The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1865-01-06
From the Cincinnati Enquirer, Dc. 10.
FOUR YEARS AGO TODAY.

! ~. from the Cincinnati Enqulrer, Dc. 10.
FOUR YEARS AGO TODAY.
-Four years ago this morning the Convention
OF South Carolina assembled to pass its famous
Ordinance of Secession. What memorable years
have those been in the national history WHAT
thoughts and recollectlons are suggested by the
fact that we are now about TO enter upon the
fifth year of tiis bloody and desolating war
tor coerclYe steps were Immediately taken by
the Federal Government after the 18th of De-
ceniher, 1860 Fort Sumter was strengthened
Col Anderson Withdrew into it from Fort
Monltrle-the Star Of the West, with reinfore-
men's and provisions, was fred upon while en-.
deavoFing to enter the harbor of Charleston,
under the Stars and Stripes, and the great tra-
ma of revolution commenced that was TO con-
vulse the continent in agony and blood We
say commenced-but we only mean it then as
sumed the phase of violence 1t was the cul-
mipating point of thirty years agitation of the
slavery Guestion-of an Interference with ii un-
wise and improper, that the wise and iddicious
had long foreseen, with SORROW was likely 10
bring forth bitter, if not bloody, frait. The
seeds Of the terrible catastrophe were sown tlfr-
ty years ago by the affiliated societies Of Old
and New England, aul they were se@n proftlsst
ly Upon rich and fertile soil. a. ~
How few OF those who were So prcr7rt ta
urge the policy Of coercion upon tile part Of The
States adhcripg TO the onion, had anv fealiz.
ing sense Of what would be the consequence of
that policy Their ignorance then is nQ,o con-
fdssed by the leading advocates Of tha policy.
although it was hardly necessary, for their pre-
dictions of 1850 are almos. iudicrous whet, read
by the light Of history in 1864. Il was. not
nv ff,st -f,oy,
the fifth year after Secession we should be in
the position we are to-day-that is, with the
lob. we then undertook hardly commenced,
The President has had every man. and more
than every man, that he has called. for. and he
has asked fof millions to establish his policy of
Union based upon force He has had more
than every dollar that he has asked, and ne has
asked for thousands Of millions What oppo-
sftionlto the war there has been upon The part
Of the thoughtful, intelligent and conscientious
portion Of The community has not ia the least
ffelsdL L is LnJIitaFf d s5a a5a aansia! results
this long journey Of four years in the paths OF
blood and war, what has. been accomplished by
/; What are the promises Of The future? These
are grave interrogatives, thatare worthy of tie
most serious public reflections Are not the
seeded States more united III resistance now
than they were four years ago? Are they not
animated by more intense passions Of undyng
hate Of their old political associates? HAZE they
not now, what they did not have in December,
1860, large and finely disciplined armies, well
armed and led by able Generals 2 Are they not
infinitely better prepared 10 continue the strug-
Gle than they were when our coercion friends
upon locking a, them, considered that they were
s3,wea& that their resist snce would be but
sixty days affair in opposition 40 our armies
Four years ago, the State Of Virginia, BY an
immense majority, was opposed TO Secession.
She stands to-day the Ajax of Seeession-the
most powerful by far of all the States that raj
ly around that flag. Tennessee and North Car
olina now stand by the side of Virginia, altho'
in 1860 they were well affected toward the
Federal Union. How much of the territory
of the seeded States does the flag Of the Union
now float over? We have oyerrun a consliera-
bic portion Of them; but what do we now hold
How much II Georgia, the seat Of such despe-
rate struggles and such heroIc fighting on the
part of Gen. Sherman and his army? Are not
the Contederates in possession of the whole
State, from the seacoast 10 the Tennessee line
Have we net evacuated it, after oyerrunniug
all Nerthern and Central Georgia, in order to
take up position on The seacoast? Save few
towns in Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee,
what DO we hold in those great Statess What
are our possessions in the Carolinas, and in Eas-
tern and Central Nirginia7 Next to nothing
and this after the calling out of millions of brave
men and the disbursement of thousands Of mil
lions of money
Even if the war is to be prosecuted, it does no
harm to look these facts in the face Those
who would conceal them, imagine that in order
to be a patriot one must be fool and moral
coward. It is far easier and more satisfactory
to draw bright and brilliant pictures for the pco
ple but we prefer to tell, and they should pre-
fer to hear, for their own good, uawelcome
truths and see the portrait more darkly colored
when such are its tints and shades. We will
have no hand or part in deceiVing the people.
We will not play the demagogue to them, in or
der 10 advance our own interests-nor will we
minister to or throw incense upon the altar Of
nlistlirected passions or unfounded prejudice
We can not have confidence in the future pre-
dietions of success upon the part of those who,
four years ago, with additional emphasis, by
the employment of the same means, seddced
the people into a policy of whose results they
now admit themselves ignorant The false
prophets of 1860 are not likely to be the true
guides of 1865. 49, t.
I" GA veteran officer presented a memorial to
Napoleon, soliciting pension ''tVe shall see"
was, the Emperor'srreply. 'HSire, you may see
now, if you will deign to look" said the SOL
der, uncoveriug breast SCARED all over. The
pension was granted on the spot
i.1a5 aG MODS sE---+----------------------- 50
d era system of taxation on sales is 10 be
considered by Congress, Some of the .nenbers