The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1861-07-12

/ A S had been intended IN th9s CONTINGENCY, II
was lso resolved to inform the Governor oil
| South Carolina that be might expect an attempt
! would be made to provision the tort, and that
| if the attempt should not be resisted, there
| would be no effort to throw in men, arms
or ammunition without further notice, or IN case
OF an attack npop tbe fort This tort was al
tackled and bombarded to its fall, without even
awaiting the arrival of the provision exPedt-
! iion.
1t is thus seen thag the assault and reduction
| of Fort Sumpter was in no sense matter OF
self defence on the part OF the aSsailants. They
well knew that the garrison ia the Tort could
! by no possibility commit aggression upon them.
| They knew they were expressly notified that
! the giving of bread 10 the few brave and hum
cry men of the garrison was ell that would on
| that occasion be attempted, unless themselves
| by resisting so much should provoke more.
! They knew that this Government desired TO
keep tie garrison in the fort, not 20 assal them,
| but merely to maintain visible possession. and
| thus TO preserve the Union from actual and I'M
mediate dissolution, trusting, as heretofore sta
| ted, 10 time, discussion and the baIlot-box for
! final adjustment; and they assailed and redu-
ced the fort for precisely the reverse o6ject-tO
drive out the visible authority OF the Federal
! Union, and thus force it to immediate dissolu
ton. That this was their object the Executive
| we'll understood.
And having said to them in an inaugural ad-
| dress sFyou can have no conflict without being
yourselves the aggressors,n he took pains not
| only to keep that declaration good, but also to
keep the case so free from the power of ingeni-
Gus sophisry, as that the world should not be
able TO understand il. By the affair at Fort
Sum pter, with The surrounding circumstances,
| that point was reached.
! Then and thereby the asSaIants of the gov
/ ernmeut began the conflict of arms, without
gun in aght or in expectancy to return their
! fire, save only the few in the fort, sent to that
! barbor wears before for their own protection,
and still ready to give that protection in what
| ever was lawful
! In this act, discarding all else, they have
! forced upon the country the distinct ssue-im-
mediate dissolution or blood. And this issue
embraces more than the fate of these United
States. 1t presents TO the whole family of man
| the question whether a constitutional repub-
/ nc or democracy, government of the people
( oy the same people can or cannot maintain its
/ territorial integrity against ITS own domestic
toes. Ii presents the question whether discon-
tented individuals, too few IN numbers TO con-
control The administration according 10 organic
law in any case, can always upon the preten-
ceS made IN this case, or on other Pretences, or
arbitrarily without any pretence, break up their
I government, and thos practically put an end
| to free government upon the earth.
! 1t forces US to ask d: Is there 10 all Republics
this inherent and fatal weakness Must
Government of necessity be too strong for the
/ liberties of its own people, or too weak to MAIN
tain its own existence So viewing the issue
no choice was left but to call out the war pow
er OF the government, and SO to resist force en-
Ployed for its destruction by force for lis pres
| erVation.
| This call was made, and the RESPONSE Of the
country was most gratifying, SURPRISING IN u
nar,i-,.t, --I ~t-.. ',rJsI Sanguine eXpecta-
| tions. Yet none OF the States commonly called
| slave States, except Delaware, gave regiment
! through regular State organization.
/ A few regiments have been organised with
in some others of these States by individual en-
terprise and received into the government SER
wee. OF course the seeded States, SO called,
and to which Texas bad been joined about the
time OF the Inauguration, gave no troops TO the
cause OF the Union.
The Border States, so called, were not uni
form in thei= actIon-some OF them being al
most for the Union, while IN others, as Virgin
ia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Arkansas, the
Union sentiment was very nearly repressed and
silenced
4 The course taken in Virginia was the most
remarkable, perhaps tie most important. A
convention elected by the people Of that state
TO consider their relative position toward the
Federal Union was 10 session a! the capital oi
Virginia when Fort Sumptet fell.
To this body the people had chosen large
- e .
Immediately after the fall of Fort Sumpter ma
ny members of that majority went over to the
original minorityrand with them adopted an or
, dinance for Withdrawing the State hom the
, Union.
Whether this change was wrought by their
great approval of the assault on Fort Sumpter,
or their great resentment at the Governments
resistance 20 that assault s not definitely
known.
: Although they submitted the ordinance for
e ratification TO vote OF the people, TO be taken
on day then somewhat more than month
distant, the convention and the Legislature
/ which was also in session at the same time and
place, with leading men of the State not mem
, bers of feither Immediately commenced acting
as if the State were already out OF the Union
They pushed military preparations vigorous
~ forward all over the State; they sezed the u
nited States Arsenal a Harper's Ferry, and the
/ navy yard at Gosport, hear Norfolk they re.
csIved, perhaps invited into their State, larg,
bodies OF troops, with :heir warlike appoint
ments, from The So-called seeded States.
They formally entered into a treaty of TEN,
d porary alliance and cooperation with the so
= called Confederate States, and sent members L
j their Congress at Montgomery sod finally
! they permitted the insurrsctionary govern
ment TO De transferred 10 their capitol at Rich