Raftsman's journal. (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, March 01, 1865, Image 2

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    Raftsman s f aittnaL
11V S. J. ROW.
CLEARFIELD, PA., MARCH 1 , 1Sd5.1'
THE "WAE NEWS.
A3 stated in our hist, Charleston was evac
uated by the rebels on the 17th. Several
of the fortiiiitions were left uninjured,
which, together with 2U0 cannons fell into
our hands. The stars and stripes now a
gain float over the city and fort Sumter.
The rebels set fire to.Charieston before leav
ing it, and about two-thirds of the city was
destroyed ere the flames could be arrested.
Several iron-clad gunboats were also des
troyed by the rebels previous to their leav
ing Charleston harbor. During the burn
in? of the city a large number of the citizens
had contrregated at the Wilmington railroad
depot, when a most fearful exj ilosion occurred
by which several hundred lives were lost.
These people generally belonged to the poor
er classes, and could not leave the city for
want of meatfc. The cause of this horrible
disaster is not known, but is supposed to
have been the result of the explosion of tor
pedoes, or some other infernal machines ly
ing in the depot buildings. A blockade
runner which had just arrived, also fell into
the hands of our troops. Thus, one rebel
stronghold after another is taken possession
of by our gallant Union boys, and we hope
soon to see the now tottering "Confedera
cy" going to pieces altogether.
The news from our armies continues fa
vorable. Cn the 17th our forces under Gen.
Seofield left Smithficld, on Cape Tear river,
and commenced an attack on Fort Anderson,
while the fleet under Com. Porter went up
the river, and also opened a heavy bombard
ment "on the fort, which was kent up during
the day. On Saturday night, however, the
rebels evacuated most of the garrison mak
ing its escape towards Wilmington. On
Sun lay morning the IS? lb, our troops took
f
rossesf 10a 01 the rebel works. Our entire
o-zs in the emraecmcnt was only eitrht.
Rebel l.-:3 not known. Wilmington, too,
ha.? fallen into our h i ids. As our troops
advanced on l!ie place the rebels evacuated
it a'o. Oar troops . ocupied the city
cr. the d, Washington's birthday. We
capture! in all about 700 prisoners and ill: -ty
cannons, at Fort Anderson and Wilming
ton. In the .city, the rebels burned one
thousand bales of cotton and fifteen thou
sand barrels ofrJfin.
From the tone cf tli-j Richmond papers
we infer thai much despondency prevails in
the Confederacy. In fact, they admit that
their cause is in a critical situation. The
authorities have set apart the 10th of
March as a day cf lasting and prayer, and
the people are exhorted to devote the whole
dlv to the service of God. and ftskiri"- liis;iid
in behalf of .the rebel cause. The arming of
negroes "13 a matter of; much controversy a
mong the rebel leaders,, and as yet nothing
deSiiJ-te has resulted therefrom, as many
fear to trust their ''.servants" with, guns in
their hands.
The news from Sherman is quite indef
inate the only information of his where
abouts being through rebel sources. At
last advices he was forty miles north of Col
umbia, South Carolina, "and threatening
Chailottein North Carolina but whether
the latter place is his destination is not known.
Jal'iiez. The Mexican President, says
the Pittsburgh Chronicle, challenges our ad
miration by that courage and fortitude with
whieh.hc maintains front against the foreign
adventurers who are holding riot in Mexico,
lie has issued a stirring proclamation declar
ing that the republic Wd be sustained at
all hazards, and urging the people-to stand
firm. The news from Mexico is of an en
couraging character. The States of jjChil
huahua, Souora 'and Sinaloa have pretty
much driven off the Imperial troops, and
there are nearly twenty thousand republican
troop.-'under arms in those States. Max
imilian finds the English newspapers regular
''Job's comforters." for thev arebusik rre-
uictin.' all manner of embarras-ment and
disasters to him. As for Lonsj Xapoleox,
notwithstanding the oracles of Paris corrcs-
t)ondents of New York papers, he is doubt
ess heartily glad that he has shifted upon
other shoulders the responsibility of an en
terprise the most Quixotic of the age, and,
next to this rebellion, the most criminal.
