The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1862-09-26
Another Traitor in Bedford,

inquirer, the number OF traitors IN our ''ancfent
borough" was wont to 'Ifoot up" roundly to
the sum of just one score. aThe twenty" how
ever, have had an accession to their ranks, and
the t,centyJfrst- astounding as it may appear
is that valiant war man, the fre-eating, bullet
chewing, powder-smelling, rebel-swallowing pa
triot of the Inquirer. After cursine and abu-
sing everybody who dared to speak of peace,
after bowling for the prosecution of the war
like very bloodhound, after even pursuing
ministers of the gospel into the pulpit, because
their preaching was not for bloodshed and car
mage, this pink of patriotism, this shining light
of 'loyalty," turns a handspring into the ranks
of the "peacc men," and like another Arnold,
false to all his past course false to the doctrines
which he so violently asserted, false to the par
ty for whom he assumes to speak, false to his
own integrity as man and an editor, he at
once undertakes to prove that 'peace men, are
right, even in taking an oath by which their
country will be forever deprived of their servi-
ces as soldiers. Verify, this t,oenty.f,st traitor
deserves to be considered the arch -conspirator
among the friends of Jeff Davis in Bedford
Says this new-fedged 'peace man, the ''non-
resistants and 'non-combatants' who swear
themselves out of the draft, have founded their
creeds upon ''their Bibles and taken Its teaches
as the basis Of their religion" Perhaps we
ought not to have italcised its and teucles, as
such literary blunders may impress our readers
with the idea that we are after rather small
game.] And, says our ''peace" editor, further,
the Bible commands ''Thou shalt not KILL" Ex.
20: l2, and 'That ye resist not evil, but who
soever shall smite thee on thy right check, turn
to him the other also," Matt s.: 80. Now,
since MIR. Durborrow makes this justification for
his peace friends, we think we have the right to
ask him whether he believes the Bible? and, if
so, whether, according to his own argument, he
hasnot committed great sin insupporting war
in which so many men have been butchered in
cold blood? And again we would ask him. have
not his ''swearing-out' friends violated their
own religion in ''paying bountes" (as he boasts
they did) to send other men to this war to slay
their fellow creatures? These questions he can
answer at his leisure, but we do hope he will
not be as long about it as he has been in pro-
ducing the name of his informer concerning the |
treason of Andy Crisman.
But, to come to the marrow of this bone of
contention; when we wrote our squib asking
whether ''men who talk in favor of the war and
urge others 70 enlist, and then when draft
comes, swear themselves out of it on account of
their conscientious scruples,' ought to have the
rights and privileges of citizens who are COM
PEELED to fight for their country" we meant just
what we said; no more, no less. We referred
to no particular religious sect, for we hold that
people, in this country, have the right "to wor-
ship God according to the dictates of their own
even if they don't pray for the
President, or the war, and, therefore, we made
no discrimination as to sectarian proclivities.
But we do assert, what we most firmly believe,
that man who gives bounties for the purpose
OF inducing others to enlist as soldiers, or who
voluntarily uses his efforts to procure enlstments
or who by his public conversation encourages
men in the belief that it is right to fight in this
war, or who does any act of his own free will,
calculated to help on the war; and then swears
that he has conscientious scruples against bear
ing arms, and thus escapes what he desires 9TH
ers to do, is a pe,juer and knave. Such
man cannot be Tunker or Friend He can.
not be true member of any Christian society. |
lie IS fit only for the companionship of convicts
and outlaws. But as for those persons, be they |
Tunkers, Friends, or of any other sect, who
have always discountenanced this war, who have
never asked others to enlist, who have endea-
vorcd to prevent strife and bloodshed between
the North and the South, by their religious as
well as their political walk and conversation,
we say they are perfectly consistent in taking
the oath which exempts them from the draft |
1t is only those who shave talked in favor of
the war and urged others to enlist" that are to
be condemned, in our view, for making the plea |
of conscience when draft comes.
To conclude, we congratulate the "Republi-
can party, the war party par ercellencc, that
they have "peace" editor in their midst, who
points them to the sacred volume
and quotes for their instruction, "7Aou shalt not
k1Hr
Mcpherson and the War.