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Franklin Repository: March 14, 1860 Go To Page : | | | | | | | |

The Irrepressible Conflict
(Column 1)

Summary: Poem on slavery and the inherent conflict between it and freedom.

Full Text of Article:

Oh! Land of Columbia! thy hill tops and mountains
Once echoed in gladness the eagle's shrill scream;
And a welcome broke forth from thy valleys and fountains,
That rose with the sounds of each murmuring stream.
What tidings had roused thee from ages of slumber,
And thrill'd thy dark forests with anthems of joy?
'Twas the songs of the free, which in each lofty number,
Spoke freedom unmingled with servile alloy.
Humanity long for the boon had contended,
While tyrants and despots enthrall'd it with chains,
And free thoughts of man, from dark prisons ascended
To Heaven, where justice eternally reigns.
To the coast of New England now Heaven had guided
The pilgrims' frail bark o'er the boisterous main;
And man stood redeemed from the laws that derided
Religion and truth--the true freedom of man.
But the demon of darkness, unconquered, then sped him
Across the Atlantic, for victims to bind;
While the counsel of the demi god avarice, led him
To plot the enslavement of body and mind.
How sad was the day when a slave first was landed,
And trod thy free soil, O thou land of the west!
Ah! how could thy sons, who but recently banded
As freemen, now yield to the tempter's behest?
And why, when the thraldom of England was broken,
And our flag, with its eagle and stars, was unfurl'd
Oh! why the word slave still remains to be spoken,
Or breathed from our altars and hearths to the world?
But say, shall the plague-spot of Slavery forever
Defile thee-cutcheon of Washington's home?
Or shall thy proud sons rise potential, to sever
The chains of the slave? O, glad day, let it come!
Shall LIBERTY be but a cloak to envelope
A scheme by which slave-mongers still shall control
Their victims, and through that proud watch-word develope
A system of shackles for body and soul?
The "Union of State," the proud word that enchanted
The souls of the fathers of freedom and right,
O, say, shall this "Union of States" be cemented
By blood, in defence of this withering blight?
When Time has accomplished, on untiring pinions,
This century, what shall thy history be?
Columbia's land was the slave power's dominions,
While banner's proclaimed it the land of the free!
O ye that enjoy in its fullest fruition
That freedom from tyrants thy fathers proclaimed,
Ye are tracing, in lines deep and dark, the condition
Of MAN, as a slave, both in body and mind.
The records of councils, of States and of churches,
Of families and homes, when long years roll away,
Will be found in the faithful historians' researches
When the actors have mouldered and mingled with clay.
O think, while Columbia's annals preparing,
Of those who projected the chart of the free,
Think well of your part in its history sharing--
The page which you write for descendants to see,
While the shades of the fathers of freedom still linger
Around us, and beckon us boldly to crown
Their labors with success, Oh let not a finger
Be raised to detract from their temple's renown. Chambersburg, March 12, 1860. M.

The New York Seventh Regiment
(Column 5)

Summary: Reasons why the New York Seventh is the "crack" regiment in the Union.

Origin of Article: New York Herald

Party Aims
(Column 1)

Summary: Article specifies the differences betweeen the parties.

Full Text of Article:

The great difference between the aims of the two principal political parties of the day, is so marked that we propose to spread them before our readers, in language so plain that he who runs may read, so that thinking men can determine which party has the strongest claims upon the confidence and support of the American people.

We begin with foes, the miscalled Democratic party. They, the leaders of that party, profess to be the only body of men entitled to the name Democrat.--They endeavor, by false pretenses, to gull the unsuspecting voter into the belief that their true title to the succession is indisputable; because, forsooth, they have for a number of years continued to bear that name; but they forget to say anything about principles, which, after all, underlie all parties and give them their only true name.

The origin of the Democratic party was the movement on the part of the gifted patriots, THOMAS JEFFERSON, and his compeers, to arrest what they believed to be the encroachments of power upon the rights, liberties and franchises of the masses of the people. The Federal party being then in power, and the laws which they were placing upon the national statute books being somewhat suspicious in their character--having an apparent tendancy to encroachment upon the perfect freedom of the people--the wise, great and good men who had been recently emerged from beneath the dark clouds which hung like a thick pall over the people during the ever-memorable Revolutionary struggle, the eight years war, which terminated in securing to all the inhabitants of the land the boon for which they sighed; the blessing they so earnestly pleaded for from high heaven--perfect freedom--became seriously alarmed lest tyranny should seize upon the rights of the unsuspecting masses the cruel hand of oppression destroy every vestige of the temple of liberty.--Consequently, in their zeal to preserve and transmit to posterity the priceless blessings of freedom, these noble sons of liberty inaugurated a party, based upon the Declaration of Independence, which they called Democratic; because its objects and aims were the placing of the humblest man in the land upon an equality with the haughtiest aristocrat in the country--for some few such then, as now, dealt in Republican America.

The doctrines advocated at that time, the early days of the Republic, by the old-time Federalists and the dogmas of the so-called Democratic party now, ar exactly the same. If, therefore, the immortal JEFFERSON were upon earth now, he could not find a resting place for his pure, patriotic Democratic principles, or for himself, in the ranks of the party which arrogates to itself the exclusive right to be called his successor. He battled for principles, not for names or for men, and, if the Federalists had entertained his sentiments, he would never have raised an opposition merely for the sake of a new party--on matter what might have been its prospects for popularity with the masses of the people, whom he loved most tenderly.

