The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1864-10-28

! ilght, WHICH, unueR providence, may prove the
dawn Of the day to this long and cherries
night the first ray Of light have seen from
the North since the war began. This cheers
the heart, and towards it / could almost ex-
claim ''Hah, holy Light, offspring of Heaven,
first born Of the eternal, co-et9rnal beam May
L express thee unblained, sirco God is light"
Indeed, ] could have quite SO exclaimed, but
for Tie SAD reticc ton that whether it shall bring
healing IN its beams or be lost in dark and
ominous eclipse ere its good work be DONE de-
ponds 50 much upon tde action OF others who
may not regard Il and view 1t as do. SO at
best it IS but Il ray, small aud tire mulous ray,
enough enly TO gladden. the heart and quicken
the hope.
The prominent and leading idea Of ll,at Con-
yention seems to have been desire to reach
peaceful adjustment Of our present difficulties
aud strife through the medium of a Conyen-
tion Oh the States. They propose To suspend
hostiities. to see what can he done, lfaBything,
by negotiation of some sort. This is one step
ii the iIght direction. 70 such q Convention
oi the States ] snoulI have no objection, as a
peaceful conference and interchange OF views
between equal and sovereign Powers, just a.
the Conycntoa Of 1887 was called and assem-
bIe5l.
The properly constituted authorities at
Washington and RlcEnuouJ the ddy a1lhoriz
ed representatives. ul Tie two CpnteIeractes Of
sta,es aow al war witt, each other, might give
tbeil. assent ~ such proposition. Cool might
result iron. H. /; would be an appeal on b3.h
sit.ss from the sword to reason ana justice
All wars which d. not result N the extinction
or exlcrininati9n Of Vae side Or the olaer must
b. fsr. .-aFf mt
Gst;on.
lIcn The discussion or intercl.Jagc ot views
ia suc.l a Convention. the history we'll as
the true Hs.iart G. our institutions anl .hc re-
latou oi aue States towards each other ana To-
wards lie fclefai lead, would doubtless 10
mach 6ct,er understood generally tIan they
are Gow but should favor such u prop9si-
liua only ls 4. peaceful eonlerenca, as the Con-
yehtioa OF .a5l was. l Should be opposld to
leaving the questions at issue TO The absolute
decisiuI oi such body.
Delegates might be clothed will powers TO
consult and agree, if they could, upou some
lEsla VI aeiustn,al.tl - be submitted i1g subse-
duel.. ratification oy the sovereign States whom
it affected, before it should be obligatory or
binding, and then binding only or slch is
should 81 ratify it. Ii becomes The people Of
,he South, as well as tAe North, 10 be quite as
watclliul and Jealous OF their ria.Is rs their
cyinGiuu ancestors were.
rha maintenance OF liberty in all ages, fines
and cuuutries when ani where il has existed,
ha> re uuirld not uny constant vigilance and
Jealousy, but il has citen required Sacrifices
that people or States are ever subjected to-
Through such an ordeal We are now passing.
4
c,s;ors passed in their struggle for fhe prnc-
pies which il h.,s devolyap upon Us 10 defend
and maintain.
But great - Our sutFerings and sacrifices
have been and are, TO which you aiiu,je, they
are not ct oi tie Ike sutIeJings and sacrifices
which or fathers bore with patience, courage
and fUrtiude in the crisis that tried mems souls
in their day. These are The virtucs THAI sus-
tained them in their hour Of need. Their IL
iuatrious and glorious example bids Us NOT to
under estimate the priceless inheritance they
achieved for us a such cost ot treasure and
blood.
Great as are the odds we are struggling
against, they are not greater than those against
which they successfully strug 5leI. In poiat of
reverses our condition is not to be compared to
theirs Should Mobile, Savannah, Charleston,
Augusta, Macon, Montgomery, and even Pc
tersburg and Richmond fall, our condition
would not then be worse or less hopeful than
theirs was in the darkest hour that rested on
their fortunes,
With wisdom on the part of those who con-
troll our destiny in the cabinet and in the field,
in outstanding and properly welding our re-
sources at their command, and IN securing the
hearts and affections of the people in the great
cause Of right and liberty for which we are
we could suffer all these losses and
calamities, and greater even, and still triumph
in the end.
At present, however, | do not see, as | sta
ted in the outset, that you or l, or any number
of persons in our position, can do anything to-
wards naugurating ANY new movement look
ing 10 peaceful solution Of the present strife
The war on our part is fairly and entirely de
fensive ii Its character How long it viii con-
tinuo to he thus wieksaly aal merciessiy wag-
Ell against Us depends upon tie people Of the
North
Georgia, our own Safe 10 whom we owo,
allegiance, has with great unanimity proclaimed
the principles upon which just and permanent
peace ought to be sought and obtained, The
Congress of the Confederate States has follow
cd with an Endorsement of these principles
All you and |, and others in our position, there
FORE can do ON that line at this time, is 70 sus
tain the movement alresdy nausuratej, and 10
the utmost Of our ability, TO bold up these pllf-
ciples as the surest hope Of restoring soundness
to the public mind of the Nurth, DIS the or4z3n
serpent was held up for the healing of Lsreal
in the Wilderness.
The chief aid and the encouragement we can
give the peace party Il She North, IS to keep
before them these grea! fundamental principles