The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1859-06-10
makes the following editorial comments


DAT midnight OF yesterday evening, just {
t we were preparing TO go to press, the telegrap
e brought US the following correspondence be
tween President Buchanan and forty thre
! citizens of Connecticut, I most of them, we be
leve, clefgymen,) headed by the somewha
D famous Professor B. Silliman, of Yale College
: New Haven. We cannot allow these remarka
bic papers TO go before our readers without ex
: pressing our own sentime nts upon one or tw
: OF the points presented.
sfA public man who j S fortunate in hi
: frieOds is an object Of envy to bis opponents
But AIr. Buchanan is fortunate in his enemies
eminently fortunate, 10 that they have furnished
him an opportunity otappeaing against an insane
sectionalsm, at critical period like the present
to the whole country. The executive is com
Felled, both by custom and by courtesy, TO b.
silent in the midst ofcaumny. He must stanc
by and see his motives mpugned and his SIM
cerity suspected, and refrain from the
Uiterance OF that word which, spoken from
him, would blow his aSsailants into the air.
But there are proper exceptions to the geneal
rule, and, in this case, the exception enables
good man to rebuke, in the language of the
simple truth, most unwaFantable and gratutous
lndignlty TO himself, and a gross libel upon
| controversy can furnish more complete reply
TO dogmatic assumption OF superior patriotism
( and pieiy than that contained in MIR. Buchan-
ans response TO these Connecticut meddlers.-
The country owes them thanks for the first time
( IN many years-thanks for exposing their vain
and yapid sophistry to the irresistible artillery
Of the Presidents old fashioned Pennsylvania
logic and common sense.
I 4L,1E a n
which appeals TO higher emotions than party
! feelings. When he wrote his great Oregon
letter, now ten years ago, he struck a chord
in every patriotic heart, and was answered by
an outburst Of unusual enthusiasm and praise
And SO II will be now. He sheds along the
dark pathway that has led into our Kansas
troubles food Of light. He dissipates
thousand falsehoods in an instant. He fortifes
his own position. He invigorates the friends
OF the Constitution. H. deprives sectiona lism
OF the only weapons left in its armory of
expedients. He puts the slampo OF authoritative
denial upon its statements and says to
its Misrepresentation, 'Thus far shalt thou 90,
and no farther' To the thousands of honest
men, OF every party, who want peace and an
end 10 agitation, such voice from the Execu-
tive will be welcomed with gratitude
e<3ut we have no time for further comment
Il huS WIuIr ttIU-'~.-~.- - ,r,rit; M
President, under the inspiration which his
patriotic letter had produced. Days and weeks
passed over his head, and no change was
wrought in the opinions so honestly entertained
and frankly spoken. There was TO Mr. For
ney's mind, at that time, no violation OF
popular sovereignty, no betrayal ofthe Cincinna-
ii Dlatform-no want of fidelity 10 Democratic
princples-in holding the doctrine that
slavery existed in the territories under the
Constitution of the United States and that the
/ time for the people to decide whether or not
/ they would haze slavery was when they
formed their State constitution !; and that the
/ decision Of the Supreme Court IN the Dred
/ Scott case should be respected, and IN good
+ faith carried out. He then saw and felt that
! Mr. Buchanan had ''shed along the dark
Dci6,rqy thGt has led into our Kansas troubles
/ a food of light" He then read, in this
! masterIy letter of the President, the evidence
! of patriotism, ability, and craftsmanship. ''.4
! tbouSand falsehOods" had been diSslGaed, in
/ an Instant ssbv the old fashioned Pennsy lvania
! logic aud common sense of the President. -
! The positions of Mr.. Buchanan on this distrac-
! ting question had been ''fortifed," the friends
of the constitution ssinvigorated," and 'Fsec-
/ tionaiSm deprived ofthe only weapons left IN
1 its armory of expedients." Well and truly
( did he declare, in this outburst OF honest and
enthusiastic endorsement, that "to the thousand
of honest men, Of erery party, tch0 ca5At
Deqce and an end TO agitation, such n uO1ce
! from the Erecutire riU be 1ceicomed NTH
qyatiiaae.' This was the language OF truthful
prophecy. That voice and those principles
have spoken peace and quiet to a distracted
country, and put an end TO useless and
wicked agitation, and the patriotic people OF
all parties and all sections do welcome these
results with grateful hearts.
But MIR. Forney does not join in this generous
and universal feeling with the democracy
! The friend has become the reUiter. Disappointed,
chagrined, and mortified, he turns his back not
only upon former friends, but upon his own
solemn declarations and would dig up from
the grave the foul imputatlonS OF "these Con-
necticut meddlers," and seek to sanctify with
his embittered resentments that which his own
pen has pronounced false, arrogant, and
calumnious. II would seem that Forney has
studied, to some purpose, the idea that the
President "mnst stand by ard see his motives
impugned and his sincerity suspected, and
refrain from the utterance OF that word which,
spoken from him, would blow his assallants
into air.'' In this case there is no necessity for
the speaking OF that magic word ; and we leave
the victim TO that bitter remorse and humiliation
which he has wantonly brought upon himself
Constitution.
Iy-"What fine gentleman J" exclaimed q