The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1861-07-05

fuOllc Liberty.
"Wiihout looking forward to an extremity
of this kind, (which nevertheless ought not to b.
entirely out OF sight,) the common and contn-
ued mischlefs Of the spirit of party are suffi
Gent to make il the interest and duty of a
wise people to discourage and restrain it.
''It is important, likewise, that The habits of
thinking in free country should inspire cau-
ton, in those entrusted with lis administrative.
TO confine themselves within lhrIr respective
constitutional spheres, avoiding 10 ihr exercis..
OF the powers Of one department 10 encroach
upon another. The spirit Of encroachment
tends 10 consolidate the powers OF all the de-
/ partmeuts in one, and thus 10 create whatever
the form OF government, real desPotism A
just estimate Of that love OF power, and prone
ness to aouSe It, which predominates 10 thphu-
man heart, IS SGfficient TO satisfy us OF the truth
OF this position. The necessity OF reciprocal
checks N tn" exercise of political power, 5p
dividing and distributing it INTO diffrrnt d-pos-
| itorIes, and constituting each the Guardian Of
| the Public Veal against inyasions by the 9th
/ ers, has been evlnced by experiments ancient
and modern; some Of them in our country and
under our own eyes. To preserve them must
! be as necessary as to institute them. IT. in
/ the opinion of the people, the distribution or
modification Of the constitutional powers be
10 any particular, wrong, let II BE- corrected by
an amendment, 10 the way which the COnSt-
tuition designates. But let there be no change
BY usurpatron; for, though this, in one instance
may be the instrument OF good, il is the Gus
tomaTy weapon by which free governments are
destroyed. The precedent must always great
~ overbalanCe, in permanent evil, the good il
may at any tine yI-ld."
Some thirty years ago a small cloud, no big
ger than a mans hand, appeared IN the horizon,
harblGger OF that darkness which now over
shadows the land small band of enthus-
lasts, residing 10 States where slavery had ne
existence, naugurated system OF interference
with the institution IN those States where It
was legaIIzrd and protected by the Federal
Constitution.
We all know the consequence Bitter heart
burnings, an alienation aod mutual mis0ncen-
ton between citizens of different sections of
the country, necessary denial to the slave OF.
those aneIiorations of his lot which Souta,sss
phiIantloPists were rapidly introducing, and
great material loss to the whole country.
This, however, was the act of individuals,
and not OF a distinct SECTION Of the country
and while It prepaGed state of feeling at the
South untavora5le to neutral harmony, there
was 10 definite aggressive act.
On the 18Th day OF September, 1850, how
ever, on a motion, before the Senate, to abolish
the slave trade 10 the District OF Columbia, Mr.
w. Fl. Seward moved as an amendment, to a.
bollsh Slavery in the District of Columbia.
The amendment failed, but this was the en-
teFlng wedge OF that ''hlgher iaw'' and ''irre
pressible conflict" party, which has rent 10
twain the best government which ever existed
A strictly sectional party was, step by step,
built up, through the persistent energy Of that
astute leader, the basis Of hostility to slavery
on the part Of those who bad no interest 10 the
institution; our halls of Congress were made the
arena for bitter strife between the aggressors a.
gaIns and the defenders of these constitution
al rights; men then first began openly to cal
cuIate tie value Of the Union; and as a cumin-
ating evil, Federal President and Vice Pres
Ident were elected, consttutionally, but by
greatly less than majority of the people, on a
purely sectional platform.
A portion OF the South, as had been openly
predicted, goaded and maddened by the taunts
and threats of a radical party press, then claim
I'd the right to withdraw from the government
and to establish an Independent Conf-drra'inn:
claiming ultima and absolute iu,,,d c'in. .~nr
all the territory within their reSpsssg ~al-.
subject only to the liability to account tor any
excess OF money expended tor their benefit
Congress met; the Republican party was in
the majority; Senator after Senator and member
after member openly proclaimed upon the
floors of the respective houses, that they and
iherr States dissolved their connection with
the Union; no arrests were made, Congress,
under the Constitution The sole arbIter, refused
to regard this as case where force could be
exercised, and distinctly declined to invest the
President elect with the extraordinary powers
which his friends solicited.
am OF the North; the same flag under which
| have always lived, under that | desire TO die;
an Indssoluble Union of all the States is my
first prayer; but, as we'll nigh: you compel an
wife to the embrace of a husband
whom she detrsted, as te effec that reunion
by force and violence JUNIUS.
TnE GOVERNOR OF WESTERN VIRGINIA -
Frank H. Pierpoint, ESQ.,, who has been recent |
ly elected Governor OF Western Virginia, is a
resident of Marion county, one Of the strong |
Union counties of Northwestern Virginia. He !
has been member of the General Assembly OF
The State, and mas had considerable legislative |
experience. He is councillor at law by pro-
esSlon, and occupies gooo PoSlioh al tne
bar. He is yet in The prime OF lIfe, being a.
bout 45 years of age. He has fine personal !
appearance-a full form and fforid complexion,
and is an earnest public speaker. He was
warm supporter of Bell and Everett at the last !
Presidential canvass, and is now an uncondi- !
ional Union man. He was member OF the |
first Wheeling convention, and was a jealous
oppoent of Mr. Garlic, 10 his efforts to effect, |
at that time, the organization OF provisional
government.