The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1861-06-21
AN IMPORTANT QUESTION.

The .Aataoaol inteiligencer, probably Que Of
the ahlest and most influential Journals
IN The United States, and which bas thus far
gwen strong and efficient support to the war
measures of President Lincoln, uses the follow
ing language touching the invasion Of Virginia:
- we cannot see any policp Which looks TO a
restoration Of The Union By such measures'
The lntelligencer regards the question of in
cas'on as 0ne thing, and that of defence as an
entirely different matter.
When our brave volunteers uufnrlpd the
standard OF the Union, and enrolled tbenls Ives
on the side OF the Government, they eia s. "a.
Obedience 10 he Presidents call and IN ,e -.
10 me dictates OF pa'rIpt,sn, Tor IL. lu se
defending the ca ital against a. 4li.g Is a. .,.
hendrd attack. Bot, II FIi- n.j-ct f those ~
authority now is TO wag, an aggressive war. or
war of subjngation, We, to-, with thp lnt-li-
gencer are al loss TO know how that can effect
So restoration of the Union" II our Govern.
ment should find II necessary TO enter, with ns
army, any Of the seeded St8fes in otd4r to re-
take Forts and other prope.ly hat rtghifuiiy be-
long 10 us, and which have been stolen awsy.
lFen II would be both necessary and warrauts-
bic, and the people Of The North, with a large
body of Union men in the South would s8s,aip
movements Of aggression -nothing beyond that
which is imperalivey necessary to SECURE con-
siitutIonai rights Then according to this view
ou' forces NAV so into Virginia, because Vrr-
gina has trenehed upon the rights OF The nation
we may justly and lawfully reiake what the
stcesSIonists OF that State have unjusly and un-
lawfully taken; yet, we mast guard well against
the extreme which lies Beyond.
In oil lnit,, H.,
rights; and zach party is bound to respect those
81 me other, as we'll as TO secure its own.
We are not now engaged in a war with
foreign tor, but with our own counirymen-
hrreiofe, we cannot be fighting for conquest |
This IS essentially aud strictly a contest, as we
understand ii, Tor the supremacy o constitution
lt IaV-nothiug less, nothing more. II ls no /
war OF reUsnge, for that spirit animaies devils /
alone. 1t is not a war of fanaticism, for that
would imply that we were fools and knavps of /
he John Blown stamp. II is not a war TO
'verrun and SV5jugafe the South and hold the
rcedec States as conquered provincps, for those
states mus! necessarily be Invested with sove-
eJgnty II qualify them as members OF the A.
he official declarations OF ootn PrpsfdenT LIN
on and Secretary Seward TO sustain Cs. Hence
he only object, end and purpose Of thus dark,
minOus aao most lamtHtdOIe CPNHlCt eau De w
.et Just what belongs TO US. In other words,
o repeat and embrace all we have said in sin-
lie expression, we may adopt the language of
Zen. Jackson employed 10 referring 10 our dh-
iculty with France about the spoiiation ques-
ion, when be emPhaticaI!y declared, - We
will demand nothing that ls not cieariy night,
md submit TO nothing that is wrong"
Let the administration aci upon this doctrine,
md all the people will rxclaim amen. But, let
I on the other Eand violate duty, by usurPlng
power, and the mighty and irresistible force of
united popular sentiment, going up from all
parties IN protests of virtuous Indignation, will |
speedily Illustrate the mad and ambitious schemes
If fahhless public servants, causing their knees
o smi.e together IN guilty fear as did those Of
lim who last sat upon the throne Of Babylon. !
Democrat.