Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1858-12-10


superstitious act Of a Roman servant girl ci
fourteen ia the year 1852.
h Among the numerous letters read at the Cen
tenrlial anniversary, a, Pittsburgh, on the o5tl
ult., We publish that of tho President, with
ihe comments Of Col. John ". Forney, of tb,
Philadelphia Press The letter Is as follows
WAsHINGroS, Nor. 22d, 1858.
GENTLEMES = have had the honor to re-
ceiye your invitation 10 be present on the 25tl
instant, at the Ceutonnial Anniversary of The
capture Of Fort Duquesne: and | regret that
the pressure of public affairs, at period so near
the meeting of Congress rcndels it impossible
that should enjoy this privilege.
Every patriot must rejoice whilst rejecting
upon the unparalleled progress of our country
within tho last century. What was, at its com
mencement, az obscure fort beyond the western
frontier of civiizsion, ,bas now become the centre
! OF q populous commercial and manufacturing
city sending lis productions TO large aud pros
porous sovereign States still further west,
whose territories were then vast unexploIed
aud silent wilderness.
! From the stand point at which VIC arrived tho
anxious parrot cannot fall, whilst reviewing the
| past 10 cast glance into the future. and to
| speculate upon what may be the condition of
| our beloved country, when our posterity shall
] assemble TO celebrate the second Centennial Au-
lTefsary of the capture of Fort Duquesne.--
| Shall our whofe couatry then compose one
united patton more popuious, more powerful
and free than any other that has ever existed
Or wilt the confederacy have been ren; asunder
aud divided into groups OF hostile and jealous
States Or may ii not be possible that ere the
next celebration all the fragments exhausted By
interneciue conflicts giIh each other, may have
finally reunited and sought refuge uajer the
| shelter of one graat oYersbadowing pespotisn
These questions will, | firmly believe under
the ProVidenee of God, be virtually decided By
the presen; generation. We have reached
crisis when upon their action depends tho pres
ervation Of the Union according to the letter
ard spirit of the constitution aud this oace
gone, all is lost.
regret to say that The present omens are
Ear fr0m propitious. In the last age of The Re-
public il was considered almost treasonabe to
pronounce the word DiSuaion. Times have
changed sady since and NOW Disubicn is freely
prescribed as the remedy for evauesccnt evils
real, or immaginsry, which, if left 10 them
selves would speedily vanish away in the prog
Tess 2f events.
Our Revolutionary fathers passed away and
the generation next after them, who were IN
spired by their personal counsel and example,
bave nearly disappeared The present genera
ton, deprived OF these ligh,s must, whether
they will or not, decide the fa,o Of their pos
te1ity. lie. them cherish the Union 10 the
ha1r of yhotr ii.
measure which may tend to relax or dissolve its
bones, lei the citizens Of different States culi-
vate feelings Of kindness aud forbearapce
towalds each other = aud let ali resolve to
transmit il to their descendants in the form ard
spirit they have Inherited it from their farefath
era, and all will then be we'll for our eoautry
in future times.
shall assume the privilege Of advancing
years IN reverence TO another growing aud dan
gerous evil. In the last age, although oar ia
theirs, like ourselves we're divided into political
parties which often had severe conflicts With
each other, yet We never heard, until within
recen: period, of the employment Of money TO
carry elections. Should this practice increase
until the voters and their representatives in the
State and National Legislatures shall become
infected, the fountain Of free Government will
then be poisoned il its source, aud we must end.
as history proves. in military despotisn a
Democratic Republic, all agree, cannot long
survive unless sustained by public virtue
When this is corrupted, and the people become
vena,, there is cancer at the root of tho tree
Of liberty which will cause it to wihor aud
die.
Praying Almighty God, that your remote
postcrliy may continue century after century,
for ages yet TO come, to eelabratc the auniver.
sary Of the capture of Fort Duqucsue in peace
and prosperity under the protecting banner of
the Constitution and the Union,
rem1in, very respectfully, your friend,
JAMES BUCHANAN
The following are the comments OF the Press
WHO ARE THE GUILTY MEN!
Mr.. Buchanan, 10 his recent letter 10 the Pitts
burg committee; deplortd as cnc Of the greatest
evils of the times the use of money 10 influence
elections, and predicted thu. il rnis terrible
practice sas not speedily arrested the Repub- |
lie would be destroyed, and military despolism
established upon its ruins Several correspon-
dents have inquired of Us to whom he partieu.
yarly referred in these remarks. Cau it be his |
own ef6ce-holders Previous 10 our late eIec-
tions there we're assessments" upon all the |
employees of the Federal Government, and i, |
was we'll understood that those who refused 10
contribute he quota with which they we're
charged would be guillotined. A large amount
Of money was thus raised, ayowcdly for elec>
tioneering purposes. Is Mr. Buchanan ignorant
cf this fact 2 Did hc see in his own cherished
organ, the Union, few months since, savage
attack ueon the clerks IN the departments al
Washington, becanse they we're not as prompt
and as liberal in their contributions TO fund |
tor The payment of political expenses as Mr.. |
Wendell desired Does 10 mean Mr. Cobb, |