Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-06-30
Chairman Committee Arrangements.

business Will Db (iOSGQ ON THAI NdI-
W. w. SHUCK,
Chairman Committee Arrangements.
The CoFrEBHEADs. AND THE CELEBRATION.
The advocates of the contemplate trick at
tempted to be perpetrated upon the Union
men of this Borough, in coneocting Copper
head celebration, have cast about them in a
thousand different directions, to find anexcuse
for their disreputable attempt at imposition.
We expected this, bat we had right to
expect that they would con6ne themselves
rigidly within the righteous limits of truth,
but it appears when men. resort to trickery
that they cannot stop half way, they must put
the affair through, though it be at the expense
of every moral virtue The last Gazette con-
tains an illustration of this policy. The
first proposition in justification is that Sin
accordance with an almost universal practice,
the Burgess and Council of this Borough have
recommended the appropriate celebration Of
the coming anniversary of American Inde-
pendence." This might be well enough if it
were so, unfortunately, it lacks truthfulness.
1t is the first instance, in the history of this
town. within the recollection of the oldestin-
habitant, inwhieh this has been done But why
the introduction Of this innovation on the
part of the Burgess and Council? Why in
vest the Chief Burgess with plenary powers?
Why was the Burgess not authorized to call a
meeting of the citizens and let them arrange
all the preliminary committees? All here is
the rub A meeting had been called by the
PEOPLE to make just such arrangements, every
body was invited to attend, the Court House
bell was rung three times, but while the PEo-
PIE were assembling the Burgess and Council
hastily assembled to head off the movement
lest some man who had identified himself,
prominently, with the late trials Of the eoun-
try might be connected with the movement.
There is only one other reason can be given
for this shameless proceeding, and that is,
that they desired to harmonic, by prepon-
derance, with loyal citizens for the purpose of
neutralizing their former infamous record
What other reason could be given by these
men for union celebration? Had they Of
fered to unite with us for the four long years
of bloody WARP Did they stand by us and
comfort us in our trials? Did they sympa-
thise with us in defeat or rejoice with with us
in victory? On the contrary they stigmatised
all our efforts to assert the supremacy of the
laws, as acts of usurpation; they denounced
Abraham Lincoln, one of the truest and best
Of men, as a tyrant; they pronounced the
war "a failure and its advocates worse than
murderers; they organized resistance to the
laws, and an army was distributed throughout
the northern States to keep them in subjec-
ton; they constantly championed the cause of
the rebellion andnow plead for its chiefs.
The second proposition is, 'that there
should be t,co orations delirered, one by a
Democrat and the other by Republican,
politics to be excluded from both This,
ike the first justification is nothing more nor
less than a peryersion of the record. The
second resolution passed by the council reads
thus; "The Chief Burgess be and he is here
by authorized TO invite some proper person
to read the declaration of independence and
procure an orator for the occasion" There
are no two orators, ian orator for the oeca-
sion' is the language. The Chief Burgess
could not transcend his powers or instruc-
tions. When men make records it il well to
hold them TO them. BY the way, we under
stand the proper person TO read the Declara-
ton Of independence to be one who can ex'
plain the sentence ali men are born equal
to mean only Caucasians. But politics were
to be excluded from both speeches. 1t IS the
first time in our history that we have heard
that celebration Of the 4th Of july was ex
clusively religious celebration, and thai
politics were excluded from it. Here the
secret comes out, however. They were afraid
some allusion to the manner in which the
Government suppressed the, rebellion NIGH
not be very fattering to their patriotism
therefore, some particular person would have
to be selected who could dodge, by hook Of
crook, or otherwise, any Of these, to them
delicate questions. We have no hesitation
in saying that the individual who viii delivel
a 4th Of July oration, without alluding to the
triumphs of our flag in the late rebellion, is
coward and deserves to be spurned as trai
tor, while if be does express himself in sucl
BETTING manner as the occasion demands. h,