The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1862-03-21
ADDRESS FROM HON. JAMES
GUTHRIE.
"The Constitution AS 1t Is-The Union
AS Tt Was"
AN AMNESTY RECOMMENDED AS A WAR
AND FINANCIAL MEASURE.

At the celebration of WAsHINGTe&'s Birth
day at Louisville, Hon. JAMES GUTHRIE spoke
Us follows -
FELLOW CITIZENS You have just heard the
Farewell Address of WASHINGTON. This day
it has been read in all the cities and towns of
the loyal States, and, we hope, in most of the
families of the country. 1t is the advice of the
wisest purest and, therefore, the greatest man
recorded on the pages of history; the General
who led our armies through the seven long years
of our revolutionary struggles the presiding Of
fcer over the delibcration of the patriots and
sagcs of the Revolution, whilst they were form
ing the Constitution and Union under which we
have lived so prosperously the Executive, cho-
sen by the voice of free people to put the new
Government in force, and who presided over
its destiny fer eight years.
In this Farewell Address, many lessons Of
wisdom are given for our future consideration
and action; and many Of the dangers and haz-
ards of the new Government are pointed out
and we are most earnestly besought to avoid
them. Prominent amongst them are party spn'
and the indulgence of sectional feelings and the
incubation of sectional principles. This day
when we see more than million of armed
citizens in hostile array against each other, and
drenching the land in blood, and destroying cities
towns and farms in wasting war, we cauno
hide from ourselves that the lessons of wisdom
given to us by WASHINGTON have been forgot
ten or set at naught, that this has to some cx-
tent, grown from sectional principles and an
attempt to set aside the Constitution as to GER
tain provisions by one section, and the wanton
acts of ambitious men in the other.
Now that citizen is armed against citizen,
brother against brother, father against son and
son against father, we can fully appreciate
WAsnINGToN's advice, and the blessings of the
Union and internal peace, which he sought to
make perpetual We have thought and felt
that the Constitution of this Union was laid in
wisdom and justice, and that to the Union we
owed our progress ond our great prosperity as a
nation. We have revorcd the Constitution and
rendered obedience to the laws made under it,
and have loved our flag almost to idolatry, rs
the embemof our liberties and ourequal rights
We have had no kings or lords to worship, and
Union, and our Flag, and feel that all are e.
qual under its folds. May this day bring re-
,newed devotion to the Constitution, the Union,
and the Stars and Stripes
l have always thought and felt>that the judg-
ment and hearts of the people were for the Con-
stitution, the Union and the flag, as our fathers
made them.
| II is true, we saw with amazemcnt that there
were some in the North who had taught them
selves, and wished to teach others, to abhor the
Constitution, and proclaimed it a covenant with
! hell and Others in the South, who denounced
its action as unjust and oppressive, and sought
( to make others think the same. These mon
looked TO separation of the States, and the es-
tablishmennt of an Empire they could rule.
insignificant in tlc beginning, by persevcrne
efforts these two parties North and South have
crown in strength, and this cival war is theil
result. But now the hearts and feelings of the
mighty mass of the people are aroused to the
consequence and we see 100000 armed meI
marching with banners to the restoration OF the
Constitution and the Union. Theya are the con
selvatve men of the country, and are deter
mined TO succeed. and the hearts of the people
go with them If some of the North have be
come insane and taught themselves to believe
the world is governed by one idea and that they
are the missionaries sent by heaven to domln
ate over others and if some Of the South hav
become insane and made themselves believe tha
thev were born to rule and reign over anothe
empire, we are not bound to yield our Consti
tuition. our Union, our equal laws, our cqla
rights and our glorious flag, to the insane dc
sires of one or both.
They have both proven potent for evil
have always felt it was far easier to restore tn
Union than 10 agree upon the terms OF separa
ton and the line of division. The great North
west can never consent chat the mouth OF tn
Mississippi and the Southern ports should b
within the bounds of foreign nation, am
Kentucky and other internal States can neve
consent to be the Border States of adjoining
confederacics, and constitute themselves out
posts for the defence and protection OF the IL,
terror. nor will they submit to numerous collec
ton districts, to the system of permits an
passes, nor be taxed in their outgoings and in
comincs. They have had free trade betwee
the States and are determined still to have it.
| have said our army is conservative, an
marches to restore the Constitution and the q
Mon. This army is wonderful creation G
some seven months, and has now the disciplin
of veterans, and in recent actions, has display
ed tenacity of purpose equal to the most relia
BILE soldiers of history. l have confidence i
them and in their leaders, and have not bee
impatient that they did notmarch to battle eai
lier. have been surprised that they marche
ON such roads and through such weather, al!
, gained such glorious victories. l have wlshe
the war carried on upon the most elevated prir
ciples of Christian Humanity, and fully up
; the highest civilization of the age. woul
have our armies strike boldly and firmly, wit
heart and soul, for the Constitution and Unio
as our fathers made them, but without an
lwanton destruction of human life or of prol