The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1861-12-06
letter from colonel CharIes ]. BiddIe.

gems OF Philadelphia, to partake OF public
dinLer:
To the Honorable GEORGE NJ. DALLAS, CHARLES
J. INGERsoLL, PETER MCALL, JoHN CAD
wALkDER, GEORGE SHARswooD, A. V. Par
SONS, FREDERICK FRALEY, HENRY M. Phil
LIPS, Esqrs. and others. =
Gentiemen:-I have had the pleasure to re-
ceive, to-day, your communication, and beg you
10 accept nv thanks for he aattering terms in
which YOU have expressed your views upon
what has been, to me, subject of anxious re-
Election.
It has been my earnest desire, at this great
iuncture in our National affairs, to give my hum
bic services where they may be most useful TO
my country. With this purpose took the
field; and holding, during the period of the Ex-
ira Session, separate aud important command,
did not feel at liberty to quit it to take the
seat in Congress TO which you had, 10 my alb
sence, elected me.
have come, for day or two, from the great
camp in front of Washington, where comes
manG regiment that has been to me source
of the highest pride and satisfaction, and / shall
leave it with feelings of regret that will not
attempt to express here. But, yield to the
representations of the wishes of my constiu-
ents, conveyed 10 me in your letter and in 9th
er forms. | shall, therefore, tender, through
the proper authorities, the resignation of my
military commission from the State, aud as your
representative, will return to Washington
It is true that, according to high authorities,
might at once hold the two positions but il
is plain that could not perform the duties Of
both, and, walvlng the bare legal question:. it
seems to me to be incompatible with the char
acter of a representative and legislator to be
pald officer, subject to the orders OF the Ex-
ecutive, and present in his place only by the
revocable leave of military superior. have
therefore, reached the conclusion that your re-
preventative must not now oe thus trammeed
vet, should the tide of war, indeed, roll around
the National capital, hope that my brethren
in arms will find room IN their ranks for one
soldier more.
My political opinions are what they have al
ways been. am Democrat-never more one
than az this hour. I rejoice that it was with
my name upon your banners you oyerthrew
the Republican party IN this city.
When say [ am a Democrat, 90 not mean
that belong to any knot of politicians. WheE
! say am Democrat, | mean that ! have ever
maintained those national principles which, un
der God, made and preserved Us nation; those
great national principles Of Justice and equality
for all the States which 50 long they were
practced, made our various institutions and in
terchangeable commodities 5onds of strength
and union rather than grounds for strife.
This, at least we may say for the Democrat
ic party-it rated at their true value the faRCas-
tic theories, the whmsies, the s'isms," the ques-
tons OF mere phraseoIogy, that meG, calling
Iuoo statesman have garafsrraI +,
to union, to the gradual progress and develop
ment OF each section, anG all races in due Eela-
lion to natural causes. This, too, we may say
for the Democratic party it maintained
ITS sway, "SecessI0n" was little, bafled clique;
as the Republican party rose, ''Secession be-
came an army with banners"
Nor was the foresight of the Republican
leaders wider than their patriotism. The false
prophets of the party promised their followers
that three months should see the end of all the
trouble; and when war came upon them, even
then they wanted only three rlontm volunteers
to end it. They created and fostered that in
toxIcating selfconhdence that was the cause of
our earlier reYerses. They had so persisenly
abused that part of the American people that
lived across geographical line, that they had
come, at last, TO underrate and despise them,
and Republican oratory summoned its hearers
not TO stern encounters, but only TO paws and
pilage.
When the national flag was struck down at
Charleston, and the national capital was threat
ene:1 hv Secession, the North rose like one man.
The world saw Wiz: astQnisbment the great up
Using Of the people; Europe prejudged the is
sue in our favor; yet, as if smitten with blind
ness, the Republican leaders seemed striving to
waste and dssipate, instead of TO seize and USE
the noble material for great armies, which was,
with scarcely any limit, placed at their dispo-
sal. The soldier who offered himself for the
public service found that he must ear-wIg some
politician before he could be allowed the priv
ege to fight or die tor his country. Men be-
gan 10 say that the war was to be made "a
Black Republican job"
Politicians were put at the head Of troops
politicians who thought that 10 wear Lace and
feathers, and to pocket pay, was the whole da-
ty OF the olicer-teasting and trolicking and
speechmakIpg took the place of training and
discipline; and, while the officer spouted and
revelIed, the rank and file were robbed of their
frs: right-the right to skilIiu guidance and
instruction. The reins were nomiually put in
TO the hands OF a venerable chieitan; but every
politician, every sable editor" took pul! at
them, TILL they upset the coach.
Amid shouts of ''On 10 Richmond, the North
with its teeming population, found itself out
numbered at every point of conflict, and the
battle of Bull Run proved tha; the Administra-
ton tad known neither its own strength nor
the enemy's. "Where then were our legIonsP
we may ask of it. But the battle OF Bull Run
was not without its fruits for US. Panic-s.rick-
en- selfshness, seeking selfpreservation, lighted
on those whu could save It. The direction of
the army passed into the hands o.. soldiers. A
General, born here among US, restored to their
due supremacy the martial virtues that insure