Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1861-08-30

he has the courage to look traitors IN the face,
and that, in dsSharging tho duties of bis great
office, be takes no counsel of bis fears He
is entitled to the jealous support of the whole
country, aud, may l not add without offence,
that be will receive the support Of all who
justly appreciate the boundless blessings oe our
free institutions?
Ii this rebellion succeeds it will involve Le-
cesSarily the destruction of our nationality, tue
division OF our territory, the permanent dis
ruption of the republic. 1t must rapidly dry
up the sources of our material prosperity, aud
year by year We shall grow more aad more
impoverished, more aud more revolutionary, en-
fcebled and debased. Each returning election
will bring with il grounds for new civil con.
motions, and traitors, prepared to strike at the
country that has rejected their claims to pow
or, will spring up on every side. Disunion
once began will go on and OF indefinitely, and
under tha influence Of the fatal doctrine of
secession, DOT only viii States cecede from
States, bat counties will secede from States
also, and towns aud cities from counties, until
universal anarchy will be cousummsted 10
each individual who can make good bis posi-
ton by force of arms, claiming the right to
defy the power Of the Government. THUS We
shoald have brought back to Us the days Of ibe
roSber Barons with their molsed castles and
marauderiag rstalners. THIS doctrine wien
ansiyzsd is simply declaration thai 20 bhes-
ical force shell erer se emp. ge1 IA .Aeauting
tno laws or unfolding toe government into
whose Practical administration susb principle
has been introduced, could no more continue
to exist than man could live with an angred
cobra in his bosom.
Ii you would know what are the legitimate
fruits of secession, look at Virginia ana TenA
nessee, which have lately given themselves
up to the embrace Of this monster. There the
schools are deserted; the courts of Justice
closed public and private credit destroyed,
commerce annihilated ; debts repu6iated ;
con6soatlons aud spolIalions everywhere pre-
vailiDg; every cheek blancbed with fear, and
every heart frozen with despair; and all over
that desol4te land the hand of iufuriate pass
sion aud crime is waving, with a vulture's
scream for blood, the sword of civil war. And
this is the Pandemonium which some would
have transferred to Kentucky.
But am not here to discuss this PROPOSE
tion tonight. wish solennly TO declare be-
tore you aud the world, that am for this Union
without conditions, one and indivisible, now
and forever. am for its preservation at any
aud every cost of blood aud treasure against
all its assailants. / know no neutrality be
tween my country aud its foes, whether they
be foreign or domesiic no neutrality between
that glorious flag which now fosts over US, and
the ingrates and traitors who would trample i.
il the dust. My prayer is for victory, COM
plete, enduring aud overwhelming TO the ar
nP 81 Ill -. L
an against any aud every compromise that NAV
be proposed to be made under the guns of the
rebels, while at the same time, am decidedly
in faver of affording every reasonable guaran-
tee Tor the safety of Southern institutions,
which the honest convictions of the people
not The conspirators-uf the South may de-
mand, WheneUer they shall lay down thesr
arms, 6ut not until then. The arbtrament of
the sword has been definitely thrust iuto the
face of the Government and country, and there
is no honorable esenpe from it. All guaran-
tees and all attempts at adjustment BY amend
ments 10 the Constitution are now scornfully
rejected, aud the leaders of the rebellion open
" proclaim that they are fghtiGg for indepen-
denee. lD this contemptuous rejection OF
guarantees, and in this avowal Of the 0biects
of the rebellion now so auda ciously made, we
have complete exposure dt that fraud which
through the slavery agitation has beeu practic-
ed upor the public eredulisy for the last ff.
teen OF twenty years. ln the light of this rev.
elation, we feel as Que awakened from the suf.
locating tortures of nightmare, and realize
what baseless dream our expressions have
been, and of what trai;orous swindle We
have beeu made the victims. They are fight.
iug for their independence Independence oil
of what? Independence of those laws which
they themselves have aided in enaeting; inde
pendent of the Constitution which their father
framed ana to which they are parties and sab
leot by Inheritance; independence OF that be
niieent Government on whose treasury ant
houors they have grown strong aud lllustrous
When a man commits robbery on the high
way, or a murder iE the dark, be thereby de
clares his independence Of the laws uudel
which be lives, aud of the society of which ht
is a member. Should he when srFaigne
avow aud justify the offence, he thereby be
comes the advocate of the Independence he hs
thus declared; and, if be Fesists by force 0
arms the officer, when daggiug hlm TO tie pris
ON, the peuitentiary, or the gailows, lie
thereby fghtlng fOs tha independence he ha
thus declared aud advocated: and such is th
condition of the coaspiratcrs of the South a
this moment. Ii is no longer question {
Southern rights, which have never been VIC
! lated, nor OF security of Southern institutions
which we know perfectly we'll have never bee
interfered. With by the General Government
but 1t is purely with US a qaestlon OF natiena
existence. 10 meeting wItu this terrible issu
which rebellion has made up With the loyal me
of the country, we stand upon ground in6nitel
above all party lines and party platforms
ground as sublime as that on which our father
etood VIXEN they fought the battles OF IN
Revolution. am for throwing into the con