Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1864-08-05
at peace and blessed with prosperity.
SIMON CAMERON, Chairman.
A. w BENEDIcT,
WIEN FoRNEY, Secretaries.
From the Lancaster Eseniag Express Wednesday J. lg 81
GRAFTON BY HON. JOHN CESSNA.


Fulton Hall was crowded on Tuesday evening
with the elite Of our city, to hear the Annual Adj
dress before the Alumni Association Of Franklin
and Marshall College The Union League Band
was in attendance and the exercises Of the evening
were agreeably varied with the patriotic music
of our National Airs. The Faculty Of the Col
lege and members Of the Board of Trustees we're
upon the stage Among the latter we recognized
our whlom townsman, Rev. ID. Harbaugh, at
present filing one of the Professors chairs at
Mercersburg. After brief opening prayer by
this gentleman. and music from the band Hon.
John Cessna, late Speaker of the House of Req
resentatlyes, was introduced and for nearly two
hours this earnest speaker swayed the audience at
his viii. Those who were at Fulton Hall last
evening will remember this noble address, along
VITA that of Hon Daniel Doueherty, upon smi-
lar subject delivered at last Commencement. 1t
was such a manly speech as we might have ex-
pected from the little Giant of the West had
he lived until to-day. His bitter excoriaton of
traitors and 'sympathizers his firm faith i'm the
final success Of our grand cause the hard logic of
hls facts, his eulogstic references to those names
enshrlned deepest In the heart of the nation, his
eloquent apostrophe to the dear old flag. were re-
celved again and again with the most enthusiastic
applause. These things touch the popular heart
which In spite of every effort to the contrary ON
the part of designing political knaves, beats on
ever true to the Union, loyal to the gallant mem
ories Of the glorious Past proud of the history
OF the immortal Present. and hopeful of the
thrice-blessed Future dawning upon our sorely-
tried ration.
The orator made few opening remarks upon
the usual character of the subjects chosen on SINH
lar occasons--these being at one time literary, and
at another scentlhc-but for the reason that the
era of ordinary things had gone by, ne had there
fore chosen an extraordinary subject Shall the
Reprbllc Still Live p His subject announced. he
launched boldly upon his theme, with words of no
uncertain sound:
Every rejecting person and even the casual OBJ
server will admit that the times are extraordinary
Great issues are now being tried. questions virtu-
ally affecting the present condition and future
prospects not only of all the people of our own
nation, but of the whole human race. These are
issues, too, which no man can ignore. Every in
dividual must be found upon the one side or the
other Of the great struggle which now aStonishes
the world. There can be no neutrality, Men
may assume to be Indifferent apd profess to take
no interest Ia the contest but at heart every one
is upon one side or the other. He that is not for
as ts-agdteSt lcs.
The issues of the present crisis are most mo-
mentous-nOne such have ever stood forth in the
progress of history Is man capable of selt-goy-
ernlnent2 To establish this proposition was the
great object of the American Revolution. We
found few associates before that period. AT that
time there were many unbelieyers in the doctrine
notwithstanding the success of that revolution
and the remarkable and unexampled success and
prosperity of the nation born of 1t, there have al
ways been among us men, who have no faith in
the doctrine. They are still quite NUMEROUS and
constantly predict the successes of the present re-
bellion. In this they are heartily joined by the
tyrants and aristocracy of the Old World.
rhe success of our nation thus far has created
an intense interest throughout the world. If we
can survive the present shock, suppress the rebel
hon, aud return to our path Of progress, the ex-
ample can not and will not be long resisted by the
other nations of the earth The success, or rather
the continuance Of civil and religious liberty not
only in our own country but throughout the world,
depends upon the result of our present conflict.
Our failure now would rejoice the enemies of lib
erty and make glad the hearts of tyrants in every
land and bring additional grief ard sorrow to
the dewn-trodden and oppressed of every cline.
The destruction of our republic would do more to
perpetuate deSpQtism and to roll back the tide of
progress and check the tide of civilization than
any event which has ever occurred in the history
of the human race Words cannot describe nor
can language measure, the magnitude and impor-
tance of the present struggle 1t tbecomes, there
fore, the paramount duty Of every patriot to use
his utmost exertions to secure its favorable ter
mination.
The doctrine of secession is not only without
warrant i9 the Constitution but must lead to wild
confusion in the working of our political system,
system established bv the Judgment and wisdom
of our fathers the ablest statesmen ever given to
the world, and system without model in all
the ages of the pasta perfect structure which
distributes all the powers Of the government IN
such way as to prove perfect check upon each
other and yet work in unity and harmony in pro-
noting the. objects of its creation. The separate
States may become great in popuation-great In
territorygreat in resources, but their TRUE great
uess, at last consists in their being parts Of
greater whole--members of one great family
Our nation can only live and accomplish the pur-
poses Gifts creation protect and uphold the cause
Of civil and religious liberty on thlseontinent, and
throughout the world with one Constitution, one
Union one Government, one set OF laws, one des-
tiny, and but one Fag-that the flag OF the Stars
and Stripes-can ever be permitted to h0at over
any portion of our land; and silent be the tongue
and palsied the arm that would ever dare to make
an effort to haul down that flag or hoist another
In its stead
In no other land have so many privileges and
such large liberties been vouchsafed. In turn,
the citizen owes obedience to law, the payment
of his taxes a cheerful and earnest support of his
Government in times of difficulty, and If needs be,
his strong right arm to defend her from the as
saults of foreign foes or domestic traitors No
matter what difficulties may come, or what dan
GERS NAV threaten, the true patriot can never do
will always be ready to exclaim Perish my own
prosperity-pe property-perish party--per-
ish all things that stand in the way ofny nations
progress perish all that have, and all that hope
in this life-persh self-but live, still live, long
live, Oh, ever live, my Country!
The speaker here argued the question OF the
right of self preservation which a government
possesses, at considerable length, with sound log
ic, and with the weight OF authority, making ex-
tracts in point from Washington Jefferson, Madi-
son, and jackson We regret that our space will
not permit even brief summary Of this powerful
argument.
But the patriot can console himself with the
reflection that in the present struggle we have
right on our side-not only the glorious recolec-
tons of the past, the proud realities of the pres
ent, and the bright hopes of the future inspire Us
in our devotion to our country, but we are
strengthened and encouraged With the fun knowl-
edge and firm conviction that reason and Justice
are with us The true patriot VIII always stand
by his country in time Of war, whether right, or
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