The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1865-09-29
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY ON A
DISUNION PLATFORM,

| Democratic journals and Democratic speak,
els cannot recur too frequently to the discus
sion oflhe antagonism manifested by leading
radical Republicans to the restoration of the
Union and the pacifcation of the country. This
antagonism is openly av0wed by tie bolder dis
unionists, and is day by day made more paIpa-
be. The recent speech of Thaddens Stevens
at Lancaster will 60 far to convince the most
sccptical that he and such as he are opposed to
the restoration of the Union, either vr:!h or
without slavery. No man in Pennsylvania has
a better rght-to claim the position of leader cf
the radical Abolition party than Mr.. Sta9ans
BY reason Of ability and long service lie has
acquired the fight 10 speak by authority If he
has been consistent in one thing, it IS hatred
Of the Southern people. lie has been Fed
erlist, 4 Whig, ar Anti Mason, Il Know Moth
ing and Republican, bat under each Of these
party nanlea he has always been an Abolition
! ist-eager at all times and under all circum-
stances to lead a crusade against the Sou.h
His Lancaster speech is in perfect keeping with
his character. The result of the war has not
satisfied him The suppression of rebellion. the
utter extinction of hostility to The General Gov
ernment, the reiterated expressions Of willing
ness the part ofthe Southern people 10 &C
1 ion, are not enough to fill the full measure of
his detcstation Of TIE South lie must have ven
geauce without mercy. His na.gnty will be
satisfied with nothing less than entire subiuga-
| tion--until the white men of the south are
made TO feel that they are Conquered aliens, and
| the women and children are beg5ared by con-
| fiscation.
! There Is something melancholy in the siea.
( of an oil .ao 1.rnyt
average Of human life seeking occasion 10 ex-
hbit his hard hearted ral:gnity and bIool-thirs-
/ ty cruelty to the world But this speech Of
| Mr.. Stevens would not require more than
passing notice, were it not Tor the fact that he
! IS now the recognized leader ola party which
aims to plunge the country into new difficulties,
aud render the war, which has cost SO much
! blood and treasure, prolific Of interminabe
difficulty aud contention.
/ Mr.. Stevens prepared his speech cerelully,
/ intended that 1t should be generally read and
evidently designed ftG j Reorganization Doll 'ion
{ President Johnson. 1t forms : very proper
supplement to the resolutions of the Republican
! State Convention. The speech and the resolution
should be read together. They mutually throw
! lioht or each other Stevens was a member Ot
/ the convention, and the resolutions snow his
! handiwork Indeed he takes special pains to
/ tell us that he was the author Of the resolution
proposing the coniscaUon Of the property OF
all rebels worth over SlO,00G-and as they
show an unity Of desig On from beginning to end
and that design squarIng with the views ex-
pressed In the speech, there IS no mistaklng
their paternity. The Republican party OF
PENNSYLVANIA stands upon platform dictated
by Thaddeus Stevens, and that platform Is one
ofuncompromising hostility to the reorganization
policy of Presiden, Johnson, which affords only
prospect of a speedy restoration OF the Union and
permanent tranquility to the distracted country
Mr.. Stevens states the issue correctly when
he says:
There are two theories prevailing The one
looking at the revoIted States as never having
been out Of the Union, proposes that they be
regarded as restored thereto so soon as their
people shall reconstruct their State government
the other proposes to regard them as subJuga-
ted aliens, and their territory foreign terri
? tory conquered by force of arms.
The first theory is that of the President and
= the Democratic party-the second that OF the
, radicals and the Republican State Convention.
F.. Let any man read these resolutions carefully,
and he will see that they commit the party to
: the second or Stevens theory, and 90 so far as
to assume that the oYertures Of the President
to the Southern people have been already re.
iected-a falsehood indus riousiy prOpagated
e by the radical press fer sinister purposes, tor
: which they were most emphaticaly rebuked by
5 the President in his late speech TO delegation
: of Southern men.
n We have rot space to review all of the man.
!. fold absirdities Of the Stevens theory. They
+ are patent and lie on the surface. 1t the South
: ern people are "subjugated aliens" and theI
territory conquered foreign territory, then they
n became foreigners by the several acts OF Stat'
= secession, which were valid instruments, ant
: accomplished the purpose for which they were
o DESIGNED Fr this view of the case, there cai
e be no obligation upon the government TO re
9 eoonize the existence Of States at all; but Con
e cress NAV disregard former local divisions, an(
n freat the So1th as 50 much territory ard $
j. many people, conquered by force of arms +
= becoverned and otherwise disposed Of rs tie vic
tors NAV determine. Why rot appoint Mill
tarv governor, at once, for the entire Sout1
's and why allow the people to exercise any cav
IS functions or hold any property at all Slnc
N we are called upon 10 agree that secession no
ri only DESTROYED the Union, but also ooll,efate
G the States, and left MS nothing tut 80 man
n people and SO much property 10 be disposed
hc st our pleasure. what need OF allowing an
Il norton Of this conquered people to take pal
ly in the Government? And by what right ca
,ie we ask them to swear allegiance and loyalty
as a Government in which they have 10 part
interest except that Of obeying and suffering
4 ! Disun;on could not have been more thorough
= and effoctually accomplished BY the estabhsl
ro uoent of the Confederacy than hy The oFeratl>
. of the radical theory The former sought
n Oh liie I"uio"' ''A1 .,l
a make us !wc nations-the latter would IN
r. fsct make US two peoples, with separate inte
ests-the governing yietors, and the governs