Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-05-19
THE LATE COMPROMISES WITH
THE REBELS.

The reader viii smile at the abovecaption
and ridicule the idea Of any sane man, grea
or small insinuating that there was com
promise with any Of the numerous rebel lea
ders in the late surrenders. The dispositiol
to laugh, however, at such puerile and n
diculous stupidity, viii not remove from ou
midst the impression endeavored to be ere
ated among the ignorant and credulous b
certain unscrupulous psrtizans. Itisa prom
inent article Of the faith of the valiant an,
hapless leaders Of the Copperhead Democ
racy OF Bedford county, to maintain the yer.
semblance Of consistency to be jewel
They believe that the desertion of an up
70 oted political principle would breed lacl
of confidence in their disciples, which might
lead to results involving the very existence
of the Party, or its entire overthrow. Thi,
has been their dogmatic course for number
ofyears. We are happy to be able to tel
them now, however, that this game is ex.
hausted, that the people are becoming ac.
quainted with the exploded dogmas which
they have so long, and with 50 much hardi-
hood, foistedupon them, The policy which
has long been followed, thatof making the
people believe any thing, and do anything
in the name of the Democracy,
is about in the same stages of dissolu-
ton as the rebellion. Though it will take
years to convince the leaders of this potent
truth they have been so long accustomed
to misleading the masses, belieing and de-
ceiving them, and when they dosettle down
to facts and principles they viii be as closely
scrutinized and suspected by the intelligent
of their own party, as the convict who has
Just returned from Cape Colony or Van Die
man Land
live understand the term compromise, it
means a mutual agreement to settle diferen-
ces with concessions of claims by the parties.
A mutual agreement without the consequen-
ces of fear, compulsion, or other unwilling
motive. And we assert here without fear
of contradiction, when an arrangement is
entered into readily BY beaten party, to
avoid a worse alternative, it is no compro-
mise, it is surrender. The word compro-
mise has covered a multitude of sins, but no
one has ever, until now, so roundly abused
1t. As an Illustration of our idea. Gen.
Lee asks Cen Grant on what terms he win
receive the surrender Of the army of Nor
thern Virginia. These are almost the pre-
else words. Gen. Grant encloses his terms.
Gen. Lee scrutiniEes them closely. He sees
that he not only surrenders himself and ar
my, but Slavery, State Rights, Southern
Confederaoy, and everything 5aa life and
private property but to save the latter. it
must be done, the terms must be accepted.
And this is a compromise, forsooth? How
much like compromise, indeed The one
contracting party asks for the terms upon
which he viii be permitted to surrender his
army, the other dictates the terms upon
which he viii grant him life, and then the
poor miserable toady, who has been unfortu-
nate enough to have claimed at the outset of
the rebellion, that our troubles could only be
settled by compromise, for consistency, tells
his ignorant and deluded followers that the
SURRENDER was a COMPROMISE The
man who can be duped in this way, we have
no doubt, win die a Copperhead, and he
ought to.