The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1864-03-18
The Coming Campaign.

The Coming Campaign.
The questions to be decided in the next
presidential campaign are: Shall this Union
be restored2 Shall it be reconstructed on
new plan2 oHshall there be separation
between the North and the Souths These
are questions that interest every man, wo-
man and child in the country, both North
and South.
Let us suppose that the Democrats will
elect the next President; and that the South
by that time should be thoroughly tired of
The war. The new President might take
1is seat, and change the entire policy OF
the present administration. He might (his
party being in a large majority in the North)
offer them terms, such as would be honor
able both to the North and to them. He
might offer to guarantee their rights under
the old constitution, and offer pardon to all
except the ring-leaders; and, if they are
taken, let them be tried by the law, and if
they are found guilty of treason let them be
punished, either by death or Imprisonment,
as sound policy shall dictate. Confscate
their property during their lives according
to the constitution; and, at their death, let
it revert to their children who have not been
attainted by treason. Let them, if they
see fit, retain the institution Of slavery
They are not fighting for slavery-they are
fighting for the principle, that the states
have right to make their own local laws
and REGULATE their own domestic affairs in
their own way" Let the President even
grant this. He can do it without compro-
missing either Republican or Democratic
principles. Let him grant amnesty and
rasaAn Ia all suhn have not hesn- laa5ers- IN
IN oath to support, protect and defend the
Constitution of the United States," and re-
nounce their allegiance to the Southern con-
federacy. Let us suppose now that all these
terms were offered by president who had
some show of power to guarantee them;
would it not go further towards restoring
the Union than all the nigger proclamations
ever issued by the present incumbent, or
that ever will be issued by him unless they
should embody the principles set forth above?
If Democratic President were elected,
could not this be done? Of course, they
would, in case theyaccepted these terms, have
to assume their share of the national debt; /;
and this would be no heavier than their own.
If they were to accept these terms and
come back by repeating their secession Or
dinances, and electing Senators and Con-
gressmen. they could hereafter help protect
themselves-not by vote of one-tenth of
their population, but, perhaps, by nine
tenths. 1t is our honest opinion, that if
ever the Union is restored, it must be done
by this plan and no other.
The history Of the world shows no exam
pie where from FIVE to eight millions of free
people were ever subjugated, and made to
submit wholly to the terms offered them by
their enemies mo matter how much supe-
rior they may have been. On the contrary,
it shows that, no matter how powerful
people may have been who have undertaken
to invade and conquer another, of anything
like the extent or population of the South,
they have always had to compromise to some
extent in the end. Supposing now, that
the Union could be thus restored, what hon.
est Republican. who really loves the Union
more than the niger, would refuse to help
restore it on these terrns9
1t ia true, no Abolitionist will ever vote
70 restore the Union. He wants rsconstruc-
NON, which means new form of govern
nent, on some hair-b Drained, transcendental
theory, beyond the pale of practicability;
and which shall not only guarantee the ne
gro freedom, but political, and soc;al equal
ity. In short, government in which the
nsgro should be, not only the peer, but the
superior, Of the white man-voting at the
elections. filing all the responsible Offices,
and even marrying and intermarrying with
the whites. He looks forward to the mil
hnnium of ''miscegenation," ''when there
shall be no black no white, but all shall be
one color, one flesh and one bone.r He
wants government to suit this fantastic,