The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1864-06-10


files were stopped News room bundles and
flies were stopped, and the agent of the line was
! informed that the proclamation was forgery.
! Our printers and pressmen were brought from
their homes and beds to put in type the story
/ of our misfortune Our bulletin boards were
! placarded with the offer of a reward for the
discovery of the forger; and to the agen5 Of the
! Associated Press / sent q telegram reciting all
| the facts, for him to transmit at once to nearly
every daily paper il the North from Maine to
/ California. Thus before the Scotia sailed, be-
fore your Secretary of State had officially brand
! ed the forgery, the wings which we had given
/ to Truth had enabled her to outstrp every where
1 the Fasehood we had unwttingly set on foot
and in many places the Truth arrived before
! the iorger had come to tell his tale.
For any injury done to ourselves, to the Gov
ernment, or to the public, this publicity was
ample antidote 1t indeed made injury impos-
| sible.
| Bat the insult to your exceency was the
greater in proportion to the cminenca of your
station. Early in the afternoon of Wednesday,
therefore | went with Mr. VIM. c.. Prime, the
chief editor of the Journal Of Commerce. which
had been deceived precisely as we were, to the
headquarters of the Department Of the East,
and we Land before the commanding General
every clue in our possession which could lead
to the discovery of the guilty persons All the
facts ABOVE recitcd were telegraphed at once to
YOU through the Secretary of War by General
Dix. assert, moreover, that | have never
known a mind so prejudiced in which acquaint-
ance with these facts would not enforce the con-
viction of our utter blamelcssness.
Here was the absence of an intent TO do
wrong; here was an antidote for an injury un-
Willingly assisted, more c Jmplete and effectual
than the injury itself; here was alacrity in
search Of the wrong doer, and assistance rem
derad TO yoar subordinate to discover the author
of the insult done TO you
With these facts set fully before you by the
General commanding this department, you reit-
> Grated an order for my arrest and Imprisonment
: in Fort Lafayette; for the seizure and oecupa-
ton of tie UorH office by q military guard,
and the suppression ofits publications. The
Journal oj toauRerce, its editors and publishers,
were included in the same order.
believe, though cannot state Of my own
knowledge. that to the commanding Generals
assertion Of our entire blanleessnoss it was ow-
inc that the order for our arrest and incarcera-
ton was rescinacd. But the order for the sup
preston of the World was not rescinded. I'm
der VOuf OfUeFo kTSNeIdl ScIlI SLTO1
itary force to lis publication office and editorial
rooms who elected their occupants, and for two
, days and three nights held possession there in
iuring and abstracting some Of their contents,
aud permitting no one to cross the threshold.
Not until Sunday morning did this occupation
{ cease Not until to-day has THE World been
free to speak. But to those who have ears to
hear its absence has been more eloquent than
its columns could ever be.
To characterize these proceedings az unpTe-
ce7ented, would be to forget the past history oi
YOUR Administration and TO characterize them
as shocking to every mind, would be to disre-
gard that principle Of human nature from which
il arises that men submitting once and again tc
. lawless encroachments of power. with every
interInissiou. lo7e something Of the old, free
5 keen sense Of their true nature and real danger
Charles was doubtless advised to, and ap-
plaudcd for. the crimes by which he lost hi:
crown and life, Nor can you do any such out
rageous, oppressive, and unjust thing that il
r viii not be applauded by those whose Prosperi
ty and mower YOU have created and may dcs
troy. To characterize these proceedings as arb
trarv. illegal, and unconstitutional. would seem
! if such weiehty words have not been cmptlel
of all significance. to bcft better an hour a
which you have not arrived and 4 place where
not public opinion but the authority OF h"
speaks after impeachment, trial, conviction anC
judgment
But, sir. thc suppression of two daily jour
mails in ihis polis-ono the organ Of lis grea
commercial public, the other a recognized ex-
ponent Of ;he Democratic principles which are
shared by half or nearly half, your fellow cit
izens--lid shocl. the l.uhc mind, did amaze
every honest and patriotic citizen, did fill with
indignation and alarm every pure and LOYAL
breast. There were no Indignation meetings
r there were no riots, there was no official pro-
test. Bnt DO not imagine, sir that the Cover
nor Of this State has forgotten to DO his duty
do not imagine that the people of this city ol
State, or country have ceased to love their lib-
critics, ordo not know how to protect their rights
1t would be fatal to tyrant to commit that
error here and now. A free people can atneed
devise means to teach their Chief Magistrate the
, same lesson.
To you, sir, who have by heart the COnstltu.
tion which you swore to ''preserve, protect, and
, Defend, it may be an impcrtinencc TO cite those
natural aud chartered rights therein cnunlera
ted, among which are these That the people
shall he secure in their persons, houses, papers
and effects, against unreasonable seizures, and
r that no warrant even shall issue, except, upon
| probable cause, supported by oath and partic-
ulary describing the place to be searched ant
persons or things to be seized that no person:
' shall be deprived of life, liberty or property
/ without due process Of law; yet these are tht
: most priceless possessions Of freemen, and thest
you took far away from me.
Even captured and guilty criminal wis
S knew that his crime would be proved, and tAa
+ punishment, might with propriety plead thes'
@ riahts Ind demand of the Chief Magistrate Z