Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1861-12-20
BEDFORD. PA. FRIDAY. DEC. 20. 1861.

u.
junction Of this proposed railway with the
Orange and Alexandria railroad, not only
would the communication with our troops in
Virginia be greatly improved, but an easy ac-
cess be obtained to the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad near Harper's Ferry, BY means of the
Loudon and Hampshire railroad.
That portion Of the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroadswest of Harper's Ferry, which was
so ruthlessly destroyed by the rebels, has not
vet been restored. The great interests of
trade require that this road should be reopens
cd as speedily as possible by the company, for
the transportation of the immense surplus of
the agricultural productions Of the Vest
To aid this object the Department has tender
ed to the company sufficient force for its pro-
lection during tie progress of the work, and
will render such facilities as it may be able
to provide, in connection with its other impor-
! tant public duties.
| For the purpose Of facilitating the traus-
portatioD Of supplies to Alexandria and to
| points beyond, it has been found necessary TO
| rebuild portions Of the Orange and Alexan-
dria and the Loudon and Hampshire Rail.
roads, and to lay track from the railroad
depot to point on the Potomac river, in
! Washington.
I
purpose at the last session of Congress, q
| Telegraphic Bureau was established, and has
| been found of the greatest service in our mil
itary operations. Eight hundred and fifty
seven miles Of telegraphic line have been ala
ready built and put in operation, with an eff,
| 6oient corps Of operators, and a large extern
sion is now in process OF construction.
! The reconstruction of the Long Bridge
acress the Potomac is rapidly approaching
completion, and when 6nisned will be a sub
| stantal structure.
| The Secretary here refers to the rssignas
| ton of Lieut.. Gen Scott, and pays nigh
| tribute to bis long service. Major General
| Mcclellan, his successor in command, is also
| spoken of in warm terms.
| The remainder of the report, which discus
ses topics of great interest, We give at leDgsh
as follows:
The geographical position Of the metropolis
of tho nation, menaoed by the rebels, and re-
quired to be defended By thousands of our
troops, induce me to suggest for consideration
the propriety and expediency of a reconstruc-
| ton of the boundaries Of the States of Della |
ware, Maryland and Virginia. Wisdom aud
true statesmanship would dictate that the SO at
of national government, for all time to come, !
should be placed beyond reasonable danger of
seizure by enemies within. as we'll as from
capture from foes without. By agreement !
between the States named, such as was effscts |
ed for similar purpose by Michigan and Ohio, |
and by Missouri and Iowa, their boundaries
could be so changed as to render the capital |
more remote than at present from the influence |
Of State governments which have arrayed |
themselves in rebellion against the Federal |
authority.
To this end, the limits Of Virginia might |
be so altered as to make her boundaries con-
sist of the Blue Ridge on the east and PennA
sylvqnia on the north, leaving those ou the
South and west as at present. By this ar
raDgement, two counties OF Maryland ALLIE
ghany and Washington would be transfers |
red to the jurisdiction of Virginia. All that
portion of Virginia which lies between the
Blue Ridge and Chesapeake Bay could theh
be added to Maryland, while that portion of
the peninsula between the waters of the Uhes-
apeake and the Atlantic, now jointly held By
Maryland and Virgnis, could be incorporated
into the State of Delaware. A reference to
the map win show that these are great natu-
ral boundaries, which, for all time 10 come,
would serve to mark the limits Of these States.
To make the protectian of the capital COM
plete, in consideration of the large accession
of territory which Maryland would receive
under the arrangement proposed, it would be
necessary that that State should consent SO
to modify her constitution as 10 limit the ba-
sis eff her representation to her white popula-
tion.
In this connection, il would be the part of
wisdom to re-annex to the District of Column
bia that portion Of its original limits which BY
act of Congress was retroceded to the State OF
Virginia.
1t is already grave question, what shall
be done with those slaves who are abandoned |
by their owners on the advance of our troops
into Southern territory, as at Beaufort district
in South Carolina? The number left within
our control at that point is very considerable,
and similar cases will probably occur. What
shall be done with theml Can We afford to
send them forward to their masters, to be by
them armed against US, or used in producing
supplies to sustain the rebellion2 Their labor
may bo useful 10 u.s. Withheld from the en-
eny it lessons his military resources, aud
Withholding them has 60 tendency to induce
the horrors OF insurrec:ioa even in the rebel
communities. They constitute military re-
source, and being such, that they should not
be turned over to the enemy is too plain to
discuss. Why deprive him of supplies by
blockade, ard voluntarily give him men to
produce supplies! The disposition to be made
of the slaves Of rebels after she close Of tue
war can ba safely left to the wisdom and pa
triotisn of Congress. The representatives of
the people will unquestionably secure 10 the
loyal shareholders every right to which they
are entitled undcr the Constitution of tho
country.
SIMON CAMERON,
Secretary Of Var
To THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.