The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1864-05-06

ant both by forel9n nations and our own GoY-
ernment, the Constitution, and the Union are
abrogated; so far as they are concerned, and that
as between the two beigerants they are under
the laws of war and the laws of nations alone
and that whichever power conquers may treat
the vanqushed as conquered provinces, and
| may impose upon them such conditions and laws
as it may deem best"
In answer to any objections that may be rails
ed TO this position, he says:
| But it is said that this must be considered a
contest with Rebel individuals only rs States in
| tho Union cannot make war; that is true 50
SO long as they remain in the Union bat they
claim to be out Of the Union, and the very fact
:hat we have admitted them to be in a state of
war, to be beliigerants, shows that they are no
longer in the Union, and that they are wagiug
war in their corporate capcty, under the cor
| porate name of the Confederate States and that
such major corporation is composed of minor
corporations called states, acting in their asso-
ciated character.
! ''When an inSurrection becomes sufficiently
formidable to enttle the party to belligerant right
! it places the contenling Powers on precisely the
same footing as foreign nations at war with each
| otter
No one acquainted with the magnitude Of
this contest can deny to it the character of Il
civil war For yearly three years the Confed-
ate States have maintsined their declaration OF
! independence by force of arms.
What then is the effect of the war botwaen
these belligerentS, these foreign nations! Before
this war the parties were bound together by
compact, by treaty called a Constitution. -
They acknowledge the arbitrary or municipal
laws mutually binding on each. This war has
cut asuuder all these ligamens, abrogatcd all the
obligations"
Now, Sir for once at least | agree with the
distinguished gentlemen from Pennsylvania, that
the Confederate States are out OF the Union,
Occupying the position of an Independent Pow
er de Jttct0 have been acknowledged as Oeiliger
emf, both by foreign nations and our own Gov
ernment; maintained their declaration ot lnte-
pen lcnre for three years by force of arms and
that the war has cut assunder all the iigaments
aud abrogated all the obligations that bound
them under the Constitution. So far [ agree
with him and however unwilling we may be to
accept such position rs the actual condition of
the Confederate States, the history OF the past
three years, the la~ of nations, the genius OF
our government ami Il regard for truth comp.l
me at least to accept it, and my judgment to
approve it and if the charge of disloyalty is
J
to shieli myself under the broad mantle of the
distinguished Iealer Of the Republican party
At the commencement OF the war England and
France both declared the Confederate States
to be b.lligerens the United States has treated
with them as such in the exchange of prisoners,
and the Administration Is to-day without hon
csty or independence Of the gentlemen from
Pennsylvania to avow ii, doing precisely what
he proposes TO do under his war of conquest,
wa2ed against the Confederate States as for
egn nation. 1t is not now even pretended, that
the war is carried on having for its object the
restoration Of the Union; Reconstruction" ''con-
s0lidAtiun" "ccntralizalion with an entire change
of the Constitution" are the terms employed in
speaking of the government that is to exist here
after. To speak of the Constitution rs it is
and the Union "a it was, is an offence, subject
ing IN officer in the army TO punishment by dis
missal from the service, and conclusive evidence,
of disloyaity in the citizen If the time ever
was, when the Union could have been restored
by war, which do not believe, 1t has long since
been dispelled Ivy emancipation, coniscauon,
amnesty and the like proclamatIons; military
ders annulling State constitutions, setting aside
State laws, obliterating State lines and attemp
ting to organize and set up a form OF State gov
ernment in their stead in which one man out of
ten who shall turn AbolitonSt, take and sub
scribe an oath 10 execute and obey, the will OF
Abraham Lincoln, whatever it may be, shall
govern and rule over the remaining nine who
refuse TO become Abotionis;s. These folllies
of the Administration and others OF the like
character, have, instead, of crushing the rebel
| lion" crushed out whatever Union sentiment
may have remained among the Southern people
1t Is possible, that in districts of country occu-
! pied by the army occasionally a man may be
found who seeing nothing before him but ignoul-
| my and death, lis wife and innocent children
appealing to him for protection with all the ties
of fial affection his property to be cOnfscated,
| and his family TO become outcast and beggarS
! in the world that such a man. In order for the
| time being to save himself save his family and
save his property may take the oath but the
effect of it will be, as it ought TO be, like that
of Galileo who invented the telescope, and who
| first taught the rotary motion of the earth
| That noble old Italian, after many years of la
! Dor in the study of science, and when he had
advanced to the extreme age of 10, was sum-
moned before an inquisition, tried CONDEMNED
| and imprisoned IN a dungeon for teaching a here
| sy subsequently be was brought out and offered
| liberty on condition of renouncing his heretical
| doctrine. The effect Of beholding the glorious
! light of the sun and breathing again the pure
air of Heaven as contrasted with the loathsome
dungeon in which he had been cast, and 10 which
ha must return or renounce his belief in the
earth's motion so far overcame his humanity that
he consented 10 comply and upon his benled
knees. with his hands upon the gospel, he abiur-
ed his belief in tic Copernican doctrine. Part
of his obiuration ran in these terms. ''With n
I sincere heart and unfe;gnad faith, | objure,