The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1865-01-20
Letter from Missouri.

town, but number OF years a resident OF ST.
Josephs, Mo. The letter was intended for pub
iieation prior to the late presidential election,
but as we did not receive it until after that Pc
riod, we have held it over until the present
time. We now give place 10 il, for the pnr-
pose of showing our readers how the election
was carried in Missouri, by the AboIilionists:
St. JoScphs, Mo-, Oct. 25, 1864.
Ed. GAZETTE:
Although small city in the far west, ''St.
Jo." has been and is yet the theatre OF some
important events tending TO show the manner
in which the Presidential campaign is to be
conducted, in Missouri and the Democratic
party in the free north, will do well 10 ''inake
a note ont" against future day ot reckoning
Nothing daunted 10y the disgracelui riot at
the Mcclellan meeting i'll 81 Lonl5, meeting
was announced by the Democratic State Cen
trail COMMITTEES 10 be held iii 1T. J0, on the
evening Of the 4th of Oct, at which the Hon.
Thos. l.. Price our candidate for Governor,
and other prominent Democrats were expected
to speak. Accordingly arrangements were
made by the Mcclellan Club 10 have the meet
| ing conducted in an orderly mauner, military
| protection being promised by the officer com-
| manding this post, to prevent any rotous dem
| onstration on the part of the aboitlonisIs,
hard is it in this redeemed and peJeHeratea State
OF Missouri, for any man opposed to this wick
| et and corrupt administration, TO exercise the
right Of free speech, without putting his life In
peril.
Feeling secure in these promises, in spite Of
the declarations Of many of the leading shod-
dyites, during the day, that the meeting would
! be broken up" Price would not be allowed 10
speak, &c, &c, tie hall was opened at the ap-
pointed hour and was soon ailed with citizens
aud soldiers.
General Price was introduced and commen-
ced his speech by declaration Of his own un-
swerying fidelity to the Union. he stated that
he was a better unonist than Mr.. Lincoln and
gave "a pr0of Mr.. Lncoln's declaration in Con-
gress, few years ago, that i a State trit ag-
qreued had q psrtect right to t0ttraIC from tie
Uaon, a doctrine which he price, never could
] assent to. Here the shod,lyites interrupted him
Twin groans and hisses that would have disgra-
! :, ID Bedlam itself, mingled with crIes OF ''shoot
hin, !" kill him." "put him out" &c, which
/ rorJorod =. "akinS, as we'll as hearing, utterly
! impossible Il, ,'rts >ere mace oy several sen-
,lpp,an ,r.son, - .,.' N the excitement, and OBJ
! tain hearing for Genera i',F, o"' al 10 10 10
| purpose, and amid renewed sll. leH' N''o sio"h'
and violent threats to shoot him it ne a. eu.pt-
ed to speak, the meeting broke up in t> WIZ,
est confusion, but with no effort on the part Oh
the authorities either civil or military, (both of
which were represented there) to quelI the mob
or secure to Gen. Price that freedom of speech
which was once the boasted right of every A
merican citizen.
| And for what was all this done? Certainly
from no doubt of Gen Prices loyalty, for FROM
! the commencement of the rebellion he has ieen
one cf the staunchest and truest Union men ia
Missouri, and for two years Il Bri5adiar Cen
eral in the Federal Army, and these facts are
I well known in North West Missouri, and are
! even admitted by some of the Jacobn leaders;
therefore no charge of disIoyalty be assign
ed as the cause bat the rejecting man seer in
| it but the beginning of the end-a system of
violence and intimidation TO be- carried on
throughout the State wherever there are armed
aien 10 do the work, thus hoping to secure by
force and fraud what they cannot do by legal
! voting, viz: carry the State for Liacoln.
| A significant fact in connec'ion with this AZ
! fair was. that most of the abolition otioe-huld-
ers, and leading men, Postmaster, E litors, Dep
uty Collector and Indian Agent were in atten-
dance at the i!i-fated meeting, while the whole
posse Of candidates and aspirants for offices,
| both military end civIi, under the present sd-
ministrati0n were observed To be circulating
| freely, and some Of them urging the mob to
deeds of violence. Ii the people OF the north
could only have faint idea OF the suferings
of their friends in the border States, they wnud
rise up en- rnaSse and assist IN relieving them
from worse than egyptian bondage.
If the shoddyites get majority in North
| West Missouri, lei il DO remembered that Dem
ocrstic meetings were broken up throughout
the State by mobs of armed men. Democrats
have been subjected TO ell manner Of ingults
and threats OF violence for attempting to speak,
while the Jacosin journals have opsn!y coun-
Satled their minions to commit these outrages,
if the Democrats attempted to hold meetings.
was told BY Union Lacquer day or two
ago, that in Nodsway county there were about
200 Mcclellan men, but not one Of them would
be allowed to cast vote. If they attempted
to exercise this constitutional pri, ilege, they
would be driven from the country. Is this
free country?
Gen Mcclellan has many warm friends in
this part of the country as should prove
on the 9Th of November, could we have any,
thing like fair election, but from present in
dlcations 1t is be to but repetition of the last
two years experience, abaitot boz hedyea in aoith
bayonets. But party which seeks To force IL
sell into power by trampling down all law and
order, and committing acts of tyranny that
would disgrace barbarians, forgets that Inherent
love of Justice which is characteristic Of the
american people, or at least that portion of
them in hlm the capacity for bribery and
greed for office, has not overpowered all sense
OF honor and decency,