Stirring it tue Hornets. Late tele
graphic dispatches report a great commotion
in the rebel lines, both about Richmond and
Petersburg. The rebel leaders are in a pret
ty flutter of excitemcr.t, and the privates
are ungratefully de.rting on every occasion.
The rapid advance of Alaric, as the rebels
style General SIiermax, makes it necessary
to do something else but fulminate in their
newsparers and quarrel over arming negroes
in their " Congress." They must cither
change their base, and crush out one of the
main armies operating against them, or be
smothered in Richmond like so many horn
ets in a hole. What they decide to do must
be done quickly. We shall not, therefore,
be astonished to hear of the whole swarm
buzzing about Grant's headquarters soon,
or taking flight into the mountains ot East
Tennessee. '
The four years of continued suffering
which, the neop?y .cf Savannah have endur
ed have left an impression of pain upon their
faces. Men have remained in their houses
for months, without' ever going into the
streets, for fear of Iwing conscripted; and
an instance is mentioned of one man who
had not gone outside of his doors for three
years.
A New Spoke in the Wheel. The
landing of General Scofield, with a very
considerable force, at Nawbern, prepared to
build and equip railroads, indicates that that
place is to be a water base for important op
erations towards Goldsboro and Raleigh.
It will not bo lonar before Raleigh will be
reached, wheu Richmond will be completely
isolated.
"THE WAE IN CLEASriELD."
Ever sihee troops were sent to Clearfield
county to arrest deserters and enforce the
laws, "certain distinguished leaders of the
Democratic party" in this towD, have labor
ed anxiously, through the columns of their
organ, to shift the responsibility for what
has ensued from their awn shoulders where
it properly rests, and fasten it upon "certain
cowardly Abolition leaders," whom they
cannot find language sufficipntly stronto de
nounce. To this end they have misrepre
sented and distorted the facts, published
deliberate falsehoods, and exhausted every
expedient that political cunning and legal
ingenuity could devise. Cut all this titre
the true record is steadily being made up,
and when completed, it will not only fully
vindicate "the cowardly Abolition leaders,
"so wanting in principle and every" manly
"instinct," but it will demonstrate to the
most humble comprehension, that the men
who counseled their feIlow-eitizen3 Tiot to
furnish another man or another dollar to
prosecute the war, are justly accountable to
them for all the suffering, calamity, and
trouble, the adoption of their advice has
entailed.
We publish to-day one cLapter of this re
cord the clear and lucid statement by Col.
Campbell, of the reasons which induced
him- to make a requisition for troops to be
sent to Clearfield. No doubt many persons
will be surprised to learn, after the fulmina
tions of the Clea r field Republican, that the
information upon which he acted reached
him "through the direct official channel,"
and that the troops were asked for by that
"vigilant and attentive" officer, whose "re
signation" the Republican so much depre
cated, Capt. John S. M'Kiernan. Sure
ly that "faithful and gentlemanly officer,
"who was able to discharge his duties so as
" to meet the approbation of the Govern
"ment and the people," could not have
been mistaken when he reported "the im
" possibility of obtaining aid or assistance
" from the inhabitants in the prosecution of
"his duties that, on the contrary, desert
"ersand non-reporting drafted men were
"secreted, harbored, and employed by ma
' ' ny influential citizens that h is efforts m ust
11 prove fruitless unless sustained by a mili
" tary force, and that he had been repeated
" Iy fired upon while in discharge of his du
"ty." Can it be possible that a life-long
Democrat a supporter of M'Clelian "a
high-minded gentleman and true soldier"
one who was removed "because he would
not participate on behalf of the Abolition
party in the late political contest" (vide 'Re
publican,' 16th Nov. 164.) could Lave been
guilty of manufacturing "base fabrications,'
to induce the authorities to send troops to
Cleai field, and perpetrate "a fraud upon
the Government ?" Certainly this report
of the special favorite of the Republican,
cannot be charged "upon the "cowardly Ab
olition leaders." "With stiil less propriety
can they be charged with the failure of over
three hundred anuSf'ty" drafted men to report.
