The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1856-05-09

Indeed, had IT not been the avoW ed purpose 8
the opposition to be uniformly " rong on every
question, whether OF foreign relations or do
mestlc concern, of peace or war, they could no
have succeeded so well. OF all the measure.
they ever proposed there is not now a vestias
TO be found in the policy of the country. One
by one, in turn, their hobbies have fallen at tie
hand Of time; been discarded By the people
and abandoned by their authors. II rHt be ).
acifh those now pending. Not only are thpiF
hobbies gone, but some of the old parties arr
gone also. 1t was the sagacous Webster whs
wrote, that after 1852 the Wing party woul2
exist III history only, aud we have the veritira-
ton of bis prediction.
Now, fellow-citizens, what wish 10 impress
upon your minds is this That in this long his
tory covering many important epochs, there
never was time when the Democratic party
occupied nobler position than Just now. There
never was a time when its ascendancy was
more essential 10 the prace and the progress d
the nation and am quite sure have never
seen the day when was SO proud of my hum
ble membership in it. In distinct struggle
for the constitutional rights of the States, and
the rights OF the citizens OF each State. tbe vr-
tues OF this old party are best reflected Nv
TREND, Senator Weller, says, that the old oppo-
stion party was only intended TO perform The
offices OF brake on the track. When Deme-
cratic locomoilon got loo high, the opposition
answered for brake. | have compared it to a
dead weight on the skirts of progress.
We are rapidly approaching Presidential
election which viii involve vital issues. The
Democracy will be arraved on one side, and the
oil {
the other. Black Repubhcanisn, alias Aboli-
tionism, will compose one wing Of th- enemy,
and Know Nothingism the othpr; and notwith-
standing the striking diSsnnIarity ia the char
actrr Of these organizations and the doctrines
they hold. predict their united action against
Us in the Northern States. Had not witness
ed this humiiating union in my own State, and
did not see evidences of il 10 yours, might
hesitate 10 express this opinion. But as Was
the effect in Pennsylvania, 50 | trust it will
prove TO be- in Connecticut, and that large
number OF the best men Of the old Wing party
will, by such means, be induced to Join the De-
mocracy. a..
Now, let US anavz4 the elements OF these
two parties for a moment, and SEE how far their
union will bp consistent with decencY andconl-
mon sense. The AbolitiouS;s would arrFA lIec
extension of slavery they would sevpr.,l he
Shackles of the slave thpp narlld .,.",- ~
greater poiticaI ana social rights and opportu-
mites; all this they would do because they say
it IS humane and philanthroric. The Know
Nohings, on the other hand, seek 10 make birth
place and religious belief test for civil office,
ana on these principles would humiliatp this
large class of white citizens by sinking them
below the condition Of their neighborS. The
latter move in darkness and in SecIrSy, whilst
The Aboltioniss act in daylight, promugating
their sentiments evrryWhrrr with peculiar bold
ness. Who would venture to predict that two
such parties would fralernize7 Imagine then,
in iuXtapostto0 With SHADE OF white on
one SIDE. and a shade Of h!ac; on tbe other. The
one seeking The elevation Of the coiortd man,
and the other concerned exceedingly for The
humiliation Of white people. The triumph Of
Aboitionsm is the triumph Of the coorrd race.
The success Of know-Nothingi$m involves The
degradation Of a lafg- class Of white citizens
But. offensive aS thr Spectacl- may SEEM, you
are bound TO witness it, ! witnessed it in
Pennsylvania in lS45, and again in 1858. AT
the election in the latter year, each of these
parties had presented their candidate for Canal
Commissioners, Enow-Nothing and Abolition
ist or Republican, 50 that each voter might ex-
press his peculiar views. But, on the eve Of
the election, the leaders Withdrew The names Of
these gentlemen and presented another in their
stead the willing and embodiment Of all the
isms, and The mass Of electors found themselves
in position whrrr they had TO take the whole
dosr or nothing. The foreign born or Catholic
aboliiioniSt or republican could not reflect his
cherished vi-ws without, at the same time, en-
dorsng the doctrines OF the Know-Nothings,
civil office. The Know-Nothing, on The other
hand, however national in his views, could not
declare his principles without speaking in a
voice of AbolitionSm also. The result of this
shameless attempt to prostitute tie ballot-hox
was Democratic triumph A large element
Of the dissnlving Whig party could not stand
the whole dose at one time, and they came over
TO our ranks and doubt not such will br the
result in Connecticut.
But lei us look at these parties separately, and
inquire what good thing each would do for the
country. And'we should not neglect TO notice
that they are the two parties against which
Washington, with wonderful foresight, admon-
ished the people 10 his farewell address. For
one is secret sociriy TO accomplish political
or parlizan ends, and the other is clearly geo
graphical in its organization. Read the address
for Yourselves, and see how striking the aPPll-
cation. First then, comes The Republican or
Abolition party. It's certainly much Older, If
not much better than its compepr lis move
ments are associated with my earliest recollec-
tions of political affairs. II has been dligent
in its lamentations over the evils of slavery
and has bewailrd the unhappy condition of the
colored race in this country for long time; bot
has as long failed TO present, for the consdera-
ton Of the people, either practical or legal
remedy. When pressed to answer the ques-