The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1854-08-11


or power. There is, we assert, without fear of
Z contradiction, no instance to be found in the
modern history of political party, that has
been so uniformly wrong on every question,
and against which time and experience have
spoken in such terrible tones OF condemnation
+ -swhose foliieS and errors have recoiled with
such fearful and bitter retributon. There is
! now not "a vestge of Federal or Wing policy 10
be found in the country, and not an accusation
has been made against democratic policy and
measures that has not been shown 10 be unfound-
ed and been properly rebuked By the people
AS arf Reorganization they Stand before the eoun-
try condemned and demoralized.
This position is felt and acknowledged by a
large portion, the moderate men, Of the Wing
party. But the lessons of experience have
never taught MANY Of their leaders wisdom, and
we now find them ndulging in the grievous
error of attempting 10 reconstruct that party on
false and leeting ideas, without any Of the prin-
ciples Of their former creed on which to base an
organization. 1t is dangerous experiment,
and 1t will prove entire failure, many
sensible and candid Wings are free TO acknowI-
edge. The rank and file are boldly asked to
accept the current iSmS Of the day as their po-
litical creed. Bat the effort is vain, for these
harebrained crotchets are openly rejected by
some, and quietly despisrd by others. Nor is
the alliance spoken Of entirely agreeable to the
new parties. They wisely dread the fatal in
fuence Of Wing anecedents, and are Shrewdly
insisting. that if an alliance effectual is to be
formed, Whiggery must be an unseen element
that political temperance, NativeiSm, or Abb
olitiohism may triumph, but Whggery never
They think ii an unpropitious time to join that
disintegrated party.
Yet reduced TO such a hopeless position these
leaders manifest Willingness to fall in with
.'rvery wind Of doctrine that may promise to
result in temporary success. Hence we find
them ready to tamper with sectarian prejudices
10 excite one sect OF processing christians
against another-to array class OF citizens
against another--to prostitute the cause of tenn
perance and the sacred cause of education to
mere partizan ends-and thus minister to the
worst passions that have ever ensaved The hu-
man heart and brought strife and contention in
to the world-to disregard the admonitions and
teachings TO George Washington, and tIample
under foot the obligations TO the constitution of
our common country. And all this they Go. TO
promote no great end of public policy, but 10
gam political power.
klr. Webster predicted on his dying couch,
ang sent Zoe prediction to his friend Rufus
Choate, that after 1852 the Wing party would
exist ONLY in history. The facts we have de-
tailed verify that prophecy. If that great man
and his still greater compeer IN craftsmanship,
Henry Clay, were permitted to return amongst
US, they would aSSeyerate that the present Wing
party is not that which they were accustomed
to advise and counsel. The respectable and
high toned, though often mistaken gentlemen,
who used to rally under the lead of these great
statesmen, would never condescend to such
humiliating, dishonorabIe and anti-repuhican
position as that now assumed by some of their
former political associates.
1t constitutes one branch of the present tac-
tics of the opposition to the democracy TO raise
clamor about the supposed diversion of the
common school fund to sectarian purposes-and
this matter has not been deemed beneath the
dignity of notice bv the Wing State Central
Committee. We will give you, fellow-citizens,
in answer to this charge of the opposition,
plain statement of facts, and a brief history OF
their own conduct on this school question.
In 1886 when Joseph Ritner was Governor,
and both branches of the Legislature were com
posed of a majority of Wings, the common
school law was re-enacted, and feature en-
grated thereon, giving portion OF the fund to
endowed schools, and also TO the schools of re-
! lgiouS denominations on certain conditions,
which can be seen in all the school laws, as we
will detail from that time until change was
radr by the law of the last session OF the gem
eral assembly. In ls49, when VIM. +. John
ston was Governor, and the legislature was
composed OF majority of Wings, the school
law was again revised, and the feature provid-
inc ior distribution of the fund to religious
sects was retained, and the law was appr0red
bv the then Executive of the State. in the
course of The last session of the legislature,
when both branches were Democratic, with a
democratic Governor, the school law was again
+ revised and re-enacted, but all the sectaran
features were stricken out. In the face OF this
record, showing that they and they only as
] party when in power, have engrafted this feature
I on the system, they have the hardihood to come
before the public and attempt to make false
issue against the Democratic party on this ques-
ton. Ranging demagogues attempted last WIN
Ter to excite prejudice on the subject and raise
/ an alarm as to the action OF the legislature,
/ when not single petition was presented asking
for the measure, nor motion made to that Ell
feet Comment is unnecessary. We only ask,
/ if the democracy be not friendly TO the school
system, how il comes that II has been SO long
/ cherished and perfected under Democratic rule
/ The effort of our opponents to excite rellg-
ous preiudices against us is no new thing. You
will all remember that when that good and
pure man, Francis R. Skunk, was The Demo
cratic nominee for Governor, the Wings at
tempted to raise sectarian prejudice against
him He was charged with submission TO Cath
olic influence, and with trampng upon the
American flag while walking in Catholic pro-
/ cession at Pittsburg. But this shameless expt-