The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1856-09-19
AN HONEST ARGUMENT.
Erscmea Of Bedford County Read If nth
Cnre.
LrpwIcI, WEsTMoRELANp, Co., Pa.
august 30, 1856.

/
august 30, 1856.
r. ~ RIDDLE. Esq.-Deor Sir recog-
nizr and appreciate your courteous notice ofthe
speech recently delivered by me in Pittsburgh.
I!s admitted fairness, the result Of confidence
and conviction, is a characteristic which it
shares with numerous addresses by my Demo-
cratic brethren, who, for the temperate utter
a0re Of undoubtsd truths, have been assaipd
viii fury of jnvyctive novel in It's intensity.
aGi unknown in Pennsylvania politics until
tie recent attempt to subject cur good old Cnm-
u0aWealth 10 subSeryenCy 10 the vagarieS OF
New England fauaiicS and the interests Of New
England spectators. Your impulses as gen
tIruan have constrained your columns to form
an aneXcerlon 10 The common course olthe parlI-
lan press compIaio not, however, even Of
thr ,ir,t virluperation, for sIander, injuries on
!y the sIandrrrr, and the freedom Of the press
concerns greater interests tban touch the pri-
Hsr s~asI5iIhes Of any man.
You pnoliclv put thee questions, and direct
or Is to The manner Of reply. MI being
candidate for any Office and asking no mans
vote or >o.ce, am mol bound to answer and
certainly If waive my ptlvIege and respond
toyour lnterrogatorieS, ! am the proper Judge Of
The MODE Of doing so. Bot waive this also,
aad agree to your strongly stated suggestion
that they be answered, ''pfanly and iauly. not
by elaboration or evasion, or by honii'es on
good breeding or metaphysical abstractlons or
"Ue drawn law pradlGgS." We shall then
SEE "whrther the results" (as you predict) ''dit-
i-F widely from those which seemed TO follow"
what yen are pleased to term "specious sPecula-
tb.sr
jrcis before the American people"
10 NY judgment whatever is incomprehensi-
hIr ia politics is false. The extent Of popular
Intelligence is the limit of legitimate power,
Tor the servant cannot be greater than his mas
irr, and those who administer the government
ar the servants Of the people.
l0ur questions are:
lsf. '.Are You in favor of excluding Pennsylvania
Fnie men from Kansas by Filing the Territory with
>i'vehoiders and slaves ~
10 which answer NO!
ID, 'Do you deny the assertion in the Declaration
n Independence thar, all men are created free and
r4Dai' II noi how you interpose 10 extend fur
'a'T the subsection one race 10 the enslayement by
aaother?'
To which answer MOI assent TO the
sentiment quoted, and also 10 the declaration in
We same instrument, that governments derive
'aT'r just powers from the consent of the gov
rfn-d.' ] would not, therefore, 'iaferpose' 10
extend over State or Territory, Of which am
a'l citizen, any law whatever, but would
fave thr making of the entire domestic code to
Hose who live under it,
3D. "Do yoh agree that 'the North should be sub
ttrpap?"
To which answer NO And deny that
A'' Douglas used the language imputed TO
Having thus categorically replied 10 all your
Enquiries, allow ne TO observe,-
la. That I am not in favor of excluding
Fse0usylyanans from Kansas, because, as citizens
% The Republic, they have the right TO 90
Were they choose and do what they please, ex-
sept SO tar as restrained by law. The Coustltu-
',on provides that s:the citizens OF each State
Soah be entitled 10 all the privileges and immu-
Mules OF citizens in the several States" and this
a.S''1te equality among the people of the u
"'oh comPes us TO recognize The same right Of
migration and settlement by those in the South
4s 'hose IN the North. We hold by common
VIE and i we deny the right Of the South we