The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1865-02-24
Who is Resnonsible I?


Who is Responsible?
The recent conference between Messrs. Lin
coin and Seward, Of the one part, and Mcssrs'
Stephens, Hunter and Campbell, Of the ether
part, on the subject Of the restoration Of peace,
ended, as our rec lers are aware, in smoke. The
hopes Of he people, wrought up by the Admin
istration press, to AL intensity that caused the
whole machinery OF business to stand still, were
suddenly dashed into the depths OF despair, by
the announcement that the conference was
failure. The cheers or the two syhsiea THAI
greeted the Sonthera commissioners as they pass
cd On their way to Fortress Monroa, were hush
CT; the iorging eyes Of The soldiers Yl;e au5
children, gazing into the future for ms return,
closed in taarso yitterdislppointicnt theclasp-
ed hands OF the prisoner praying ia his draaiy
cell, fer deliverance from his living death, iell
from their attitude Of supphcation and dropped
neryeless by his side, as lie heard the sound Of
renewed preparation for war. All was sadness,
save in the tinselled pariors Of army contrac-
tors and the blood-painted studios If crazy al
oiitionists, and in these there was reveiry such
as could characterize only the intermingied or
gies of low bred spectators, lnouoman;ae lev
el.ars Of the races, and soullas5 dema2ogues who
ride tbs skeleton hobby Of Southern externi-
nation. These are merry ever the unhappy IS
sue, rs the carrion crow is merry over tt- dead
carcass which it scents afar ofi. These inquire
not why peace was not obtained, .hcy are s,t-
isfed to know that the elFort 10 obtain il. has
faied. But those, the suffering heroes on The
banks Of the James and the Congaree--'hs
So fgaeiatt1qdi asejiaatqie f9HliYdGf ajpg aas'aa '"s ~
non chose lives are IN the hands Of tie pow
,5rsli -Yar-the poorer classes who
canno. substitute other mems lives for .he:r own
and who dream of the Conscription, as the Pa
risians in the days Of the French Revelation.
GEssnled of the Gui.iolirc: hose would like 10
know vby ;Ae peace conference was : failure
snd who Is responsible Tor the aonfinaqnc. Of
,ho war, Their inquiry Is answered in the &c
cnrz. given BY Mess-s Lincoln aaa Seward Of
their interview with the Southern Commission.
ers. Turn we to It and examine:
Three commissioners. Elessra Stephens. Hun
ter and Campbell, ara sent by Jefferson Davis
TO confer with Mr. Lincoln, OF such rersogs -
he might designate, upon the subject Of peace.
These men are we'll known as conservatives
and IN favor Of Reconstruction. Their se!ec-
ton showed sincere desire, on the part Of the
Southern chief for the restoration of peace.
On this point ne ind Gen Grant, in his de-
Spatch 70 the Secretary of War, dated Febru-
s5y ], 1865. using The following language:
"N<w that the interview between Maior Ecks-t. :
uBde- 2i5 written Instructions, ead Ar Stephens
ana party Ea5 ended will state confi,'entailv hint
no. ofhcia.ly, 10 become matter o. record tha: ;
al Convinced, upoa coHye-5at ton with Aeszrs Sr7
piers and Hunter, that their Intentions are good aud
taeE desire siPceTe . restore peace ant Uaioa.''
Mr. Lincoln says that The Soathera commis- (
sionecs dill not say whether they would Of would .
rot consent 10 re-aoi3n, bat Seemed 10 desire
the pos:Foaanont If that question and The .,dor-
ton o. some other course 6rst, ,.aic.. as some
Of them seemed to argue, might, c. might not
lead to reunion" Secretary scwaro, n his
despatch 20 Minister Adams, gives tbo fol!ow-
ing statement concerning tbe pro2ositiors of
the Sonllera commissioners:
"Ntat tle inGurgert y.ar;v seemed Chiefly % IA
EoT res post tPoneGlent Of tbe question OF ssrara.
toe upon which TIE wss waged and mutual
direction 81 the efforts of the government as wei
"a Hose o! the insurgents 70 some extraneous poll
y or scheme Tor season. dErins which pas.i ms
might Be expected 70 su7sida and the armies be re-
cpced, and trade and intercourse between fae peo-
pie oi both sections Oe resumed. It was suggested
Sy them That rthroBgo such postponemeut xe might
now have Imned!ete peace, with solns, no. very
esFiaI2, prospect OF aa Ultimate saf-tac aTy ast
Tent Of political reat.on Artween the government
and the States, section or people engaged n
C af It vita It,"
Now, here we have Gen. Grant, 2ir Lincoln
and III. Seward as witnesses that the Southern
did net insist upon separation, rs
the only condition of peace Gen. Gran. saws
be is ''convinced that their intentions were good
aud their desire sincere to restore peace and :
UAion." Mr.. Lincoln is constrained to say thai
+hsy favored policy which they ''seemed 10 ar
gae' might lead to reunion, aud Mr Seward .
describes that policy to be postponement of
he question Of separation, and 3 mutual dlcec-
.soD of the efforts Of both parties to some ex-
raneOus scheme for season, during which pas. {
ions might be expected 10 subside, the armies ]