Every feature in the teachings of the old Federal party which JEFFERSON deemed obnoxious to just censure; every law they passed having the slightest, apparent, tendency towards trespassing upon the blood bought, inalienable rights of his countrymen; every attempt at centralization of the powers of the Government in the hands of the few, to the everlasting injury of the many, caused his large heart to expand with indignant determination to arrest the insidious advances of power upon the inherent rights of the unprotected working classes. His aims being pure and patriotic, he very properly adopted the name Democracy, for his new party--the party of, and for the people. Good, wise, wholesome councils prevailed and that party became the idol of the people; that name (Democratic) the synonym of freedom--the other party died out.

In process of time, however, a great change has taken place. Many of the place men, the office-holders and office-seekers, who belonged to the odious Federal party, cautiously wormed themselves into the Democratic party--carrying with them all their detestible, centralizing, poorman-hating dogmas of Federalism, which rendered their old party so very unpopular with the people. The mere change of name with these men produced no more change of sentiment than would the simple act of enveloping the body of a wolf with the skin of an innocent lamb produce any change in that ferocious animal--make it any less the blood- thirsty foe to every other animal, even its own species. So soon as the inveterate enemies of pure Democracy--James Buchanan, and other leaders--felt that they could, without danger, foist their cherished Federal sentiments upon an iron-ruled party, the attempt was made; the mask was thrown off and Federalism, in all its unblushing nakedness and in its most disgusting form presented itself to the people and asked to be taken to the bosom of honest men as a legitimate object for their affectionate embrace. We have now, as a consequence of the controlling influence such men have gained in the once pure Democratic party, the mortification of seeing the party of JEFFERSON become the teacher of Federalism--the unyielding exponant of the sentiments he battled against with all his might.

In order to maintain, and to transmit to posterity, the undying principles of which JEFFERSON, in his day, was the unflinching champion, the people, in these latter days, have seen the necessity of forming themselves into a party. Accordingly, with no other aim in view than the sacred preservation of the priceless blessings of the life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, the PEOPLE have organized themselves into a party, defensive in its character, determined not to yield to the seductive tamperings of inflated officials, pandering to their selfishness, but, actuated by the nobler sentiments which controlled the fathers of the Republic, pledge their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor upon the altar of their country's prosperity.--Such is the People's party--such its only aim.

Farewell
(Column 1)

Summary: Rev. P. B. Reese leaves Methodist Episcopal Church after two successful years.
(Names in announcement: Rev. P. B. Reese)

Distinguished Visitors
(Column 1)

Summary: Railroad company officials visit Chambersburg.
(Names in announcement: Capt. S. S. Williams, B. N. PoseyEsq., John H. Reed)

Sad Casualty
(Column 1)

Summary: Article laments wagon accident that killed John H. Shartle.
(Names in announcement: John H. Shartle)

Celebration of the Twenty-Second
(Column 2)

Summary: Report of the celebration of Washington's birthday at the Harrison School House.
(Names in announcement: J. WalterEsq., David Jacobs, M. S. Newcomer, P. M. Shoemaker, Issac N. Snively, Wm. H. H. Newman, Henry OaksEsq., )

Spring Election
(Column 2)

Summary: Tickets for the People's Party after ward meetings for judge, inspector, constable, and assessor.
(Names in announcement: William C. Murry, Josiah W. Fletcher, Rufus K. McClellan, Samuel Etter, Joseph Fry, George W. Heagy, Thomas L. Fletchter, David Chamberlin, )

Public Library
(Column 3)

Summary: Officers elected for the public Library and Reading Room board.
(Names in announcement: William Heyser, Joseph Fry, A. K. McClure, C. M. Burnett, Abraham Huber, Jno. K. Shryock, William Seibert, G. W. Brewer, George Lehner, James Hamilton, Vincent McCoy, John S. Eyster, William HeyserJr.)

Married
(Column 4)

Summary: Mr. Duncanson married Miss E. Rogers on February 23.
(Names in announcement: Rev. S. McHenry, Duncanson, E. Rogers)

Married
(Column 4)

Summary: Mr. Jacob Brake married Miss Susan Kuns on March 5.
(Names in announcement: Jacob Brake, Susan Kuns)

Married
(Column 4)

Summary: Mr. Daniel Foreman married Miss Martha Gsell on March 8.
(Names in announcement: Daniel Foreman, Martha Gsell)

Married
(Column 4)

Summary: Mr. Wm. Bair married Miss Agnes Coons, daughter of Mr. George Coons, Sr., on March 1.
(Names in announcement: Rev. Wm. A. West, Wm. Bair, Agnes Coons, George CoonsSr.)

Married
(Column 4)

Summary: Mr. George Smith married Miss Elizabeth Hart on March 6.
(Names in announcement: Rev. Samuel Philips, George Smith, Elizbeth Hart)

Died
(Column 4)

Summary: Stephen O. Brown, age 79, died on March 8 in Path Valley.
(Names in announcement: Stephen O. Brown)

Died
(Column 4)

Summary: Charlotte A. Brown, daughter of Martin and Elizabeth Brown, aged 4 years 6 months and 24 days died on March 11.
(Names in announcement: Charlotte A. Brown, Martin Brown, Elizabeth Brown)