Had their advice. been adopted, the quotas
would have been filled ; there would have
been no draft, no failure to report, and no
troops "sent to the county. They did not
place over proclamations for the draft, the
headings, in glaring capitals, "Your money
or your life," "The bloody wheel," and o
thersof like character, to make the measure
odious to the people. . They did not hold
meetings and advise those who looked to
them for counsel,' not to furnish another
man or another dollar to prosecute the war,
and then wheu trouble ensued in conse
quence of the advice, place themselves out
of reach of the men they had deluded.
Thf'y sold norevolvers.distributed no ammu
nition, cither to resist the draft or "to hunt
deer," and held no secret meetings to swear
to rescue each other when arrested by the
authorities. With none of these things,
which induced the sending of troops to
Clearfield, can they justly be charged. But
how is it with "the distinguished leaders of
the Democratic party?"
That the failure of over three hundred
and fifty drafted men to report "the con
certed action to resist the draft" the band
ing together of men who swore to rescue
each other when arrested were all legiti
mate consequences of the speeches made by
Ex-Gov. Bigler aud Senator Wallace in this
town, on the 13th of August last, is as plain
as that two and two make four. Had these
men. instead of advising the three thousand
persons who assembled to hear them on that
day not to furnish another man or dollar to
yrosecute the war, told their followers to go
home, fill their quotas and obey the laws,
who wili pretend that we would have had
any such trouble in Clearfield? The de
mands of the Government would have been
promptly met, and no necessity would have
existed for enforcing its authority. No
men would have gone ironi that meet
ing shooting off revolvers, and howling
for Jeff Davis, .' Deserters from other parts
of the country would not have been inaac
ed to seek refuge in Clearfield, under the
impression that they would receive aid and
encouragement from these "distinguished
leaders." There would have been no occa
sion whatever for sending troop3 to the
county, and all the consequences that have
ensued, would have been averted.
It is not strange that these "leaders,"
with the editor of the Republican, should
be anxious to shift the responsibility that
rests upon them. That they did not intend
their followers to resist the draft, when they
counseled .them to furnish no more men or
money to prosecute the war, is doubtless
true. That the editor of the Republican
did not intend his readers to resist the draft,
when he persistently used every effort to
cast odium upon the measure, may be e
qually true. Rut that those followers and
readers so understood them, is only too evi
dent from the course they have pursued.
Lamentable, indeed, has been the result.
Three men sleep, to-day, under the snow,
who, had different advice been given, might
now be in full and joyous life. Lansberry
wanders a vagabond with the mark of Cain
upon his brow, hiding in forests and caves,
from the pursuing officers of the law. More
than a hundred men have leen arrested on
the grave charge of desertion. Citizens'are
detained in custody, and many of them'will
be tried aud severely punished for violating
the Enrollment Act, while wives and sons
aud daughters and parents and friends are
involved in sorrow, suffering and disgrace.
Sad, indeed, was the error of those who
supposed they could withhold men and mo
ney from the Government, without becom
ing amenable to all the consequences of a
violation of law.
IMPOSTAUT COBBESPOffDESCE.
TTLy Troops were Sect to Clearfield.
The following correspondence will explain
itself, and set at rest the question of who are
responsible for troops being sent to Clear
field. We ask for it the honest and candid
consideration of the members of all parties,
feeling assured that no man can arise from
its perusal without being convinced, that the
men w ho preached the doctrine of "not an
other man or another dollar to prosecute the
war," are the very men who brought the
troops to Clearfield, and who are justly re
sponsible for all the consequences that have
ensued. Read and judge.
Clearfield, Feb. 20th, 18C5.
D. W. Moore, Esq., Editor cf the Clear
field Republican : Sir: My attention hav
ing been called to several articles in your
paper withiu the last few weeks, charging
that the soldiers were sent to Clearfield
county for political purposes, aud at the in
stance of certain '"Republican leaders," I
deemed it right and proper to address a note
to the.Provo.st Marshal of the District, ask
ing why, and at whose instance troops were
sent here. A cojiy of that note, with the
reply of Col, Campbell, is herewith furnish
ed you.
