The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1864-03-25
NEW SERIES.

of their great chief at Washington.
But, to look at this matter seriously, the gen.
tleman from w Washington undertakes to define the
word loyalty" He says: 'sWhile am on the
floor, will say that my IDEAS of loyalty are
! these: that a man shall support and defend the
Constitution Of the Union at all costs and ut all
| sacrifices" q
! Now would just ask the gentlemen on the
other side of the House, whether they are viii.
ling to defend this Union at all hazards ami all
sacrifices have no doubt they will answer in
the affirmative. But, let me ask them whether
| in certain event, they would be willing to lay
aside their prejudices tosupport this Union! Sup
pose that the people Of the Southern States now
in revolt against this Government, would signi-
| fy their willingness to throw down their arms
and return to their allegiance to the government,
subject ,nly to such penalties " may beinfIct-
ed upon them by Congress under the Constitu-
ton, would the gentlemen on the other side OF
the House be willing to receive them Cries of
''yes," ''yes."] Would yoltbe willing toreceive
them without making any qualification or bar
gain in regard to the institution Of slavery mo!
Mol That is the point Mr. Speaker; they are not
willing to give up their peculiar notions in re-
gard to the institution Of slavery, to save this
Union. am willing, for my part, to yield
every prejudice, every feeling have upon that
subject, in order to save this glorious Go, ern-
ment Of our fathers. But. the presses, the
orators and the leaders of the Republican party,
in Congress and out of Congress, have declared,
over and over again, that tho Union shall not
be restored as it was with slavery protected
under it, Therefore, they are not ''uncondi-
tional Union" men. They claim to be uncon-
ditionally for the Union. They are only con-
o,t,onal Union men. We are the unconditional
Union men---we, who ask nothing but this
that the people in revolt against this Govern
ment shall throw down their arms and return
to their allegiance. But the gentlemen on the
other side Of the House are unwilling to receive
tho Southern people back into this Union unless
the institution of slavery be botted out.
Now, say, Mr.. Speaker, that the true un-
conditional Union man is he who is willing and
anxious that the people in revolt shall return to
their allegiance to the Federal Government, and
who will use every effort in his power to bring
about such result. He is a man who will i'm.
pose upon them no conditions as to any of their
State institutions not in conflict with the Con-
stitution of the United States. He who acts
upon any other principle-who, for example,
will permit their return to the Union only on
condition that they yield up their negro slaves,
ahjure their State institutions and take oaths to
support all the proclamations and vagaries of
the President of the United States, past, pres
ent and to come-is plainly not an uncondition-
!, bal, but conditional Union man. Such man
! may shout himself hoarse in gloriication of the
war, he may sing unending hosannas to the Pres
ident of the United States, he may bow down
at the shrine of shoddy and worship the ebony
, idol of Abolitionism; nay, Mr.. Speaker, he may
) even be an apostle of the new gospel of "Mis-
, cegenAion;" but, sir, he is no friend Of the
: Union-he is rather its insidious and implaca-
l BILE enemy. A satrist of the present day por-
: trays the character of such Union man very
graphically and aptly:
; "Union ?" man may cry at every word,
With much less pati iotism than other peoples
, A crows not reskoned q religious bird,
Because it keeps cawing from the steeple."
| So it is with our friends of the other side.
They are always cawing "Union!"> "tlnion!'
and yc. they will not permit the Union to be re-
i. stored, except upon their own peculiar theory
Mr.. Speaker, shall not undertake to follow
the devious windings of this debate; but certain
: references have been made not only to the Dem
: ocra,ic party, of which | claim to be an hum
BILE member but to the Democratic party Of my
. own locality; and it becomes my duty to make
r some response to some of the aspersons of the
!, gentlemen ON the other side upon my party and
: some of my own personal friends. SIR, thi:
g discussion could not proceed without maignine
even individuals-privat citizens who have
Il nothing to do with this bill and can have nc
II CLAIMS under it, This debate could not proceed
J, without dragging in the lair fame Of some of tn,
4. boat y,an IN tho nm th-wifh.,ut fra
l. ducing men who are the peers in honesty, il
= honor and in patriotism of the gentlemen OF
is the other side who slander them. desire, sir
y to make q simple statement in regard to the ref
It erence made by the gentleman from Dauphit
If (Mr. Alleman) to the 'disloyaty" ,as he expires
/. seS i'll of my COUNTY. 1t seems that becaus
# two young men from Bedford county were cap
l. tured by the rebel forces at McConnellshurg
i and carried away by them, the whole county Q
Bedford is what the gentleman calls '.disloyal'
,e Now, Mr.. Speaker, will tell you ''plan, un
e varnished taic;" will tell you the whole truth
,fl ''nothing extenuating, nor setting down augh
1t in malice"
g Soine. time in June of last year, two boy
" from the town of BEDFORD, went to the town @
McConnellsburg to visit some of their relatives
ii 1t 50 happened that the day after they arrives
s. in McConnellsburg, the rebel forces (under I'm
4 boden, believe) came to that place. At tha
a. time General Aiilroy was encamped near Bed
1t ford. The commander Of the rebel forces a
e, McConnellsburg at once supposed that thcs
es boys were spies, sent into his camp, by Geners
Do Milroy. Acting upon this suspicion, he arrest
of ed the boys and put them under guard. The
is attempted TO escape. This&made the matter S
n much the worse for them. They were put un
y der still closer guard. When the rebel force
moved from McConneilsburg towards Mercer;
re burg, these boys were carried away with then
" One of the boys was put on horseback, and wa
" left with the rebel force near Mercersburg I
ne guard train Of wagons. The Union forces,
h. III may SO dcnorsinate. thsm, for believe III