Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1860-12-07

inc 80 no encroa .hments will Be made on the
reserved rights of any rf the States. They
know that the Federal Government il one of
delegated powers; that it can do nothing un-
less the authority for fhe act can be found 10
the instrument which created il; that all pow
ers which are not conferred are reserved TO
the States CT the pie of the States. Hence
when their political opponents have charged
them with sbolitionism, or attributed to them
desire to interfere with slavery ia the States,
or some fanatic has insisted they ought to do
so, the reply has invariably been that the peo-
pie, who made the Federal Government, did
not thuk proper to confer it on such authority:
and ii has, therefore, no more raght to aseddft
,Oifh stauery In State than 1t has lctth serf-
dom IN Russia. Nor are the people of the
non slaveholding States 10 any way response
bic for slavery in the States which tolerate il,
because as to that question they are rs foreign
from each other as independent governments.
/ have lsbored in aud for the Republican orr
ganization with entire confidence that wheEev-
or il should be in power, each and all Of the
States would be left in as complete control OF
their own affairs respectively, and at asperfect
| liberty to choose and employ their own means
Of protecting property and preserving peace
and order within their respective limits, as
| they have ever been under any administration.
Those who have voted for MIR. lincoln have
expected and etill expect this. They would
not hove voted for MIN had they expected 9TH
erwise. Iregard it as extremely fortunate for
| the peace of the whole country that tais point,
| upon whieh the Republicans have been SO long
aud so persisteLtly inisrepresented, is now to
! be brought to a practical test and placed be-
yoad the possibility Of doubt. Il should be
a matter of rejoicing to sill trae Republicans
I that they viii now have opportunity OF de-
monstrating to their political adgersaries aud
TO the world that thsy are not far interfering
,C,th the domestic institutions of any Of the
States, nor the adUocates Of negro equality, or
of amalgamstlon, with which political dema-
/ goguea have SO often charged them. When
this is shown, reaction will assuredly take
! place in favor of Republicanisni. The South
ern mind, even, will be satisfied; the rights Of
! Northern men will be respected and the fra
ternal feeling existing In olden times, when
uen from all parts OF the country went forth
! together to battle for a common cause against
a common enemy, will be restored. Disunion-
lists, per Sc, Of whom unfortunately there has
been few in this country for some years, un-
derstaud this, and are now in hot haste to get
/
/ ceive they cannot much longer maintain an ap-
prehension among the Southern people chat
their homes, and fresides, and lives, Sre to bc
endangered by the action of tho Federal Gov
ernment. With such snow or never is the
maxim; hence they seek to inhane the public
mind by misrepresentiug the objects and purpo-
ses of the Republican party, with the hope of
! precipitating some of the Southern States into
| positions from which they cannot, without dis
honor afterwards recede, we'll knowing if they
! delay till after the new administration is in
aagurated and tested, it will furnish 10 cause
| for their complaints. Secession iS an imprac
ticabIlity, or rather an impossibiity. The
Constitution provides no way by which State
may withdraw frcm the Union mo way for
| dissolution of the Government. ltcreates the
general good, interferes but little with the In
dvdual rights of the citizen, except for pro-
testion. 1t is chiefly felt In its benefits and
| its blessings-not IN It's exactions. If every
! federal officer in South Carolina were to resign,
! their Offices remain vacant, aud Its Legislature
declare the State cut of the Union, it would
all amount to little except to Inconvenience the
citizens of the State. SO long as the State
did not interfere with the collection of the
revenue on the seaboard, the people in other
portions of the Union would not be in the least
| incommoded. What is the South Carolina ar
my to do when raisedi Whom is it to fght7
Msnifestly, if it commences a war on the Uni
ted States officers engaged IN collecting the
revenues, il becomes the aggressor. This
would be revolution, and making war with
out cause, for South Carolina makes no
complaint against the present revenue laws
Is she prepared for this-to become the ag-
gressora The only use can see for her Min
ute Men is that they will enable the people the
more readily to suppress any uprisngs in their
midst which their Misrepresentation Of purpo-
ses may have encouraged. She complains that
the Fugitive Slave law is not executed in some
of the States. This, if true, the whole coun-
try knows to be sham. So far as South Car
ollna is concerned, she is so situated that no
slave can escape from her limits into free
States. However much cause the border
slave States may have to complain of the es-
cape of their negroes into the free States, it Is
clear South Carolina can have no such COM
plant. In her resolves she processes TO be
preparing to defend herself against encroaeh-
ments on her rights. Let her adhere to this
policy and not attempt to dictate TO other
States what they shall do, aud no collision will
occur, for no encroachments will be made
The disnniun feeling iG the South is doubtless
greatly exaggerated. A sort of terrorism
seems 10 prevail in aome places, which for the
time, appears to have crushed out any mani~
! festation OF Union sentiment; but as the causes
for this excitement are all imaginary, the cleo
tion of Republican President, in the consti-
tutlonal mode, certainly afording no excuse
for it, it is reasonable to suppose that reac-
ton will soon take place among the Southern
People themselves, which will overthrow the
dsunlonists at home.
| 1t is great mistake to class the supporters