That you were misinformed as to the true
facts, is clearly evident from the statement
of the Provost Marshal. The charge was
a grave one one which, if true, should ex
pose the parties guilty of it, to the scorn
and contempt of all honorable men. It is
rliSicult to conceive that any man could be
base enough, merely for the stike of polities,
to involve his neighbors, friend?", and fellow
K'ftizens hi trouble to cause them to "be
dragged from their homes," imprisoned aud
punished. It is but right, therefore, and
only fair to your follow citizens ag.-dnst whom
you have made a charge so serious, and to
the Government and its officers, that you
should give to the statement of the Provost
Marshal the same publicity you gave to the
charge. . The correspondence is furnished to
you for that purpose.
Yours, &c, II. BucnER Swocte.
Clearfield, February 8, ISt'.o.
Col. II. S. Campbell: Dear Sir: I
invite -your attention to the accompanying
copies of the ''Clearfield Republican," in
which the charge is made and reiterated,
that at the solicitation of Republicans in
this county, troops were sent here for polit
ical purposes.
If not inconsistent with the public inter
ests, will you please inform me y hat induced
you to make a requisition for troops, to be
sent to Clearfield, and upon whose repre
sentations your action in the premises was
based. RyTso doing you will confer a favor on
Yours truly, II. Richer SwoorE.
Office Provost Marshal, )
Ilidgway, February lUth, lS(o. )
II. B. Swoop E, Esq., Clearfield, Pa:
Dear tSir : I have the honor to acknowl
edge the receipt of your communication of
the-8th instant, with copies of the "Clear
field Republican" containing the editorials
tc which you refer, and as I do not deem it
inconsistent with the public interests, but a
duty whic h I owe to myself and the Govern
ment which I represent, I will, with plea
sure, briefly furnish you with the reasons
which prompted me to require the presence
of an armed force in Clearfield county.
In pursuance of the call of the President
of the United States, there were drafted in
to the service, in Clearfield county, on the
3d day of October, 18G4, 600 men. The
Board of Enrollment, by order of the War
Department, notified them to -appear at
Brookville, Jefferson county, on the 20th of
the same month, whore the Board repaired
for the purpose of holding the necessary ex
aminations for the Eastern counties of the
district. Of the number drafted in Clear
field county over 350 men failed to report.
After much inquiry and careful investiga
tion into the causes of this failure, the
Board became satisfied that concerted action
had been taken amongst large numbers of
the drafted men, aided and abetted by many
citizens of the county, with a view to resist
the draft. Evidence was also laid before
me of the existence of a widely extended,
secret, oath-bound association for the pur-
ose of resistance proof having previously
een furnished that large numbers of revolv
ers and other arms, with unusual quantities
of ammunition had been imported.
In addition to these facts, I was in pos
session, officially, that numbers of desert
ers from other counties in the State had re
paired to and were lurking among the fast
nesses of Clearfield county.
The Deputy Marshal, Captain M'Kiernan,
stationea m that County, had from time to
time reported, the impossibility of obtaining
aid or assistance from the inhabitants in the
prosecution of his duties that, on the con
trary; deserters ! and non-reporting drafted
men were secreted, liarbored, and employed
in defiance of the laws, by many influential
citizens that his efforts must prove fruitless
unless sustained by a military force, and
that he had been repeatedly fired upon while
in the execution of his duty. ;
From a knowledge of these facts I was
prepared, when the drafted men failed to
report, to make a requisition for troops up
on the Government. But the citizens of
Clearfield county, without regard to party,
charged upon me, while at Brookville, that
the officer employed by me had not been
effective strenuous efforts had not been
made to arrest and bring to justice the de
linquent drafted men and deserters that
every pacific measure had not been.and should
be exhausted before troops were called
into theeounry.- On this representation, on
2Gth October, 1864, I sent Col. Cyrus But
ler and Lieut. George Van Yliet, special a
gents of the Government, to arrest a noto
rious deserter named Joseph Lansberry,
residing within a short distance of Clearfield
borough.- J n the effort to make the airest
Col. Butler was murdered aud, I am sorry
to be compelled to add, the assassin was
sheltered, secreted.'and assisted; his wounds
dressed, and his wants relieved, and in con
sequence thereof, he is still at large.
When this overt act was committed, in ad
dition to the state of the county as abeve
detailed, it would have been imbecility, to
say the least, if I had not made the requisi
tion upon the Government for troops to ar-re.-t
the murderer break up and disperse
the organization against the Government
known to exist, and secure and deliver over
to the proper authorities for punishment
the lawless bahds of deserters, non-reporting
drafted men, and disloyal citizens, who
had by their acts provoked this measure.
