Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1864-04-15

RoWer q the doVernment to suppress tha rabaI
non ana Dy decrylEg its finances, should IL raSsa
,slia aespiseo as an Arnold who would sell b;s |
But It said BY these sympathizers with tra.sa.
shaI ~ the fault Of this Administrative and =;
lllehas that this war exists. that n i - i-i
ssa sbau s,l'a should be stopped, and that Mr m
wSl.. policy was one Of peace and concation
laItioT and tyranny -- Deeii oie ei usuf-
.,las .,llalst the answer to these allegation. r,u
tor!ar se ~ ~ may pc important to the future his
- ,-,sr : AA not stop to make It hero as fo -
?, n and ;t es @ our present duties are to g1nnres
dissolying the Gogcrnpm,ants ms1 lqr tle purpose of
slsS afnllss WIen are kept in the tied ~ sal;ts
ry despotism of the NOS ,alatloa asS y auita-
$780, S'is ~; y NE day Is not BE- what
ba7, stlls ~ soui.lon q 1Ags has been reached
back our rebel foes, how to save M ,.oe = oeal
spohatlon andslaughter, our country = oL
our Government from Overthrow-dS - =
presence every other political duty haams - - 8:
mlnished head, | have, Mr. Chail1nss,i - n u
formly observed that the men who waste te;r WI
ergies IN discussing The past, are the least
to meet the responsibilities of the present, ana
rise to the stature which it demands Of all loyal
| citizens
STILL sir, / am not willing to letso much of that
part OF the charge remain unanswered, as fixes
/ upon the loyal North the responsibility for this
war; The imputation is wholly false The slave
! holders were the aggresSors They were stinlilla-.
ted to the heipous crime by hatred of the nroeres
OF free communities, By jeaousies of their rising
power, by envy of their great superiority In every
art and pursuit of life, and OF the higher eiyiliza-
ton which paid, intelligent and free labor has con-
! fefred upon the free States of the Union. Does
any one doubtthis2 II So let him read the de-
bates IN Congress Of the last ten years but espe-
claly during the sessions OF IsJ9-60 and lS60-6i-
debates to which | was compelled to listen and
which ab0anded in the most malignant expressions
OF hatred, scorn, contempt and disloyaltV plainly
foreshadowlng the base revolutionary schemes then
faIrly entered upon, and hurting defantly at North
erll Representatives. the vie and MISUNDERSTANDING
OF the right OF secession. One class af northern
members, regret tosay. encouraged these decla,
rations, sympathized with their authors, and abet-
tea their designs, believing that they saw IN them
the material OF successful political Influence. But;
Tor this, there wouldhaye been no secession. An
other class boldly denounced the falseheods resen-
ted the insults, and hurled back the threats off al
cession, declaring that under no Circumstances
would they CONSENT to separation ofthese States
or permit the mere result of election to be made
the pretext for revolution. Sir, [ firmly believe
that had all the northern members Joined in these
clear declarations OF fidelity TO the constitution and
the Union, and announced their determination I'd,
maintain the existing Government at all hazards,
the secession movement would never have risen I'd
formidable proportions or cause for serious alarm
But everywhere over the South secession yyas mo-
claimed to be peaceful remedy for alleged qrifv
anees and 1t was publicly and constantly proclaim.
ed that any attempt to coeree the South. would |
be followed by division in the North, that blood
would TOW IN northern streets and war anons,
ourselves would render secession safe certain and |
complete. 1t is too true that many northern RepL |
resentatlyes IN that critical PERIOD msrepresented
their constituencies, fearfully deceived the rebel
leaders and thus covered themselves with a guilt
scarcely less deep and infamous than belongs I'd /
Jeft Davis himself and his traitorous cabinet -. I
While this was the position of members ON this
hoor, what was the attitude Of Mr.. Buchanan
and his Administration He covered before tbs. /
storm Floyd shared his confidence until he bad /
transferred large portion of the arms to south,
ern aTsenas, without interference, until arrested
in his reasonable attempt to remove the cannon
from Allegheny arsenal to pretended forts in Lou
islanai by the determined patriotism and courage
ofmy constituents at Pittsburg, and then resigned
because Mr. Buchanan refused to order Major An.
derSon back from Fort Sumter to MouItrie. and
thereby maintain the promise previously given to
South carolina by Floyd, with sir. Buchanan
consent, that the status Of affairs should not be
disturbed IN the harb0r Of Charleston " Cobbre-
manned IN the cabinet until by MS financial man
agement the credit of the Government was so low
that money could scarcely be borrowed at any rate
even to pay the necessary expenses Of the Govern
ment, and IN that time of peace, temporary loans
could not be made except at most exorbitant rates
OF interest. Thompson, whilst holding seat IN
the cabinet, iourneyed to North Carolina to aid i
switching the old North State out of the Union,
and continued to possess himself of cabinet secrets
to be transmitted south FOR the benefit of the reb
els. until his sensitive honor could not endure the
alleged eenceainent from him of Mr. Buchauanfs
tardy effort to provision Fort Sumter. Mean
while the President, trembling with fear and over
come by the threats ofTebels, was dragoeued FIRST
INTO modification ct his last annual message so as
openly to abandon the doctrine Of coercion which
greatly corrupted northern opinion and contribu-
ted vastly to southern acceptance of the rebel nro
gramme and then Tor weeks, rs if struck with
paralysis, when 1t was proposed TO do anything in
assertion to tie righttal and inherent poweT Of
the ttovernpent TO preserve itself-this weak and
tlmid old man performed role which has covered t
his name with Infamy, and viii forever load It
with the nation contempt Such is my estimate
Of the reputation OF James Buchanan, tonce, I
regret 70 say, known as '.Penn@Flvania faYorte
son, as finally lett for the Judgment ofnosteritv
General Cass, IN his expressions referred to be-
fore, erred in one point. lie niscalcuksted the
extent OF the evil done by Mr.. Buahannan. and n
overestilnated the influence of his imbeciIifv and
treaehery upon the ioyalmasses Yet atthe time,
50 dark and portentous we're the clouds, so gener-
al was public suspicion, s. WIDESPREAD and newer
tul the conspiracy. that i seemed to be hoping
against hope to have any cheerful authorizations
when looking into the dark and gloomy future
and It's not surprising that his patriotic heart was
overwhelmed with grief On every hand she enc
my was busy, the Government silent and inliffer-
ent, bound hand and foot by It's Attorney General
who narrowly pairing down the power of the Gov
ernment to protect itselE advised the President
That the Unionmust utterly perish al the mo-
ment when Congress shall arm one Dart Of the
people against another for any purpose beyond
that of merely protecting the General Govern
ment IN the exercise OF Its proper constitutional
functions. Such was the chosen and debera-
ted phraseology within which urked the faIIaciors
and destructive error that our fathers had con-
strgcted Government without Tower TO preserve
Itself or nforce its laws to assert It's unouesfioned
and inherit rights, to suppress nsurrection. and
save lts own existence from active and armed
treason and IN my opinion, MIR: Chairman, to