for confirmation and allowanco:
The partial account of John L. Cuttle, Executor
of the estate of Solomon Kline, late of Lawrence
township, Clearfield conntv, deceased.
JAMES V RIO LEY,
. Clearfield, Pa., Deo. 15, 1S58. Register.
LOOK HERE ! LOOK IIERE '.'.The an,
dersigned take this method of informing the
public generally that they have entered into co
partnership in the Blacksmithing business, and
can be found at the shop formerly occupied by Ja
cob Shunkweiler, on Third street, in the borough,
of Clearfield, where tbey will be pleased to sea
their old customers, and as many new ones as can.
make it convenient, to give them a call.
Bring on your hoes, your spades, and picks,
Tour log chains and your pulling sticks,
Yonr sleds, your sleighs, your horse and mare.
Io three-year old, shall then go bare.
Your spears we'll work np then just right,
To pruning hooks for every hight, .
lour swords too, shall then be wrought
lo plough-shares such as Casn ne'er bought.
J.BHCKKWEILER.
Dee 6, 1853. GEORGE W. 0RR.