I, with a full knowledge of the fa;-ts and
responsibility, state tl at I made the requisi
tions on the Government for the troops to
enter Clearfield county, and am alone res
ponsible to the people and the Government
for the act: and can freely and candidly as
sert that I was prompted by no political or
partisan purpose ; but with the determina
tion to compel obedience to the law, an 1 to
consult snd promote the best interests of the
people, and the Government. Had I not
adopted this course, the Supplementary
draft would have been exceedingly onerous
and unjust to those who were wiiiing to re
spond' to the call of the Government and
discharge their duty.
The result has fully demonstrated the wis
dom of the measure. No less than 105
drafted men, who had refused to report,
have been brought to headquarters by the
troops ; while they have arrested over 40
other deserters and bounty-jumpers, and
have to a great extent, if not entirely, bro
ken up the secret organization to resist the
draft. The supplementary draft has been
made, and the quota filled, without interfe
rence on the part of the troops.
A mass of evidence has been collected,
which, when the projer time arrives for its
publication, will remove all doubts as to the
expediency and propriety of sending troops'
to your count y. . '
In the discharge of our unpleasant duties,
the Board. of Enrollment has studiou.-iy
aimed to eschew the knowledge of any man's
politics, but it may be right that I should
here state, that the charge that members of
the Republican party influenced ine in send
ing troops into Clearfield county, is wholly
without foundation, and that I was wholly
unmfiueiiciyl by th feelings, passions, or
animo-itios of a single citizen in your coun
ty. The information upon which I acted
came through the direct' official channel, and
the responsibility for whatever has ensued
rests properly on those, whose bad conduct
made the measure necessary.
1 am, sir, very respectfully yours truly,
H. S. Ca MfSELL,
Capt. and Pro. Mar. 19th Dist, Pa.
IHTEEE3TIEG PHOCEEDINGS.
Donation to Rev. L. 11. Gardner.
On Tuesday evening of last week, a large
number of ladies and geiifteman from Clear
field and Curwensville, met at the Metho
dist Episcopal Parsonage, for the purpVsse of
making a donation to the Rev. L. M. Gard
ner, whose Ministerial term here has just
expired. II. BuciiEK Swoope, Esq., step
ped forward and spoke as follows :
Mr. Gardner: The ladies and pentle
men by whom I am surrounded, have assign
ed to ine the pleasant duty of presenting
you with this purse I hold in my band, con
taining the sum cf $250.00, which they beg
you to accept as a slight token of their es
teem for you as a man, a christian, and a
patriot. Holding different religious creeds
as you may preceive, sir, they yet unite in
this testimonial on the eve of your depart
ure, to evince, more especially, their appre
ciation of vour earnest and unswerving sup
port of the great cause of our country,
which all have so much at heart. That a
Minister of the Denomination to which you
belong a Denomination which, it is not in
vidious to say, has, perhaps, done more than
any other not only to Christianize but to en
franchise the races of men should yield a
cordial and hearty, support to the Govern
ment during the momentous struggle in
which it is engaged, was only to be expect
ed. But, sir, not alone did your loyalty and
patriotism find expression in fervid invoca
tions to the Supreme Ruler of the Universe
for his aid and blessing throughout this fear
ful trial not alone in eloquent and glowing
words of encouragement and exhortation to
your reop'e to render to the Government a
firm, united, aud hearty support but when
the State was invaded by a hostile foe. and
its Capital was threatened, jtou were found
armed in the trenches, ready to assist in de
fending our heartl s and homes ; and on the
bloody field of Gettysburg you knelt by the
side ot the sons and brothers of our neigh
bors and friends, ministering to their wants,
dressing their wounds, and preparing them
for the land of the Hereafter. Again, when
the news flashed over the wires, .that our
brave boys were surrounded by the dreadful
carnage of the Wilderness, you prompt
ly left your home,, and tor weeks devoted
your time, strength, and energies in seeking
out and administering to the temporal and
spiritual wants of the heroic men who rep
resented this county in the fierce shock of
battle. For these things, sir, you are enti
tled to the lasting gratitude of the loyal peo
ple of Clearfield. Accept, then, this purse
not as a compensation for services which no
amount cf money could repay but as a
slight testimonial of our regard, gratitude
and confidence. ' '. '
There is a peculiar fitness in our meeting
together on this evening, for this purpose.
