Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1858-02-12
DEMOCRATIC MEETING.
Buchanan Ffoored |!

Tate, endorsing the administration on Lecomp-
.on TO the fullest exteut. But when the day
of meeting cano, other counsels began to pre-
vail. Judge Kimmell, Aleck Coffroih aud Baer,
had come to town loud and furious against the
Presidents message, aud the whole Lecompton
concern. Towards evening of Monday the
hitherto pleasant ana smiling cauntenance Of
the Colonel began to sadden. He was cvi-
IDENTIFY ia distress The handful OF Douglas
men had appealed to bim to strike out the Lc-
comptou resolutions He refused, declaring it
would he fatal to the Democracy of tho conn-
~. They became louder in their demands,
aud the Col. more obstinate. lie adhered to
his bant!ing with all the fondness Of paternity
The pressure upon him at last became great
that he Welded aud the Lecompton resolutions
were remorselessy exscinded. And before
the meeting assembled, It was generally under
stood among the ''kuowing ones" that The ad-
niaistration was overheard. In other respects
.he programme was faithfully adhered to-
Judge Daugherty was appointed Chairman,
md Meyers, of che Ga1ette, was called upcn
by Shannon to state the object Of the meeting,
The defence OF Nr. Meyers too awkward,
however, to conceal the Kansas swindle. His
unlucky admissions of The Calhoun frauds were
terribly damaging. He iacke1 both the ingen-
uity and cour,ge for the position. The speech
was badly committed, and displayed fearful
o.ns hofh i,, its "a sfs an its looic
When Mr.. Meyers had concluded, Col. Tate
came IN, followed by an ialposing committee
on resoiutaas The words Kansas and Le-
compton were not in them from beginning to
END. Besides some vague and meaningless cant
about popular sovereignty, they contained Moth
ing but fqnkeyish aud silly compliments OF
few Democrats ofioc-holicrs. TIE disap-
pointment among the administration men wss
manifest, aud the resolutions adopted
with coIduess aud embarrassment.
Mr.. Cessna then called on W. J. Baer, Esq
OF Somerset, who was received with loud
shouts Mr. Baer declared himself in favor
of both Buc5qn1a and Daugias, but begged
leave to differ with the administration the
subject of the Lecompton constitution. He
lacked the nerve, however, to speak bis senti-
ments boldly aud frankly. He prevaricated,
he equivoca,ed, he balanced phrases like
Chinese iugsler His speech, il it failed to
seduce The administration men, had the effect
however, of inspiring doubts among them.
Alcck Cofroth followed with more courage
and audacity in the outset, against the adminis-
tration, and their attempts to force the Lecomp-
ton swindls upon the people Of Kaus1s. But
receiving ia one part Of his remarks loud
shouts of approval, which he supposed 10 come
from the Black Republicans, he became alarm
ed. made an awkward attempt to back out, re-
lated stale Somerset county anecdote, and
wil,cd iuto his cravat.
Tho treason had now begun to do its work
among the hitherto secure and eonfding De-
mocraev. 1t was evidea; to the "couDtry
mambers" that there was screw loose sonle-
whore. and they began to cal. loudly upon
Tate, Cessna, aud other recognized leaders, for
explanations
Jas. B. Sansom Esq, editor of the Fulton
Democrat, who is well known TO DC against the
Presidents Lccompton scheme, was then loud
y called for, but he had already left the room,
to the great disappointment of many present
At this stage, Mr. Shannon took the floor,
merely to address a knot of Black Republi
cans in remote corner of the room. They
"needn't tear heir shirts about Democratic di-
visions here Tonight. They would 90 away
disappointed. lie had seen some of them
leave the meeting already with their tails bo-
tween their legs.
Col. Jos. w. Tate, in answer to repeated
and yoeiferous shouts from all parts of the
house, next presented himself But tho Col.
was not equal to the crisis. His speech was
an apology. He regretted that he could not
mike long speeches, and tell steries 10 make
people laugh. He was not like his friend
Cessna, who could pour out words for week.
Jno. Cessna, Esq, followed next. {lc full
ly approved of what had been uttered by his
friends, Baer and Cofroth from Somerset. A
man, he said, might be opposed to the Kansas
policy of the administration, and still be
friend of the President, aud Democrat But
be differed from Judge Douglas in regard to
the necessity Of submitting the Lacompton
constitution 10 direct vote Of the people, pro-
vidcd that no fraud had been practised in the
election of delegates.
This brought Mi. S. Fl. Tate to bis feet
He insisted that the meeting had been conven-
ed 70 endorse tho administration and would |
30 50 10 the fullest extent. he was IN favorf