The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1861-08-02
a National Convention.

II will be remembered that Secretary Seward,
in his speech in the Senate, last winter, and
Mr.. Lincoln IN his Inaugural Address, suggest
ed the calling of Convention OF the States for
the purpose of taking some action Tor the settle
ment of the existing national difficulties. This
-5----re,rry- NJ, wao HUE dCIed upon oy
any Ci the States, and it seems that Congress,
which has exhibited such slavsh subServiency
in obeying the behests of the President, has for
gotten that II ever was made. Perhaps, If the
Legislatures of the loyal States had acted on
the hint of Messrs. LINCOLN ant SEWARD, We
would at this day have domestic peace and a
united Republic. II was at least worthy OF the
experiment. Nor are we prepared TO say, even
al this late day, when the mutual hate OF the
sectionalIsts, North and South, has been lnaam-
ed and excited in the last degree, when the
fields OF the South are deuged with traternal
blood, shed by fratrIcidal hands, when The villa
ges OF Virginia lie IN smouldering ruins and
thousands OF Northmen slain attest the ierceness
and horror OF the unnatural conflict, that the
peace and integrity o! the nation nigh: not be
restored by National Convention fresh from
the ranks Of The people.
We have unbounded faith in the common
sense, patriotism, civilized feeling, and Christi
anhy OF the popular masses. II President LIN
coin is sincere in his professions of regard for
the will of the majority, he must likewise have
confidence in the ability Of the people to settle
the penGing troubles. No statesman, no true
Republican, no lover OF liberty, can object to
the arbitrameRt of majority Of the whole peo-
pie. The grave AMI awfully important issues
involved in this death-sruggle between the
Governmcn, and Rebellion, concern the people
alone. The great. question is not so much
whether President Lincoln Is to administer the
Government, as whether we are TO have a Gov
ernment TO administer; not so much whether
the Union is 10 be maintained by the coercion
of seeding states, as whether the people of the
ioyal states are to be the inheFhorS OF good gov
ernment, with its attendant blessings, civil and
religious liberty and domestic peace and order,
To insure the solution Of this question so as TO
rebound TO the interest aud welfare Of the loyal
States, we deem il an absolute necessity that a
National Convention should be called TO meet
at the earliest possible day. twill be objected
that we can offer no compromises 10 the South,
consistent with the integrity OF the Union,
which The latter will accept. It may be So
Il will do no harm 70 make the offer On the
contrary, should the Secedrd States rejeC: fair
proposition for peace, II would onIy serve 70 U
nlte the people OF the loyal States more firmly
in their endeavor TO maintain the unity OF the
Republic. The union meE 40 the Border States
would be strengthened and q new impulse Civ
en TO the teai'y Of the true men n the Seeded
States. But there is another importau. service
which might be rend, red by The action of a
National Convention. # is agreed by all par
lies in the North, that to recognize the indepen-
Gence OF the Seeded States, would be virtually
TO Dissolve the political bonds uniting the re-