The news which we have just received that
Charleston has fallen that' the starry flag
of the Government waves again in triumph
over the city in which the,Rebellion had its
origin gladdens all ourliearts, and lends a
zest to dur intercourse which the usual in
centives to social hilarity would utterly fail
to give.
Had your sojouru with us been, longer,
sir, our, offering would, in all probability,
have been larger. But as you are leavine
just as the Oil has been discovered, you will
fail to reap any portion of the harvest.
e have no .doubt, however, that wherev
er your lot may be cast, you will always re
joice in the prosperity of your friends in
Clearfield.
. Though the intrinsic value of the gift
which 1 now place in your hands is not large,
we trust it will be heightened in appreciation
by the cirumstances and association which
surround it.. Receive it, sir, with the as
surance, that your sojourn among us will al
ways be remembered with kinuly and grate
ful emotions. " '
Mr, Gardxer, replied as follows :
Ladies and Gentlemen : I can hardly
find language to express the sense of grati
tude wkieh I feel lor this testimonial of
your regard and esteem. It deserves, and
shall have the lastinij thankfulness of my
heart. I cannot too highly ap( reciatesuch a
substantial evidence of your respect and con
fidence. It gives me pleasure to say,that du
ring my residence among you, I have always"
found you kind, indulgent, and liberal; and
now, that the relation of pastor and people
is about to be dissolved, in the order of the
Church, this agreeable surprise will only ce
ment more strongly the bonds of affection
that bind me to you. The ministerial office
is not exempt from perplexities and- trials.
It has its seasons of trouble and affliction,
but. it has, aLo its "green spots" in the
pathway of experience, upon which the
sunshine of joy beams is ith undimmed radi-
hence. 1 he smiling taees around me. and.
your handsome" donation make this to me,
indeed, a green spot in the path of life. In
after years, when faraway, mingling with
other friends and surrounded by other cir
cumstances, 1 shall not forget "j his scene.
It shall live in memory till life's latest hour,
and be thought of only with emotions -of
pleasure.
You have been pleaed, sir, to allude to the
position I have sustained among you, in ref
erence to the cause of our common country.
With ine, that positron has Iteen maintain-,
ed, not only as the conviction of my best
judgment, tutor my conscience, iromthat
hour when Sumptor fell, and our glorious
flag was insulted by rebel hordes at Charles
ton, where to-night it waves again in tri
umph. I fi-lt it to be my solemn duty, as a
Christian minister, to give whatever of iu-iiiK-iKe
J po.-ses.-ed in favor of the Union
and the Government. I have sincerely re
garded the cause of the Republic as the
cause of God, and have contemplated its
destruction as the most appalling calamity
that could befall mankind. Hence, in the
pulpit and out of it, in public aud in private,
I have endeavored to inculcate a spirit. of
loaltvand patriotism.
With your permission, I was absent on
two occasions from the charge, for the
purpose of a.ssitiug to alleviate the suffer
ings of our brave soldiers who were wound
ed in defence of the flair. On the field of
1 ettysburg it was my privilege to bind up
the wounds of many noble men who had
fallen in the strife, and to point the dying
heroes to the Lamb of God. And never,
till I witnessed the sufferings of those brave
and glorious soldiers, did I comprehend the
magnitude of the sacrifice that was being
made to save- the life of the nation. Last
summer it was my privilege again to minis
ter to the suffering in the hospitals at Fred
ericksburg, and on the march to the Chick
ahominy ; and as I saw those gallant men
passing into eternity, many of them with a
smileof Christian triumph upon their brows,
I resolved that while I had a voice to speak
if should plead in ' behalf of the cause lor
which they died and that so far as my in
fluence would go their lives should never be
socnt in vain. For what I have done in this
respect, I do not claim any thanks. I have
simply performed a sacred duty which I
owed to God, to my country,and to mankind.
