The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1864-02-12
EAST OF THE MOUNTAINS,
Ep1roRs GAzErrR:
january %, 1864.


EDIroRs GAZETTE:
Perhaps line from this quarter may
not be uninteresting TO some Of the readers of
the Gazette. Our Court of Quarter Sessions
has been in session for ten days with the usual
amount of criminal business, with which we
have at all times been blessed; though, under
the benign influence Of his Honor, Judge Mill,
this has been greatly fhwarted of late. Tho
cases are now mostly of lighter shade than they
have been for some time back. l do think (par-
don my egotism) that ours has been the most
niger ridden Court in the State. During the
entire term, which sometimes is of two weeks
duration, the Court House steps, halls, witness
rooms, and, in fact, every available spot is fill
ed with niggers. Ngs of all sorts and sizes
colored ladies with coiorad babies in their arms,
venerable colored gentlemen, colored girls, and
colorad young gentlemen, all having business of
the utmost Importance. If only ''these mach
abused free americans Of African DESCENT" can
have an occasional side talk with some one OF
our numerous young attorneys, it is the emboa-
iment of all Mr.. Cuffs earthly felicity-thc
summit of niger glory is attained-ho "am
satisfied die gemman am some, kase he knows
Gle proclamation by heart fust rate" Bat our
present judge is giving these reyY interesting peo-
pie to understand that we can have an occasion
ai session without their august presence. We
nave had some particularly interesting cases this
session, wherein some mighty disclosures have
been mado-some that greatly startled our good
ly citizens, who are ready to exclaim "veriy
sin stalks abroad in our good--suporativey
good-county." Tie dear old folks don't seem
to be cognizant of the fact, that young America
holds the reins now, and that they are far be-
hind the age.
Your correspondent didn't 60 to see Mr.. Cur
tin, tho magical peace maker, re-inaugurated.
lie thought he would feel the effects of his thir
ty DAY peace at home. having beheld the wcn-
deriul NAN upon several occasions before. He,
therefore, showed his ''greenbacks' deeper into
his pockets an1-staia, 10 !ium. No 5ouot
the Ball gotten up for th;s occasion was splen.
did affair, and why should it not be2 Andy is
elected, the war is ended, no more drafts-bu:
plenty of draughts-no more fatherless children,
no one out in the bitter cold, M one sticking
knee deep in Virginia soil--no, no, none of these
goes mcrrily on in honor of Andy's electicn.)
Blu. we must forget widows and orphans and
c,ipples, all amid this festive scene. "Away
with melancholy" Go where tho poor sentinel
stands or t-eads his lonely beat, thinking of low
ell ones ut home---in the loa;hsome hospital.
but come not here-not here! this is Curtin's
Ball.
The peace Of the neople, or rather the AMIGA
blc adjustment of this It'll, difficulty in thirty
days that we were to have, We can't see. But
some ,oiI see the draft in surprisingly short
time; the dreaded draft, and Andy can't make
good his promise, nor does he want to. But
thanks to tho generosity of our town fathers
we are to have no draft this time-our quota is
a little more than full. Recruiting has been 60
ing on quite actively for some time. Sergeant
Ferguson, of For: Bunker Hill, formerly Of
your place, has been quite active and energetic,
also Capt. Ward, I 1th Pa. cavalry, Captain
Hu,ling, Of the ist cavalry. and o.bers. We
have any amount Of soldiers (six months men,
here now. Some of them, one would suppose,
not more than half civilized, if their conduct
can be taken as an indication. One thing is
certain, there is tenfold moro noise and drunk
enuess in our streets than when the rebels were
amongst us. They ara something Ike the gal
lSat militia that came TO the defence of Jour
beautiful town, last summer VIA. some of
them can't steal they dastroQ. am happy to
say, though that the Bedford BOYS who are here
ccnduct themselves in q gentlemanly manner.
Mos. of than have re-cnlstad under their for
mer officer, CaDt. Lyons, to whom they seem to
be much attached.
Business bcre is much better than IL has been
at this season for years. This, npdonbt, is ow-
ing to the large number of soldiers here with
plenty of "Grccn5acl.s." Nevertheless, when
these gents como in, mos. of them require close
watching.-The views of your Harrisburg cor
respondent are sound and logical. More anon.
Yours, &C., SOUTH MOUNTAIN.