The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1861-05-31
Let US Stand by Our colors !!
May 10Th, '6I.

Ever siace the formation Of the Government
a party has existed whose mission has been to
guard with jealous care the liberties of the peo-
pie of the Union. Under the leadership Of JEFF
ferson, it succeeded in defeating the efforts OF
its opponents, the FederaIists, 20 establish con-
solidated, concentrated Government, which was
TO have shorn the States of their individual SOW
ereignty, and to have eventually fused separate
and independent Commonwealths into one com
mon empire, with general government maxi
ing laws for and executing them upon the peo-
pie, with regard to their local as well as their
general interests Under the administration OF
Madison, ii secured to American Commerce the
freedom of the seas, and vindicated the liberties
OF American seamen, and this against the
protest and active opposition Of its Federal enc
mics. Under Jackson, it overthrow that old
Federal dragon, the United States Bank, and
again preserved the nation from the threatening
danger. Under Polk ii acquired for the Union
the golden bills of California, and under Pierce
and Buchanan il contended valantiy aud till
the last hour for the equality of the States and
the preservation of the Union. All this while,
IN all these contests for the liberty and welfare OF
the people, this party, the grand old Democrat
ic organization, was bitterly opposed by enoth-
er party banded together, primarily, for the
purpose of obtaining Government patronage
and secondaFily for the overthrow of the Dem
ocrahc policy and the establishment Of a con-
centrated and powerful political dynasty. Un-
der various names, too numerous TO mention,
this opposition party came forward to do battle
with the Democracy. Nearly always unsue-
cesslul, it at last hit upon the diabohc expedlent
of dividing the people into sectional paTtes.-
To this end the question Of slavery was brought
into the foreground OF the political arena, the
an.i-savery Republican party organized all over
The North, and "Freemoat and Freedom" pro-
claimed as lis watchword. Thus the first sec
lional anti-Union party was established, and its
appeal to the PASSIONS aad PrejuIices Of tae peo-
pie OF the North, partially resisted in 1856, sue
ceeded in 1860, to elevate man to the Presl-
dental chair, whose avowed and cherished BE-
lief was that " The Union could no. continue
to exist half free and half slave" aud who had
declared that he hated slavery almost as much
as any aboIi,ionlst" The North being thus
aectonaliz=d, the South, on the principle that
one extreme begeis another, soon united in an
attitude OF antagonstic sectionalism The re-
suit, as the National Democracy had always
predicted, was revolution, and now, our below
ed country IS on the very verge Of dissolution
and anarchy. In this emergency the reprcsen-
tatlves OF the Democracy, the voters Of the par
ty OF Jefferson, Jackson and Polk, are asked TO
disband their organization, and to Join hands
with the men who established the first sectional
parry IN the country, and by obtaining cross
with those excellent haters Of one half Of the
Union, TO improve the Union blood oil the Ma
iIonal Democracy In this critical period, the
good old Democrats of Pennsylvania, are asked
TO fuse with the men whose persistence in .he
madness of srctioDalism, despite the warnings
and the adjufalions OF good and true men has
brought upon the country the rum, desolalion
and horrors of civil war Democrats. Will
you give up your organization, now, when your
0FfNASh's sAdIu aSuast d. rue very "oTk OF tneiF
own hands7 VIII You JOIN them, now, mere
ly because they desire you to shoulder portion
OF their own lniquIty We know the response
your hearts. You will stand to your colors
You will march to victory under the banners
OF Democracy, the Stars and Stripes, the time
hOnored symbol Of equal rights and the greatest
good TO the greatest number
g fnriee is be armed who bath his quarrel just,
Ane he but naked, though locked up in steel
Whose conscience with injustice is eouupted.''