The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1861-03-08

I peaceful diviston, or coercion and civil war;
These questions we are bound to look steadily
| in the lace, aud TO meet with some explicit an
swer ~ our own minds. With the progress of
events they rushing every day, Of them
selves, TO practical solution. We owe II to
ourselves to consider how the solution in either
case ought to come, and by some rational deter-
minatlon of this beforehand, to see that, 50 tar
at least as may depend on ourselves, the concu-
sion shall not overtake Us bllodly and with help
less surprise.
The first alternative, as Just said, is compro-
mise with the Southern States, or separation. =
In this simple torn precisely the issu- Is now
belore the country. 1t is perfectly IDLE to re-
! sst the idea OF compromise, aud yet dream OF
an ultimate continuation of our national eXIs-
teoce, IN soDe form that shall be found to In-i
volVe IN the end the submission OF the South
to the wrong which it now snpPoses itself to be-
suffering ak the hands of the North. Thoset
| who allow themselves 10 believe that the Sonlh
may be either cheated or forced into any such
Su0misslon, bstray wonderful want Of ac-
qualnIance with the actual sense and meaning
OF the difficulty which now needs TO be compo-
sed and settled between the Northern and Sou
thern sections OF the country. And 1t IS hardly
necessary TO say, that the question here regards
not simply the StalrS winch have all eady gone
into secession, but The slave holding States IN
general. The Border StalrS South, It IS true,
nave made thus far noble stand against the
spirit OF dlsunloa but We have no rIght IN the
world II presume on t5is as any assurance that
they will remain 10 thu Union under all car.
cumstances, and without regard further 10 the
Southern idea of Southern rights. The very
object Of their patience and ioroearaHce has been
to allow time and opportunity tor the a!Uicabe
adjustment Of tbeIT rights IN the bosom Ct the
Unlon itself LIT the North refuse - meet
them in any such spirit OF honorable compro-
MISE and 1t is perfectly certain that they wIIl
also in a short tine withdraw, and JON them
selves to the new C3nfrderacy of the South.-
To separation in this wholesale form It must as
surrdly come, ii there Is TO be no compromise.
This is the terrible aternativp-thIs, aDd noih-'
ing less than tbis--to which N fact all seek 10
drive the nation who set themselves to oppose
the policy of making what are called concess-
ions to the dissatisfied spirit OF the South. let
, the terms of the dilemma be wclI considered
, and well understood. The watchwoFd, no
! compromise, means SIMPLY in o:her words, neI-
ther more nnr less, Disuuion-two contedera-
: cies instead of one.
! Those who oppose compromise speak OF 1t OF
t ten as though 1t were intended to mean mere
rom on me one side to humor some t3e-~ssI7
~ weakness on the other side. TINS, however,
IS itself wrong done 10 the South IN the case
. b-lore us. which must De teit 10 be wrong, ana
. 81 Gwen up, 5efore any real progress whatever
, can be made ID the work OF solid and lasting
reconciliation. Compromise here means no
p more favora5le terms of Union than those when
n have existed before between the Northern and
r Southern portions OF the country 1t Is merely
Il the re-adiustment OF the old terms, explained
p and guarded as 10 secure their proper conStruc
/ ton and right observance IN ali idilowlng time
d The south claims to be IN this difficulty tH'
a injured party, aud charges the NoFtG Wilh nav
+ ing virtually dsowned the original SPIRIT o1 10
.r Constitution. Either the charge Is right, or ]
n is wrong. fit Is wrong, there can be no FooF
- properly speaking, Tor any compromise, aod .
q. nv negotatIon fox the purpose, 1t II seem al a
y successful, must cad 10 hypocrisy only, an
IN fasehood. But if the charge be l5ht, 1t mus
n first OF all be felt and Owned 10 te right. /
In that case, CompromIse becomes settlement an
W correction OF wrong, alike honorable to Dol
ok sides This, then, IS the very nrSt thing ao o.
al which We need 70 nave our nnas tutIy mac
At IN. ia this business 0! reconciliation, Has II
la Southbeen wronged IN its constitutional Fights
- the part OF the North
" Those who deny this make special mel
m commonly of standing by the Constitution
ne it is, and charge the friends OF compromise WI
IN design to tamper in some way with It's sacIi
np principles But when you come 10 eXaInij
" the matter, it is found that what they mean
IS the Constitution is SIMPLY certain conStroC'i
~ of this organic law established tor the time
la the authority of relgnlng party Lhe'f alI
Is. trine is, that what the will OF majority OF
;s nation NAV determine at any time to be
no sense Of the Constitution, that must De taS
and held for the true sense OF 1t, unui 1t ny
"a happen TO be reversed ard changed by the W
es- of some new majority, agreeing to tblnR
osa different way. So. for the present, the SCI
he of the Constitution IS made 10 be the ChIcI
are platform, as sanctioned and endorsed IN aPp9
md ance 5y the late Presidential election.
sn this IS itself to violate the fundamental conc
lion the Constitution. Let this view 4
es- vall, and i. would be enough OF itself 10
red woke secession, not only here on the part OF
md South. but on the part of Pennsylvania also
TO every other State possessed OF particle OF Pf
m er regard for its own rights; tor IN that
ans the Constitution would be not bond OF I
1li- dom at all, but mere organ oi tyranny
its oppression, at the service OF any lanaticSih
or might De doie 10 iay p''n !" - 'T
DICE what we need 10 cons'uei ~ nel ,:.,,;o,
psh such party construction oi we
ldfh even the mere leuer l'Se'i oi t"e ,t
iial, srnment, bat the spFn, 'oe genus III That
ops, mai soul ah' NE OF Tue ~ !,
lon- has been 'ioia'ed III way ~
the ting to the southern STATES '0o pa
lorI- to me, TO adnt OF any Sei'ouS Ill,
thing in the world is certain historically,
MT auHn nd n /