The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1861-03-08

yy President, and Gentlemen Of me CON
...,g;on II IS hardly necessary for me to say
,ha,T am no party man; no politician, ~ tue
ar,l;rorv sense of the term. have never De
.ar, addressed a meeting like the present ano
!. is I assure you, with no small amount OF u'l-
Silence and self-dIstrust that venture u oo7-
i...,l, 10 ,,onr call to come before you now N
a. ruhlic wav. In ordinary times, l 5houtH
not have considered myself at liberty, Indee''
=, ,ata mart in the proceedings OF any such Po-
I;,iral body. But, NJ. President, these are hoL
o,n;narv times. We are in the midst ot a CRISIS
yh;ch ooes beyond all ordinary party qH'Si'''S
.I ;.,,Isea cri sis which is radical and reVo-
Intionarv m its nature-a Crisis iwhich reaCnFS
n The yerv foundations OF our Poiuical eA'<'-
snca and which, in this view, CHALLENGES Tue
~oncern. an3 invokes the actlvr interest OF every
man m the conntry, 10 his Per'onai charaelT' "'
c,t,z-n and patriot. The time has come "nVh
all who have any interest at stake on 'h7 Sair'tE
of the country are bound to apply oo'h 'h'h"
and heat TO the perIious condItIon OF me con'l-
,,v. and TO Join hand, also, 50 tar as Doa may
have given them any soft OF power ior Tue Pu'-
,,,,,s n the solemn, all necessary task OF SAVING
:, # still possible, from hopeless confusion ana
ruin. f,o,
.,oooctad with our national troubles IS JUS; 'He
fa(t that II has been found so dlilcnlt, Hi2n'
sav ;noprsctcabIe, thus far, to estaoiial' III '''
-. ony direct communication between theSe
troTt,es and the general minds OF lhe Peopie.-
Men chosen on old party issues 70 represent ''i'
nao,Is ard bound themselves by party P'a'
forms made to suit the purposes Of olhrf "'',''
al,o,e,bar. and having no fitness whatever io'
the evolutionary crisis which Is upon US no"
bovs insisted on considering themselves the Oh
lv trne representatives of the people sun ID
,hase changed circumslances-and TO MAKE '"'
,,af,er worse. have insisted also on making 'ue'
old nlatforres the necessary rule ana medSui
II ibis rerresentation. Gould we we'll concFV
oi anv Greater absurdity The very IDEA O
rratAndioo TO deal with the life and deaih qaes
inn through which the nation IS now passing
nv the mechanical formulas and stereotype
sn;hboisths Of platform which was got mp 70
,oI;,ic.l nnrposes m a time of comparative qoi
stness and peace. deserve TO be set down as IN
most arrant political quackery. As lI'iie =
ono r,;obt hone to stay the course OF deadI
fever by administering pills prepared for an OF
d;,arv bt of INDIGESTION, so little may II De 1T
,gined that the life OF The nation is to De save
now by any similar doses Of past party doctrin
and rura For nv own part, | can have no p
tence with any platform OF the pasl year q
piled to our present circumstances ~ duy Ipe ~,
mechanical way. Away with all soch rF
crustes beds, employed 10 tyTannize 10 suen
time as this over the free minds OF ifee 'heI''
No true public man, am bold to say, no Po
tician worthy of the name, no s'a,es'"an ir
broad and comprehensive views, can oe WI, vi !.
at the present time TO stand PaFty-oouno; ~.
slave Of dead formulas and abstractions. WI
the couu.ry now needs Is, aooVe all thlngs, J,
be delivered from all patent nostrun9 OF u
sort. A living revolution, to be guided aFi5'