The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1857-02-13
Great Mass f5GG4agEw
OF TIE DEMOCRACY
Bedford County 3

Agreeabiy to notice given, one Of the largest and
most respectable meetings convenedin in Bedford,
February Court met at the Court House on last
Monday evening, and organized by the election of
the following officers:
Prrsdent-Maj. LAW. TALIAFERRO.
Vice Presidrnts-Geo w. Powell, Jonathan
Horton, John Amos, Gen, james Burns, Jr
John W. Crisman, and VIM. Kevser.
observation-disclosures Rush. Henry B. Mock,
Hines O'Neal, and Daniel Fletcher.
The meeting thus organized. the President ac-
knovIedged the honor conferred upon him in few
neat and appropriate remarks, when committee
consisting of two delegates from each Township and
Borough in the county, were selected 10 report pro-
ceedings expressive Of the sense OF the meeting.
The committee having retired, the peopIe were
addressed by Mrssrs. Wm. VI. Halt, MAJ -.
TATE, ]. B. SAMSON, aud ESQ ". BownAx. E P
The Convention, through their Chairman, Hon
JoHy CESSNA, then made the folIowing Report,
which had been unanimously adopted by bat body,
and which unanimously adopted by the meeting.
Ehe address and resolutions breathe spirit and are
written with degree Of force and ability, which
seldom characterize the proceedings Of political
meetings. All wall read them with both interest ard
ton OF all classes Of our citizens
According to the rules adopted for the Gov
ernment of the Democratic Party of Bedford
County, We are now assembled at our accus-
toned time TO deliberate on the political qu~s-
tons Of the day. As this is the first meeting
IN the county since the termination Of ihr Pres
idential struggle Of 1896, it may not be aniss to
refer briefly 10 the principles at issue in that
contest. It is now admitted fact that the
late contest equalrd if il did not excel in bitter
ness and animosiIy any which ever preceded it.
This assertion has been SO we'll established that
il is Gow part Of the history Of our country.
On the one side was arraYrd tue Democratic
Party, with their armies 10 every State bearing
a,o!t the same banner-that banner uriurliug
the same mottoeS and principles which were
embIazoned on their folds 10 the contests of for
mer wears. Standing on a truly National Plat
f0rm-with the Constitution as their shield and
the Union as their watchword, the Democracy
nublv wthstood the combined assaults Of all
their adversareS. In no part of this glorious
Unon of thirty-onp States, did the Democracy
advocate any principle or proclaim any doctrine
which could not with equal propriety, BE- pro-
claimed in any other part OF the same Union.
They had, in the North, South, East and West,
but one candidate-one platform-oue banner
-Che flag OF thlrty-one s'ars,l one constitution
ard one Union. Against the Democratic
Party thus nobly contending, were arrayed adj
versaries Of every kind. True many of those
who had opposed us honorably in former strag-
gleS were with us in this. But the foes who
bad fought us before, had abandoned all the
great questions upon which we once differed.
Tie United States Bank and the Protective Tar
III were ahaudoned-So was the Distribution of
the proceeds of the Public LandS-the slib-trea-
spFv-the annexation of Texas and the acquisi-
tion Of California ere no longer opposed. Up
on all Of these questions the position assumed
by the Democratic Party, has been almost uni
versallY admitted to BE- correct In the late
contest, opposition TO Religious Liberty, or rath-
er the establishment Of Religious bigotry, and
wild Fanaticism whose end and aim appeared
10 be desire to array one part of the country
against another, were the chief burdens of thet
songs Of our adveIsarrs. The party who in
1892 opposed the election of FrauGlin Pierce,
because he lived 10 State whose Constitution
prohibited Catholics from holding Office. and
which supported Gen. Scott brcause he loved
''the rich Irish brogue and the sweet German
accent" was, in 1876. assembling in Lodge /
Rooms, where no Catholic, Irishman nor Ger
man, could find admittance. The "Wrongs oil
Bleeding Kansas" and "the sufftfinrs Of the
poor negroes" We're proclaimed from every
house-top, and every effort OF eoquence, skill, |
cunning, ingenuity and passion that could BE- |