The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1859-06-10
FORNEK CONDEMNED OUT OF
His OWN MOUTH.

position OF Mr.. Buchanan upon which thI
charge IS based may be stated; IN few words
He holds that slavery exists in The territorie.
under the Constitution Ioi the United States
and tbat the people of The territories must de-
| eide for themselves whether or not they will
have slavery Dten they come 10 form STATE
constitution, preparatory 10 admission into the
| Union. We have italicized the words which
containrhe issue between the President and
his reviIers. 1t is because Mr.. Buchanan de-
MES TO the territorial legislature the power to
abolish slavery, and pledges himself TO sustain
the decision of the Supreme Court in The Dred
Scott case, that he Is a0W charged by Colonel
/ FoFney and his associates with being false 10
the doctrines of popular sovereignty, and, there
! fore, unworthy of the confidence of the Demo-
cratic party. We state the case plainly and
distinctly, that we may do no injustice 10 any
one in the proof and comments we are about
| 10 submit to our readers.
! On the 18th OF August, 1857, Mr.. Buchan-
an addressed 10 Prof. SiIllman and his clerical
/ associates his celebrated letter on the Kansas
question. In that letter it became necessary
7 to discuss the very question which forms the
basis Of the present issue; and il is presented in
the following clear and unequivocal Ian
guage:
"SIayeFy existed at that period, ard still ex-
ISIS in Kansas, under the Constitution of the
| United States. This point has at last been f.
naiy decided By the highest tribunal known to
our laws. How it could ever have been seri-
ousiy doubted IS mystery. a confedera-
ton ofsoyeTeIgn States acquire new terrific
ry at the expense of their common blood and
treasure, surely one set of the partners can
have no right to exclude the other from its en-
joyment by prohibiting them from taking into
1t whatsoever Is recognised 10 be property by
lthe common constitution. But when the peo-
ple-the bona fie residents Of such territory
proceed 10 frame State constitution, then it is
their right to decide the important question for
themselves, whether they will continue, modi-
fy, or abolish slavery. Tothem, and 10 them
alone, does this question belong, free from all
foreign interference"
Every c.19'd geader will admit that this ex-
lnct Propositiosts = /. slavery IS & three dis
territories under the Constitution oil the United
States 2. That the power to abolish II by the
people of the territories could only be exercised
when they come to form State constitution.
3. That the decision OF the Supreme Court in
the DTed Scott case had affirmed these doctrines,
and that such decision was in strict conformity
! to the individual opinions of Mr.. Buchanan on
the subject. 1t is not pretended that the Presl-
! dent has, slnce the writing OF that letter, an
nounced a single PrncpIe which IS not fully
| set forth in the extract which we have quoted.
! In fact, il was but the repetition OF principles
which be had very clearly foreshadowed in
! his Inaugural Address. In a few days after the
appearance Of the letter, from which the fore
going extract is taken, it made It's appearance
/ in the columns of Col. Forney's Philadelphia
Press, accompanied by an editorial, from which
we take the following paragraph:
| "a public man who IS fortunate in bis friends
! is an object OF envy to his opponents. Bot Mr..
! Buchanan Is fortunate in his enemies-emi-
nently fortunate, in that they have furnished
| him an opportunity OF appealing against an IN
! sane sectonalsm, at critical period like the
present, to the whole country. The Executive
! is compelled, both by custom and by courtesy,
! to be silent in the midst of calumny. He must
stand BY and see his motives impugned and his
sincerity suspected, and refrain from the utter
ance Of that word which, spoken from him,
| wond blow his assaiants into the air. But
| there are proper exceptions TO every general
rule, and in tins case the exception enables a
GOOD man 70 rebuke, in the language OF the
simple truth, most unWarranabe and gratul-
tons indgnity 10 himself and gross libel upon
history. We do not think that the annals oi
controversy can furnish more complete reply
10 dogmatic assumption Of superior patriotism
and piety than that contained in Mr. BuchaR-
ans response to these Connecticut meddlers,-
The country owes them thanks, tor the hfs
time in many years-thanks for exposing then
vain and vapid sophStry TO the irresistible ar
tilery of the Presidents old-lashioned Pennsyl-
vania logic and common sense"
We appeal to the honest and intelligent Peo'
ple OF Pennsylvania, and the whole country, tc
saw If there could have been written more
full, complete, and unequIvocal endorsement o
the doctrines and principles for which Mr.. Bu
cbapan IS now so bitterly assailet, than is con
tanned in the language used by Col. Forney OF
that occasion? Al that time Col. Forney wrote
in the spirit of friendship, and he spoke th'
| words OF truth. 1t was an honest, perhap
impulsive, homage to the patriot and statesman
,obom he had not then learned to hate ant
abuse. What has Mr.. Buchanan done or salt
since that time TO justify the change which ha
come over the feelings and opinions OF hls for
rner euogist We defy the most searching
caviler TO produce single principle or doc
trine anrounced by him on this vfxed subjec
which is not contained either in his lnaugura
or the SiIliman letter.
That our readers may have the whole cues
ton before them, as il was before Col. Forne.
when he penned the article from which "
quote, we incorporate the following paragraph
from the Presidents Inaugural, which, 1t mus
be borne in mind, had previously been announ