Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1862-01-24
j. VS.. Jr.
Address Of Eon. Louis w. Hall.

/ On taking the char as Speaker elect Of the
Senate Of Peunayi7ania, for the session Of
1862:
SENAToRs--l thank you for the kind parti.
atty which has raised me to the dignity Of
your presiding officer | accept the honor
With difiJence in my ability 10 fulfil your ex,
pe4talions, tut with the determination, 50 far
as ID me lies, to give 10 the duties of the posi-.
tlon nv ndustrions and impartial Efforts, and
claim, As have no doubt | shall receive, at
your hands, iadulgence toward myself, whilst
yon exercise fotbsarance and courtesy towards
each other. / cannot bit be Impressed with
the Hgeliest emotohs Of pleasure at this gem
erons confidence on your part, animating ME
anew in the discharge Of pablie duty. yet
feel how idly | would employ your time 10 fe-
lioitatiae myself upon the attainment of civic
hoHofs, in hrs ''awful and rugged crisis when
abovn all personal considerations the salvation
Of the republic should engage al our thoughts
We meet 10 stirring times. An epocn 10
our national lie IS upon Us. Events OF vast
importance in qaiek succession cluster fasf,
decisive, perh9ps Of our destiny, perhaps of the
destiny Of mankind. For let this government
ee overthrow from within itself, AMI who ear
say bat that It's great underlying priociple, the
capacity Of man for selt-gopeFnment,e shall be
thrown aside for the future, by the people of
the world, as a failure.
Oar State il insepera5ly linked with all the
otheFs. We share common fate, either of
disgrace aud ruin OF permsneIs power anA
glory. All other questions Of political eoono-
my, of vermcn'al policy, are merged ia the
one grest issue Of natioaal life or death. For
what are oil other interests worth without
Government that can maiEtain itself2 What
otber public calamity can b. compared 20 the
national overthrow Wars have visited our
country IN times past, waged by the sarages OF
th4 forest and the self>stYfeG s'nislress Of tie
sens Pestilenea has at various times wasted
as; public credit has gone dowp, while sue
ceeding waves of financial regnlsign swept the
socia State. Yet, blessed bg benign Gov.
erument, our country has ou'IIVe3 them all
Bot where is the hope of resurrection from
the grave OF Nationa. dIsietagration We
cannot be too deeply, auxioBsly impressed with
the conviction that unless We coaqnor in this
struggle ell is lost. There can be no peace
unless we couqer peace. If we ahould even
tender the olive branch thought which can
not be entertained for single moment-the
robeli0us States would disdainsullY reject it.
All the sacrifice that may be made in this war,
all the treasure that ruly be expended, sll the
evils that are inseplrable from il, and which
The hamau croakegs for peace are constantly
aggravatng, are light in comparison with the
untold evils which would follow a triumphant
rebellion.
Sat if we could even agree upon a peaceable
sepAra' sion, how long wcuid beacs continue
Fac disloytl Sluthsrn States, intoxicated WITH
success, wouIl be more aggressive, domineer
ing and Aasarupnious than ever before. An
eternal conflict OF jarrug interests would en-.
tail interm0abe Internal wars upon all our
posteritY, whilst our weakened, divided, dee
morallzed condition would constantly invite the
aggressions of the graspiag potsntates of'
Europe. If thiAGovernment has not the pow
er OF snbduing rebellion, 1t has not the pow
er OF preserving itself. Ii is now oa its great
Trial. Nov Is the tina for the solution OF the
graad problem. European monsrchlsts point
70 this country as tbe last great exsmpllioa-
ii3n Of the inpossi6ility OF permanent re.
public.
Do they predicate the failure of our country
on the mere fact that clvil war exits What
nation Ia ali history has been exempt from il
l. it peculiar to republics Tnen, whence the
civil wars t1at from her earliest history until
recent reigns, have iim2 aud again ravaged aud
seourged the British Enpir9? Why is it that
Soglsn3, safely moc,ed in that qniet cove of
olest tranqality, limited monarchy, has been
frequently torn from her moorings and tossed
nadly 10 the seas of revolution 1t m7nar~
cby be the symbol of strength and perpetuliy,
whcnee the War Of The Roses2 Why mas the
blood Of monarOhs il France SO o!seL glutied
the savage vengeance of internal factions
Civil &ar indeed exists war Oh our part
TO put down IN unnatural, ungrateful, matri-
clal, heIlsborn retellio0. Long plotted, il
has basu hatched az last into wicked life, and
seeks, with tfcaehery, faIsehood, tdett, rob-
berry, arson aud murder as its allies, 10 dis
solve tue bEood-buugdt Union, our priceless
heritage fcom our forefatAeFs. The magnitude
of the e1atast, the tremendous consequences OF
disoomitare, can hardly be exaggerated. Bnl
wao doubts the result Superiority Of strength
numbers and resources, aud the ineiaeible will
Of united North mast triumph. As certain
as tFah and jasfce sit enthroned in Heaven,
there c4a be cue issue FROM this coBfliss. The
North may bave TO spend profusely her treas
urcs, aud her pstfiotis soas pour ous their life-
blood ike water, bat the Government mast aud
vii 90 sas aimed Ths omeas are auspicions
Hitherto the rebels, immensely iuteroS t,
tho lagalists in NUMBERS aud agsregsts wealth,
h4ge faf exsailed us 10 energy aad vigor.
Wa are slow to appreciate The true state Of
the c4sa. Nor il il surprising. True to the
Ulion anI tha C1assitlsion, ourselves hered,
itarily aud psoadly rowing ths one anl religi-
ously vensrating tha other -wa were 10th 10