The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1862-08-22

tic slavery. DisIoyal declarati ons such as 'bet-
ter no Union at all than a Union with slavehol-
ders,' became the automatic dicta of this fac.
tion then and now (in its formidable 'oportions)
best known as abolitionists. Without dwelling
upon the progress and growth of this faction, it
is too amen;ably true and we'll known that pro.
claiming through its leaders their chief object
to be "the utter extinction of slavery" it at
! tanned to such consequence that the people of
the slavehodng states became alarmed, and
began to form counter combinations to resist the
threatened overthrow Of what they claimed to
be rights that were intended to be sacredly guar
ded by the constitution of the United States
| At the same time there existed an insignificant,
and of themselves powerless, band of disunion-
lists in one or two of tie slaveholding states
who seized upon the opportunity thus afforded
by the aggressive action of the abolitionists to
stimulate these counter movements. These eff
forts were too successful; and materials too, for
such efforts were being continually supplied by
the successes of the abolitionists. Abuse and
obloquy against the STAKEHOLDER streamed out
from some pupits in the North, where the virus
of abolitionism had been infused. Retaliatory
epithets were INDUCED in by pulpits in the South
in the Union were split up into organizations
| North and South. Nominations for the Presi-
dency were made upon issues, in fainter or boil
der terms involving the question of the exis-
tence or limitation of the area of slavery. The
decisions of the Supreme Court of the United
States were resisted, its integrity assailed, and
its remodeumg avowed. These were followed
by outbreaks, as illustrated by the raid of John
Brown into Virginia Meantime the retaliatory
and disunion movements in the South, crystali-
zed and proclaimed the monstrous heresy that
the Union was but an alliance of sovereign
states, and that any one of its members might,
in the exercise of an unlimited sovereignty,
which was claimed for it, withdraw from such
union. This heresy was designated, and as we
all know, is familiarly called secessionism and
under Its banner, a great and formidable COM
bination in the slave states was rallied
I Thus were confronted two great sectional par
ties-the Abolitionists North, and the Secession
lists South-the very antipodes of each other in
/ their sentiments, they met on the common plat
form of Disunion Each, alike, tended to over
throw the Constitution and the Union. Each
alike, are the enemies of the Republic. The
secessionists claiming to act from the appre-
hension that the threat for ''the utter abolition
of slavery" would be put in execution, succee-
ded by bY bare maoprlties in some cases, land by
norities in Others in procuring the adoption OF
ordinances of secession, or Tor the withdrawal
of such States from the American Union as are
now banded under the designation of the Con-
Tolerate States Obtaining, thus, the formal
| organization of government, they set at oefl-
ance the Constitution and laws OF the United
States and undertook to resist their execution
within the pretended Jurisdiction of this revolu-
tionary government. The Government OF the
United States, in strict accordance with Its
powers, undertook to enforce these laws and to
demand obedience to them--armed resistance
was at once inaugurated on the part of the Sc
cessionists. and thus began rebellion and civil
war that has become one of gigantic propor-
t;nns and for many of its characteristics, one
Of the most formidable that ever existed among
civilized people. At its outset, the appeal
was made to the loyal men of the North, to fly
to arms. in order to uphold the Constitution and
laws. and to maintain the Union. With the
rapidity of magic this appeal was responded to
with unbounded enthusiasm, and an armed force
of over 700, 900 men stood ready to obey the
the summons to meet the foes OF the Union
President Lincoln in his inaugural address had
said:
af have no pu' nose directly or iadirecf'p, TO in
terfsre with the institution Of slavery in the States
( where it exists. balisve have no 'awfn' RIGHT
TO DO So and have no imrlination to 10 so."-From
Lincons Inaugural Address, March 4th, 1861.
i The Congress of the United States, immcdi-
atelv after the battle of Bull Run, in July,
1861
s.Reso,yed, That the present deplorable civil wa
has been fol ed upon the country by unionsts of
Southern States, now in AIMS against the Consti'u-
tionaI Government, and in arms around the Capital;
that in this National emergency Congress, banlsh-
ing I'll feeling of mere passion or resentment, VIII
recolJect only its duty to the whole country that
this war is not waged their part in any spirit OF
oppression, for any purpose of subjusaton or con-
quest, or purpose OF overthrowing or Interfering
with the rights established institutions of those
States, but to defend and MAINTAIN the supremacy
of the Constitution and to preserve the Union, wit
all the dignity, equality and rights OF the several
States paired and that as these objects
are accomplished the war ought to cease. adopt
ed by both branches of Congress, July 2ist, 1861,
without pposition-two-thrds being Republicans.
Thus the faith of the President and Congress
was pledged to every loyal man in the North,
9 that the war was to be carried on for the Con-
/ stitution as il is, and the Union as it was. Un-
. der the inspiration of this high, patriotic and
5 holy purpose, our gallant ccuntrymen have
marched to the battlefield, keeping step to the
: music of the Union, enduring privations and
sufferings that would have utterly appalled, less
patriotic and devoted soldiers. The enemy, al
tbo,oh M nocsod in formidable hOdies and SUD-
e ported by an energy, skill, and munitions OF
: war that evinced an increased concentration Of
sentiment in behalf of the rebellion, yet before