Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1864-04-15

March 26, 1864.
The House being in the Committee Of d hole
on the state of the Union
Mr.. MOORHEAD said
Mr. CHAIRMAN: My colleague fromale 2lst
district Mr.. DAWSON has made confe#lly the
ablest speech on the other side Of the Hese, and
has stated with great frankness and ceafsss the
grounds of his opposition to the war. Though
it was well answered by my colleague fm the
18th district, Mr.. ScoFIELD, / feel it f11nlbent
upon me TO give itsome attention, as oqaiistricts
adioin have Ike interests and feelings a as spe-
cial efforts have been made, by the circption of
his speech, to affect the political seniaent of
Western Pennsylvania. We both live dthe head
Of the great channels of trade formed bghe Ohio
and Mississippi rivers, and their tributaa's down
which the coal, humber, and agricultural oduets,
and the manufactures of glass, steel, ironcopper
wood, DC, Of our people, were accustonl before
the rebellion TO float safely and witllo let or
hindrance, to the inhabitants OF thirtae States
and on through the Gulf to foreign m1ets,-
Valuable as the Federal Union Is to the ople of
other States, tits beyond all price to Penslyania
and especially to his constituents and nc, who
allke love their country, are proud OF HhIst0ry,
believe III free government, hate SaVerysg e ready
to die rather than see their national lag dis
hon0red at home or abroad, and will d permit
the destruction of their government BY atoGatie
shareholders, who treat and speak oforthern
people-Demecrats as well as RepLblics-w
more scorn, than they feel for the slaveon their
plantations. The blow of the traitorsgo made
this war; fell first and heaviest on our estitIen-
cies, when they closed the navigation dfhe Mis-
slssippi seized and eenfseat ID rroperdylnd des-
troyed trade more than sixty years e1ied, and
tor restoration of the right 20 which u people
have been vigorously fighting for nesy three
years. do this, Mr.. Chairman, the Ire readi-
ly, because the doctrines be announee are the
very same which brought on the warsBd if not
condemned by the people, would make sopth-
ern rebels our masters forever.
Ny colleague began his speech by rafndng us
IN glowing terms OF the happy ard 1Dspgous
state OF the country about eight yes siTce,
when he left these halls He efeft two Rrs Jtfore
Mr. Buchanan became President WIT WIS its
condition when Mr.. Buchanan handed II Getern-
ment to Mr. Lincoln? Why is my colEeue ilent
as to the pregnant fact. that when MfsuclAnan
retired, the gloom Of that awful periodyas such
that its mere rembenbranee comes ID aTt evil
shadow over the heart Of every patriot
tt has been suggested he has BEEN feep
sleep during the eight years he was aent from
! political lIfe His speech furnishes soneI eyi-
denee ct It. Let me then inform lil srh& he
should know, and what many of his estittents
do know, that not merely are we nc I'D the
| midst OF revolution, but the cotlry Vas in
the midst OF a revolution when Mrs}ucianan
retired, and has been on the brink Of seyoution
at different times, for thirty years.
jackson suppressed treason in IL. JEFF.
Davis and his fellow conspirators madeome signs
Of beginning a revolution, under old Zh Taylor
| IN 1850, when California was admitt asa free
State, but the hero of Buena Vista &elched it
| by announcing that he would hang thirst rebel
| Ivrhf -,
| jeff Davis knew well he would do il. hey pre-
| pared for it, while Pierce lived irile White
| House. and Davis governed the couty, They
/ persevered while Buchanan was Pnlent, and
Floyd controlled the army. until, betrn the 4th
November 1860, the day Lincoln asected, and
| the 18th March, 1861, the day he wasiugurated
every southern fort except Pckens d Sumter
every armory and arsenal, all the ordnce. arms,
and ammunition, all the custom-hou., post Of
hoes, and mints, in a word all the prosty Of the
Federal Government in every secedeState were
seized by slaveholding traitors, whit blow
being struck or a shot beng fred in th defense ;
and thirty days before Buchanan tn expired
eight slayeh0lding States had one rebelled
against the Government, cast off Alliance to it
and excluded Its authority hauled sin its flag
| captured It's troops arms forts, sh1 1munitions
| OF war, assembled a congress at slntgomery
Alabama, adopted constitution, el,ed Presi-
dent, prepared to raise armies, aTd,ganized a
coniederacy as foreign and hostilevernment,
| all under that Democratic rule which colleague
is so anxious to restore and all dona# Democrat
&c leaders What did Mr. BuchaISedo to pre-
vent these great crimes? Nothing What did
! the Democratic party do to prevent kn? Moth
! Ing! W hat did they propose to de Nothing /!
| On the other hand. they resisted eWthing that
looked like protecting the public fperty, and
preseryi the nation honor.
Sir, so widespread was treason. seithless the
| President, that all hope was exhauss except the
| single one that bis term would exc before all
was lost Thank God Abrahaml lhoin became
! President before the cause Of thefog was to-
tally ruined, and then the work of rae began.
! Mycolleagne, 10 speech OF twenn;ne pages,
says not a word in denunciation Of sse rebel in
suits and outrages nor does he sioany sympa~
| thy with those OF his neighbors wsh blood has
| enriched every battlefield in desc of their
country, and whose bones are bef Richmond
aud Charleston, Gettysburg. ViekAr and Chat
tanooga, and whose heroic valor hasrotected his
home and mine from threatened Rsion by his
late political friends. Nor has hes charges to
make against anybody except of adness and
folly againstthe people, and raii against the
Government, the Quakers and AbobDists The
rebellion is tenderly mentioned al '.tH-5adged
rebellion no crime IN it-no blood the rebels
hands; only mistake of judgalent bad guess as
To time and result Sir, do notlnk my col
league has allowed his good feeling find express
siomin his speech; but as it was H. to aid in re-
storing the Democratic rule, its err and falacies
should be pointed out.
Ny colleasae sees no prospect ohe end He
says nearly three years of civil wave now dis
} charged their relentless fury upour unhappy
country, and We are yet apparenty remote from
any satisfactory adjustment of ouifFerences as
| when we first few to arms Sir,broadly deny
this extraordinary statement. 1.-THE policy Of
the rebels, and those who sygnpake with them
) to underyalne the results alreadccomplished,
and to discourage the public feelinf the North.
JEFF Davis says the South eannoe conquered
and my colleague deliberately Shuts eyes to the
/ astonishing results already attain The rebel
lion is IN its last Rgonies immenreeions have
been reclsned, several states are rrning to theil
allegiance, and on every hand theis but one in
2 dieation, and that Of the increasirower of The
. Union and the increasing weakptof the rebel
< ion. Ny colleague should see th but there il
none 50 blind as he who viii note His doc
1 tf-tr 10 fba IL. q