Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1864-07-01
LINCOLN AND JOHNSON.
SPEECH OF HON. JOHN SHERMAN.

the Presidential canvass. We cannot postpone !
it for the reason that we are In the midst OF civil
war; but the fact that we are In such war makes |
our action more important The war itself be-
comes the great political question-testing parties
and controlling nominations If the line IS not
now drawn the logic of events will soon draw 1t.
| Shall the war 60 on until the Rebels lay down
their arms, or shall we acknowledge the lndepen-
dence of the Rebel States This will be the issue.
Trimming won't answer 1t is idle to talk about
the loss of life caused by the war the public debt
| the arrangement of business After all the growl
ing and grumbling, the question will come back
What Of it? Shall we therefore give up the Union?
Are not all these evils less than broken Union,
| Government destroyed and demoralzed, peo-
pie divided into fragments BY successful rebellion?
! We must come back to the choice between the
| Union-one and indivisible-strong, free and
| hopeful, even though burdened by war and debt,
| and a broken Union, dishonored by defeat.
| | will not insult you by suggesting doubt as TO
where you will be found in such a contest We
/ are for Lincoln and johnson, Iapplausel, first,
last and all the time, with heart and soul, without
exception or reservation simply because they are
| for the Union for the war, for sustaining the
army, and for whipping Rebels wherever they
show themselves We are not for Fremont, be-
/ cause we look upon him as the representative OF
dissatisfied faction who have not patriotism enough
to submit to the public will when the safety OF the
country is involved Weare not for the nominees
| of the Chicago Convention because we know the
ruling spirits of that Convention are the very men
who encouraged the Rebels to revolt. They may
| bait their hooks with peace man; or a war man,
or one of each kind, but we know that, if they
successful, the blood of our patriot heroes Will
have been shed in vain, and disunion and a shame
| full peace will be the result.
Nv friend Coombs tells you that Lincoln and
johnson were nominated by the Baltimore Con-
vention. | beg leave to correct the statement -
i They were nominated by the people long before
81 hold / havn off 0I+h
as delegate or a spectator, several National Con-
ventions, but | never knew one that had so little
| to do as the recent one. w We knew just as well
who would be the Union candidate for President
before as since the Convention. The renomlna-
tion of Mr. Lincoln was the act of the people. 1t
is the voice of our brave soldiers now re-enactng
the heroism of antiquity. Il is the voice OF the
loyal masses of our countTymen, without regard
State locaty color. or condition. The insur
gents, inrebelling againt Mr.. Lincoln rebelled
against the popular WILL constitutionally express
ed Popular will so expressed is the king, the
emperor, the supreme power IN this country, and
he who rebels against 1t rebels against every loyal
citizen.
Mr. Lincoln was made President by the people
and the people are determined that he shall be
the incarnation of the popular will. To have
nominated any one else mi ght have been construed
into doubt as to the right Of the people to have
elected him four years ago Mr.. Douglas, tie
boldest and abest leader of the old Democratic
party, said that the election of any man by the
people could not justify rebellion. 80 our loyal
people think and they have resolved to give no
announcement to Rebels until they submit to the
rightful authority Of the indenticai man who was
made President by them. / know that some pa
triote men would have preferred a change, be-
cause they thought it unwIse to elect any man
E President for second term Others were dissatIs-
, fed with some acts of the Administration, and
others had personal preferences; but the popular
will, expressed through every organ OF opinion,
long since swept away with its lmpetuous current
all doubts and preferences. Now this opinion,
sure before, is written and confirmed by the Ma
6 tiona Convention. Opposition Is factlon--a very
; small faction at that To the great body Of our
people who love this country, who love its free in
stitutions who wish to transmit them unlmpalred
to postelity, the way is plain, the path is easy
We must SUPPORT the constituted authorities. We
+ must re elect Old Abe, and let him finish the work
, so gloriously begun Applause Let US pre-
serve the Union and if the Constitution, in pass
/ ing through the terrible fire kndled by rebellion,
shall be purified Of the stain of Slavery 1t will be
for the glorious resurrection and better life IL
Y Slavery flli by the Waysde let us bury ii in the
grave of jeff Davis. 1t was the curse ofour sys-
TEN which the trainers Of the Constitution were
ashamed to name. 1t represented turbulance,
6 violence and crime Its type was clustering bul-
: ly, bloated with bad whiskey. 1t domineered in
politics religion and society. All that will be left
j | of the rebellion when Old Abe gets through with
+ it will be an emancpated race OF four millions,
+ thanking God daily for deliverance from worse
e than Egyptian bondage grand march forward
0 in civilization and humanity. 1t Is sld that Mr.
E Lincoln does not lead this mobement. He may
not waste his ammudition in the skirnishing line
: but he travels with the people. When he puts
L his foot down, something Is done-not talked
), about.
e I am clad he has so brave and true an associate
: | on the ticket--a man who understood what re
!. bellion meant from the start, and VINO told jeff
!. Davis and his colleagues IN treason more thar
three years ago, If | were President OF the United
I States | would arrest you as traitors try you a:
= traitors, and hang you as traitors Applause.
= Andy johnson is true man--not polished by the
= = refinements of schools and societies. but monu
i ment of TRUTH patriotism and courage; finishet
piece of nature s handiwork, without many artih
. cial adornments / sat by his side for two years
! in the Senate Chamber, andwithout any previous
+ personal or political afhnties with him. learned K
- admire him At one time his w;fe, his family
his home, his kindred were all in the possession
of the Rebels but his eye never quailed and hi
! voice never faltered He frequently talked abou
the war and his own personal sacrifices, but h,
o never regretted his course, he never doubted hi
IS duty His love for his country was only equallzet
y by his hatred for Rebels Such men should bt
! priced as the jewels of the nation, and the natter
I will do itself honor by making HIM Vice President
- / ony regret we have not another Vice Presiden
to elect, applause, and wish that Mr. Hamlil
was again our candidate He is an able and faith
! ful public servant Even those who felt bound tt
/ give the loyal men of the South representativ,
on our ticket did so regreting that this involved
: the defeat of Mr.. Hamlin. But Hamlin, thanl
!. God is not Fremont He is willing to serve
If wherever duty assigns him, and already he ha
lifted his eloquentFoice in terms of highest prais
and endorsement of his prospective successor
I; Applause.
y The principles announced by the Convention ar,
3, explicit and RADICAL just as they should be- The.
al mean war to traitors, and peace only when traitor
d are overcome They mean that we must have thu
n entire abolition of slavery security for fntur
e peace care very little for platforms. They arr
= usually rhetorical lies speeches suoh as Iahey
i rand would make The true test cf a party is it
= tendency-the way it drifts. The current of th
= Union party is toward reunited country
> strengthened by the terrible ordeal Of war 1