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

ti7 Has utluued IltlitudeS into treaear,
has undermined the Federal GDvernnen
on this war, and sacrificed thE lives of
OF our people. General Jadson in his dav eIas
nouneed It, and warned the country against 4 !.
| and even Mr.. Buchanan in Ills last Annual Mes''
sage, declared it ITO be inconsistent with the h
tory as well as the characterbf the Federal Con
stltntlon. 1t means that ne have no nationa
| Government that under tie Constitution ther
y no lmon, but only knoll of States that ma
be tied or united at pleasuie; that there is n
such thing as a citizen of thg United States, an,
no national flag to shelter him
But, Mr.. Chairman, the most cruel feature 0
my colleague s speech ii that which, 0pcllly pro
claiming his approval Of Mr. Buchanan course
sosplelty eensures that of tlle great old patrio
whom he and [, once and again. but vainly, labor
cd to make President Of the the United States
General Lewis Cass; whose patriotism and states
| laanship revolted at the trucking policy Of Mr.
Buchanan, and who, when bis proposition to gar
rIson the southern forts and maintain possession
OF the pubic property was refused, proIaptil
rendered his resignation and withdrew from th,
Cabinet. If Mr.. Buchanahs S policy was wise
General Cass S was unwise; if Mr. Buchanan
was faithful in his high position. General Cas-
was mistaken IN Judgment; if Mr.. buchanan
properly met the great duties of the hour. theI
General Cass utterly failed to appreciate the diff
euitles. But not So / can never subscribe Il
sueh & sentence of condemnation against an olo
friend whom 1 have long admired; whom | nov
revere as among the w0rthest statesmen thu
country has ever had and whose claim to the love
and gratitude of posterity rest in my Judgment.
more firmly upon his mistaken fidelity when trea-
son was 50 general, than even upon his brilliant
records OF both civil and military service About
the time he retired from the Cabinet he was filed
with gloom aud anguish at the threatening aspect
OF public affairs, as he fully comprehended the
great and growing dangers which threatened the
ship OF state. His impressive exclamation at the
tine, in my presence, was We are lost we are
destroyed; our great and glorious country VIII be
ruined. it might be sayed-it might be saved
! have tired to save it, but can 90 no more -
Glorious words betokening the great heart of a
brave, clear, patriotic statesman, who would have
saved the country. the public property. and sub
dued the rebellion had He been President in place
OF Mr. Buchanan. As he was not, and the Pre-
sldent would do nothing, he left the Cabinet
4et my colleague indorses Mr. Buchanan ard his
pollcy; thus implicitly casting censure and blame
upon General Cass. I resent the imputation and
appeal with confidence from his words to the
OF free people, who aciN be saced des-
plte the open treaehery of Buchanan, or the COW
ert treachery Of his allies and friends
Ihayealluded to the fact that rebellion is not a
new thing IN American history all remember how
pFornptl5 jackson put down one, and Taylor
nipped another in the bud. Lincoln has aroused
the loyalty and patriotism of the country to sub
Nette lsstandworst, and wewho IRE thusthis day
engaged are but following the teachings Of those
departed patriots around whom united country
threw its protecting arms, and upon whose memo
ries it continues to lavish its praise s'The Union.
It must and snail be preserved, was the motto of
jackson; 1t is the heart-work Of Lincoln. The
rebellion of 1892 was invoked against existing leg
lslation: this, much less justi6able, and more
wicked WAS inaugurated in the absence of affen-
sfve legislation, In fact at the moment when all
legislation was not only harmless but harmonious
on the late disputed territorial question, when by
the confession of the ablest Of their leaders, the
shareholders of the South had no cause to Justify
SECESSION and when by the truth of history, there
was no actual grievance whatever. This IS most
and clearly presented By the following
extract from speech Of Alexander III. Stevens
delivered in the secession convention Of Georgia
n January, 1861:
"This step (of seeession) taken be re-
,alled; and all the baleul and Bhering consequences
hat must follow viii rest the convention for all coming
ime. When and our posterity shall lovely
South desoated by the demon of war; rhieh tk act o
Jors nil ineeitably iaute and caR forth, when cur
fields OF waving harvest shall be trodden down by
he murdelous solaiery and fiery car Of sweeping
land temples Of rstee laid in ashes all tho
lorrers and desohons Of upon us cio b,t this
eRtoR irH be he9 rcspopsJte yo and no bat him
sho shall have given his vote for this unwise and med
MEASURE as honestly think and believe sta be held 70
raet account for tis suicidal act 6g tie present generic
ion and probably cursed aad erectdted 5y poery for
q, coming tine for the wide aad desolatin ruin that will
Inevitably follow this act You now propose TO perpetrate
Pause, Ientreat yon. What right has
he Yord assacd9 What ntsrcstof the South has been
ayaded2 hat justice has been denied and what claim
ounded in justice and right has been withheld? Can
her OF You to-day name one governmental act Of wrong
deliberately and purposey done by the Government at
ashngteR Of which the South has right to complain
challenge the answer.
eve have always had the control Of the General Gov
rnment, and yet if we remain it. and united
s We have BEEN We have had majority Of the Presi
pts chosen from the South as well the control and
Of most Of those chosen from the North
have Lad sixty Of southern Presidents TO their
enty olg, thus controlling the Executive Department
70 OF the judges Of the Supreme Court, we have had
igheen from the South and but eleven from the North
Though nearly fe0r-fftbs Of the Judicial business has
lways been from the South This we have required so
to guard against any Interpretation of the Constitution
favorable 70 In Ike manner have been equally
achfn to guard our interests in the legislative branch
Government. In choosing the presiding presidents
pro te Of the Senate have had twenty four their
levcn. Speakers Of the House, have had twenty
hree and they twelve While the majority Of the repre-
sntatyes from their greater population have always
cen from the North, yet have so generally secured
he Speaker because he, greater extent shapes and
ontr0ls the Legislation Of the country
torney Generals had fourteen, while the orh have
nd but i've. Foreign ministers, hnYe hadeighty six
nd they but fty-four. 8 We |
ave had the principal embassies, to secure the
ord markets cotton tobacco and sugar the best
ossibe terms We have had vast majority Of the high
Offices Of both army and navy while large proportion
the soldiers and sailors drawn from the NORTH
qualy SO of clerks, auditors, and comptreeTs filing
Executive Departments. The records show for the
st fifty years that Of three thousand thus employed
ave had more than two thirds of the while we
ave but of the white population of the Repub
c. fraction three-fourths +
the revenue collected for the support of the Govern
tent has uniformly been raised from the North. Pause
oW while yon can, gentlemen and contemplate carefully
nd canddly these important items.
hFor you to attempt to overthrow such Government
this under which we have lived for than three
garters Of century in which We have gained our
saith, our standing nation, onr domestic safety
bile the clements Of peril around with peace and
anquiity accompanied with unhounded prosperity and
ghts unassaed is the height of madness folly, and
ickedness, to which neither Lend my sanction
y vote"
Sir, this rebellion was a cold -blaoded, premedi-
lted, infamous, attempt of ambitious, desperate, I
l~ann