Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1861-07-19

thFeateueu violence, 10 vote Tor SeeeRstoD,--
Many did not vote at all. MANY, ne doabt,
we're influenced BY the consideration that the
measures already adopted had placed the Com
moOwealth helplessly withia the grasp of the
President of the Southern Coufedersey, and
that she could not escape from bis power by
the rejection of the ordinance.
Ii is claimed that the ordinance Of Seces-
sion bas been ratified bs majority OF ninty-
four thousand votes Had the people of Wiz
ginia iheE 81 greatly changedl The best evi.
denee that they had not is found in the fact
that, wherever the vote vas really free, there
vas much larger majority against Secession
than wsG given Al the election in February 10 the
Union candidate for the Convention The
means Of intimidation aud violence, which
we're resorted to over a large portion of the
Safe, to compel an appearances Of unauimity
10 favor OF Secession, show that The leaders
people were not with them
The proclamation Of the President calling
for seventy Eve thousand volunteer troops is
commonly relied upon to Justify TIE ordinance
Of Secession. That pFocIanlation was issued
on the 18th of April 1851 Ii must not,
however, be overlooked that on the 9th OF
March, 1861, the pretended Congress al Mont
gomery, provided By law for calling into the
held force of one HUNDRED thousand Volun-
teers; aud that on the l2ih of April the See.
rerary of War Of the Confederate States pub
llely announced that war was commenced. and
that the capital at Washington would Be cap
tured before the first or May. The intention
to capture the capital of the Union was Ie-
peatedly proclaimed in influential papers at
Richmond and other Southern eit,es before the
l5'h of April. 1t was 10 fact long cherish
Ell object Of the leaders in tbis great eonspira-
cyl Did they expect tnel President of the
uatlen to yield the capital, and retire in dis
grace, without adopting suy measures Of de-
iepsea Yet Virginia, we are told, seeded,
because the President, under such circunstae-
ces, called volunteers 10 the defense OF the
eounFry.
! need mt remark to ynu, Gentlemen, row
fatal tne attempted disseyerapce Of the Union
must prove 10 sIl our material interests. Sc
cesson, and annexation to TIE South, would
cut of every outlet for oar productions. We
cannot get them to the Confederate States
across the AIleghanies The 0aio river and
the country beyond it would be closed t. onr
trade. With Maryland in the Uuiou, our out
let 10 the East would be interrupted; while we
could not carry our product across the Penn
sylvania line, by the Mouongshela or other
roUts. In tune Of war, we would encounter u
hostile force, aud iu time of peace, custom
house, at every turn.
The interests of the people of Virginia
we're entrusted to the Richmond Convention -
How have they fulfilled that trust Why, if
war was 10 come, vas our land made the bat.
le g. Ida Why wss this Commonwealth inter-
posed as barrier TO protect the States Of the
South, who undertook to overthrow the Uaiou
in utter disregard of our remoustraneesl 10
the position in which the Richmond Convention
has placed US, our homes are exposed to all
the horrors Of civil war, while the President
of the Montgomery Congress eau announce to
the people of the Gulf States that fsthev need
now have no apprehension; they might go on
With their planting and business as usual the
Rsr would not come to their section; its ibeas
ire would be sloug ihe borders of the Ohio
river aud u Virginia"
Have We done wrong in rejecting toe au-
thority Of the men who have thus betrayed the
interest confded to'iheir cbargea
''Undef these circumstances the people Of
the State who desired TO preserve Virginia in
the Union, by their delegates appointed at
priDsry meetings, assembled at Wheeling on
the 18th of Nay last, to consider the measures
necessary to protect their constitutional rights
and liberties, their lives and their property.
Before frank comparison of views could be
bad, differences of opinion were TO be expected,
and such differences accordingly then existed.
That Convention, however, after three days
Il . ]
the loyal people of the State, after tho vote
was taken on the Secession Ordinanc TO elect
delegates to a Convention to be held on the
I1th day of JuLe, 1861. All who witnessed
the assembling OF the last Convention will
bear witness to the solemnity of the occasion.
It's action was attended with singular unanlmi.
IS; and has resulted in the reorganization OF
the STATE Government, as q member of the
Union.
Their journal and ordinances will be submits
tel to you. Plain principles yindicate their
acts. The Constitution Of the United States
was adopted By the people Of the United States;
a3d the powers thus derived could b. resumed
only by the consent of the people who confer
red thsm. That Constitution is The supreme
law of the land. The Constitution of the
State recognizes il ss such, and all the laws Of
toe State virtually recognize the same priucia
pie. The Governor, the Legislature, and all
State officers, civil and military, when they
entered upon the discharge of their duties,
took oath to support the Constitution of
the United States. When the Convention as
sembled at Wheeling on the 1lrh Of June they
found the late Governor and many of the
otber officers Of tbc State engaged in an ats
tempt to overthrow the Constitution they bad
sworn 10 support. Whatever they might ac-
suAlly effect, with the aid Of their coufederates,
by unlawful intimidation and violence, they
could not lawfully deprive tho good people OF
this Commonwealth of tho protection afforded
by the Constitution and laws of the Union,
aud OF lbe rights TO which they are sHtitled