While I have lieen among yon, the na
tion has seen dark days. We have wept
and prayed together, as clouds gathered o
ver the national hopes ; but, thank God,
ere wo separate the skies have brightened
up again, and the conquering legions of free
dom are marching on to sure and certain vic
tory. My earnest, prayer is, that God may
Hasten the day when we can congratulate
each other upon the salvation of the Union,
and the return of peace.
And now. my dear friends, I once more
thank you from my heart for this liberal
gift ; and my sincere prayer i, that God may
bless you all with health and prosperity in
this life, and should it not be our privilege
to meet again on earth, I trust that we shall
meet in that better world above where the
chain of friendship is never broken, and e
ternal joy is the lot of the blest.
As an eloquent and gifted preacher, a de
voted patriot, and good citizen, Mr, Gard
ner has few equals, and no superiors. He
leaves his Chavge with the respect and esteem ,
not only of his own immediate people, but
of the community at large.
The Enrollment Law. The amend
ments to the Enrollment law will come up
at once in the House. It is not expected
that airy important change will take place,
but an effort will be made to rectify one of
the interpretations' put unon the present
law by General Frv. He decided last sum
mer that where a man liable to draft shall
put in a substitute in advance for three years
he shall be exempted for that time, the sub
stitute not being liable, but that when a man
waited to be drafted, and was drafted, then,
although he furnished an Acceptable substi
tute for three yearn, he shall not be exempt
fir but one year. This unjust decision the
House will probably correct In other res
pects the pnsent law will doubtless be im
proved. The Copperhead Commissioners ofCenter
county lately refused the use of the Conrt
House in Belieibnte to the Rev. J. Walker
Jackson, of Harrisburg, who had been in
vited to lecture for the benefit of the Metho
dist Episcopal Church, of that place. His
subject was "Andrew Jackson," and as
nothing could more strikingly display the
deformities of Copperhead Democracy than
an exhibition of the history, character and
principles of the founder of the Democratic
party, it is not. surprising that malignant
enemies of the government and sympathizers
with treason should attempt to prescribe
Mr. Jackson for daring to descant upon tlie
virtues of his -illustrious namesake.
A son. of Dr. Livingstone, the African
trav ellrr, who enlisted in the Federal service
when the war broke out, was in the latter
part of last year, taken prisoner by tho
Confederates.
THE CLEABIHID CGUSTY CASES
Correspondence of the PbilaPe!phi Inquirer
The Military Commission.
HARRISBURG, Feb. 25 lS65.-Tbe trial
eluded this morning. The existence of a?
cret organization to resist the execution of
the draft was most clearly proven in thee
If anything were needed t add to the ver!
Season of the fact, the case of Patrick CuV
ley would immediately settle the matter Bv
his confession an ex-Governor and a Stat
Senator, both able men, high in political
circbs, are represented as counseling tC
prisoner and others in opposition to the Gov
ernment ; and this, too, early in Antrum last
at a meeting held at C!earfield,and at a time
when there was no excitement of a politic
campaign to serve as an excuse fur such viT
lent utterances.
Patrick Curley
Came before the Commission this momine
after the trial of Xounshcrry was concluded
The charges and specifications aeainst him
were read, and instead of making a d
fense, he pleaded guilty, submittinp a writ
ten statement to the Court. The followin,
is an abstract of the
CHARGES AKD SrECICATI05S :
CnARGB T.-EDlrinK into. confederal .B(i
assisting m forming combinations to nttl.
ecntion of certain provision? of iit r
rolling and calling out the national force, "
PpeciScation. First That he. Patrick f,L
of CearSel.i connty. di.1 write. (U.rntVi
combine with Jaeob Ilnbler. .Hl, Wilh m lli
many other disloyal persons, in CleareM .'
ty.toreMSt the draft! and prevent rl, '
bad been drafted from entering M
sisting and evading, and counseling others to IT
8ist and evade, the exaction of the c.nv il ,
law-. All this about the 3d of Octobei "sW
at other times aud places " ' J
Specification, Second-rniting. can demist
and combining w.th fnbler and WfJhefn, uai
other disloyal persons, in a society bv the came
of -Democratic Casttes" the object of which or
ganization was and is to resist the draft, and pre
vent persons drafted from entering the srric.
