The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1855-04-13
SELFISH MOTIVES.

Editor OF this paper IS actualed Dy SestlW dnu
merceaarg motives in all he says on the subject
of Know -Nothingsn. Now, this is both un-
fair and ungeneIuuS, as we think we can shew
to the satisfaction of any honorable man, no
matter what his political sentiments may be-
So far as We are personally concerned, we have
had every thing 10 lose, and nothing to gam,
$50 far as mere dollars and cents are concern
ed,) in entering our protest against the new Or
der which has temporarily taken possession oil
the country. In the first place, We DO not be-
glieve we have twenty Catholic subscribers on
orr entire list, hence all the patronage we de-
rive from that quarter amounts to very little
and, secondly, the Catholics have never exhibit
ed friendship towards Us when personal Difficult
ty threatened A few years ago, it will be re-
mernber4d, quite family ieud broke out in this
place on the subject Of The Presidential Election,
in which an effort was made by many Democrats
to crush the Gazette because II dared TO express
a preference for the venerable DALLAS over Mr.
BCcHaNAH, whom we then thought bad been
unsuccesSf fully before the country long enough
This was struggle Of no ordinary character, and
developed greas-bitferness Of feeling. Where were
the CATaoLlcs then4 To a man arraPed against
the Gazette, as can be seen by reference to a
i-lsand5W then published, to which their names
are appended A few years after another cr1sts
in the affairs oftbe Party arose, growing out Of
the election Of President Judge Of this District,
which, perhaps, exhibited more bad feeling than
had ever t7tlDre been witnessed in this place.
large body of Democrats in Bedford favored the
sserIection of Mr.. LYON, whilst the Gazette sup
:! ported the, election of Mr.. kIMMELL. Here
another attempt was made 10 do US great per-
sonal injury, in which the CATHOLICS and
Foreigners were all arraypd against as as can
be seen by another handbdi published on that
occasion. From this plain statement of facts,
every honest citizen will see that, were We
governed by selfish and Interested motives, we
should at once have gone with popular camor
in favor of the proscrptive principles of the
Know Nothings, IN order 10 have reraage OF the
/ Catholics for their ungenerous conduct toward
US But we refused to do so for two reasons.-
First, because Known Nothingism attempts to de-
bar them. of rights guaranteed TO them by the
Constitution Of the country-and, secondly, be-
cause it invades a right guaranteed TO them by
( their GOD, TO wit the right Of conscience.
/ When the Judge question was in controversy,
we found in Foreign Catholics our most vim
dictive opponents Mr.. SArPP, the present
Postmaster, who was appointed to the Office he
now holds by the very men who stand most pro-
mnent in the Know Nothing Lodges, was Sc
ected BY Mr.. Lyon and his friends 10 follow US
/ into Somerset to make Report of speech we
! delivered in that place, by invitation, and to
convey the intelligence TO that people tia; we
were entirely misreDresenting the views of the
| Democracy of Bedford county in advocating the
election Of Mr.. KimmeIl. As much as the peo-
/ pie were divided in sentiment on this point, the
sober second thought seems to have convinced
even the widest supporters Of L. that we We're
right in that case, just as time and reflection
will satisfy the people that we are right in op-
posing the incendary principles of Know No
thingism. What we have said, and shall continue
to say on this subject, springs from consciea-
tious conriction Of duty, and we shall not stop
to consider, in the performance of this duty,
whether We are pandpFing 10 the appetite oi
personal friends or persoaai enemies! Our sin
cere desire is to do JUSTICE To ALL MEN, and if,
at any time, we fail to meet this standard, the
error is one of judgment and not of the heaf.-
1t must be apparent however, that we are un-
der no special obligations to Catholics!
One Of the strange things in the history Of
politics will be found in the fact that although
our FOREIGN and CATHOLIC population, al
most 10 a man, united with the Wings (now
Know .NofhingS) in favor of Mr.. Lyon, and
most heartily and zealousy opposed Mr.. Kim
nell, the former is now the bold champion oi
Know Nothingism, whilst the latter takes an O.
pen, manly, and eloquent stand against it =
Certainly the Judge will not be considered SCI
fish and mercsnary in thus throwing bis power
lul influence into the scale of those who lent
their best energies to defeat him for the high
trust he now fills with SO much credit to him
self and advantage to the true interests of those
who have business in Court The Judge, like
the Gazette, is courting no favor, bowing before
no prejudice, seeking no revenge for injuries
real or inmaginary, but simply aiding to uphold
the magnificent edifce erected upon the glori-
Gus CONSTITUTION bequeathrd TO US by tbs
blood of the Heroes Of the Revolution. regard
less Of who it pleases or ,Iispieases. ''Sink OF
swim, survive perish, this shall be our motto