Charge II The commission of acts of dislovaT
ty against the Government, and uttering disloyal
sentiments and opinions, with the object of defeat
ing and weakening the power of the Government
in us enoris to suppress tne Kehellion.
Specification That he did by words, in sab.
stance, threaten and declare that he would resist,
by force, all the officers and others in aid of the
Government concerned in enforcing the law. fr.r
enrolling and drafting persons subject to milita
ry duty, and counseled and advised others to re
sist by force all officers and' others in aid of tha
Government, and prevent the arrest of deserters
from the service and of persons drafted : all tbii
about the Sd of October, 1S61. and at other timet
and places.
Statement of the Prisoner.
To the Honorable Commission: Now
this 25th February, 1SC3, I, Tatrick Curley.
waive my right to a trial on the charges and
specifications pending against me, and plead
guilty, but beg leave to present the fllow
ingtatemeut: J was a memlcr of the Democratic party
of Clearfield county, and Governor William
IJigler and Senator William A. Wallace
were its acknowledged leaders.
On the 1 3th day of August, 1864. they
held a large meeting in the town of Clear
field, some three thousand people being pres
ent, at which these gentlemen made speech
es, the tenor and effect of which was, that
no more men or money should b furnished
f r the prosecution of the war. I was pres
ent at that meeting, and, with other, was
taught to believe that it was the purpose and
intent of our party to entirely withhold iti
support from the Government in carryirig
on the war.
I was inforn.ed, by Samuel Lounsberry
and others, that a secret society was leing
organized for that purpose, and was induced
to attend a meeting at Jacob Hubler's,
where I was sworn into the society by John
J. Kyler. I was misled into joining the or
ganization an i pnrsuing the course I did, by
the counsel of Governor iitrler and Senator
Wallace, as given at the meeting I have
ment toned. A fter I was arrested and learn
ed all the circumstances. 1 voluntarily st ted
to Major Gable, the oflieer who first had
charge of me, all the circumstances and fact
within my knowledge, giving hini the Con
stitution and forms of the organizataion.
I was paroled, and while I was at home
devoted my time to assisting the officers of
the Government in the execution of their
duties. It is my purpose and desire to sus
tain the Government and to discharge my
whole duty as a loyal citizen. The services I
have rendered are within the knowledge of
Major Gable and of several loval citizens of
Clearfield county. F. CtaLEV.
Recent reports from nearly all our armies
show that the number of deserters this win
ter from the rebel armies is more than three
times as great as it was last winter, and the
testimony of all was that more would desert
if able. The general disposition of many of
t he prisoners lately taken is averse to return
ing to the South, and since the exchange
has been resumed over sixteen hundred men,
now in confinement, have refused to be ex
changed. The significance of these facts w
further enlarged by the report of-G n. Grant
that since the campaign began last May, the
the whole number of deserters arriving with
in our lines from Lee's army alone is about
17,000. .
Johnstowx, February "25. An acciint
occurred on the Pennsylvania Railroad yester
day", four miles west of Cresson, resulting in
the death of two persons almost instantly,
and seriously injuring twenty five others.
Strikes have been numerous in all bran
ches of business during the past year; hut
the only successful ones have been amorg
those who have "Struck ile." '
gar gUlmfecmcnts.
A4vertts4iinetn!tsettnlarfretitre,euts,OTOitttff
ttyUwill be charged double price for spaeeorrup
A D.MIMSTRATOR'S NOTICE-I"?
Jt. of Administiationon the Estate of Jos. "
Slawson.Iateof Burnside town'p Clearfield cona
ty Pa., deceased, having been granted to the on
dersigned ; all persons indebted to
are hereby required to make immediate paymen
and those having claims against the same
present them properly authentic ?Ky
mFeb.1, 1856-gd. "" AdminSstrater
CLEARFIELD ACADEMY D- W- M
Curdy, A. B. Principal. The next qarter
will open on Monday, the 20th of March,
TERMS Or T0ITI05 AS FOLLOWS
Common English, comprising the fcr"5
higher thin jReading. Wr.Ung, AjJ
Geography, English Grammar and History. J
quarter. y ja
Higher English braaahea. (
Language.