Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-04-28
THE LESSON AND THE DUTY or
THE DAY.

VAL
The President Of the United States has
peTshed by the hand Of an assassin. II
was not personal motive, ii was not private
revenge, which prompted this deed of blood
It vas partisan hate, it was political feroci-
ty, which stirred the assassin's heart and
raised his parricidal hand. twas the same
diabolical spirit which beat down Sumner in
the Senate chamber, which murdered and
plliaged in Kansas, which conspired for the
assassination of Mr. Lincoln on his way to
the capital, which poured shot and shell in
to Fort Sumter. which fought with our
troops ~ the streets Of Baltimore, which
butchered the garrison of Fort Pillow,
which wrought the atrocities Of Quantrell
In the streets of Lawrence, and which star
yed eur soldiers in southern prisons Moth
ing but the fendish malignity which slavery
begets could coatriye and effect the murder
ofthe Chief Magistrate in the presence OF his
wife, and ann bowie-knife at the throat of
an old man stretched on a sick bed and en-
feebled BY wounds Slavery, after having
filed the land with war, and mourning, and
lamentation, now in its death agony com
pletes the record of It's infamy by the most
brutal assassination This is the lesson of
the day.
What are its duties? They are first to
take care of the republic. The succession
of the Presidential Office is amply provided
for By the constitution and the laws. There
can be no interregnum. The functions of
the magistracy are silently transmitted from
one person to another. The Office never
dies; there is living hand always to bear
it. 1t is one Of the felicities of our polit-
ieal system, that Office can never fall into the
hands of a child There is always man
for it, chosen beforehand of the people
And while it is a mistake to suppose that
the personal character of the officer has not
much to do with the administration of the
Office, it is nevertheless true that the Presi-
dent is 50 hedged about with other indepen-
dent authorities, and these are all so res
ponsible to the people, that the real safety
of the people is after all in their own
hands
There IS, moreover, On influence of public
opinion, all-peryading and all-powerful, by
which our Government more than any 9th
er, is swayed, and which proportionately
lessons the Importance of any individual
man, however pure and wise Mr.. Lincoln
had the wisdom to study and the sagacity
to follow public opinion, which was, in fact,
the great secret of bis marvellous success.
his successor must follow his example, and
the policy which he pursues must be the
policy indicated by the nations matured
thought and will
Besides all these, we have an element of /
vitality which no other Government enjoys.
This lies in the state sovereignties, for SOW
ereignties We prefer to call them, qualified |
though they be. With them rests especial
ly the conservation of order and the protec-
tien of private rights. Iti owing to them
and to the vast power which they have ex-z
erted for the equipoise of the political torce9
the dreadful strain OF this civil war. 10
these great powers we may confidently look
hereafter fer the balance of our system, and
that the heFesy of secession and the extray-
agance Of paramount state rights are geuer-
ally condemned and laid aside.
Taking courage from these reflections, let |
us give generous confidence to the new |
President upon whom is deyolyed in this |
hour Of our bereavement, the great trust of
his bonored and lamented predecessor.
Grayer responsibilities have rarely fallen
upon man. In an instant the task is put
upon him of composing the greatest civil
war in history, after the principal battles
have been fought, but while the elements
are yet in disorder. Let us give him our
confidence and our counsel. He is at once |
our Chief Magistrate and our servant The |
responsibility is more with us than with |
him. Let us confde in him and act with |
him.
Another of the duties of the day is to
search out and punish the assassins and all
their aiders and sbettors, whoever and
wherever they may be. A crime like this
must not go unpunished; but let everything
be done according to law. Allirregular vio- |
lence is itself crime, whether animated by
one man or by conclave Of conspirators, or
bya mob. The country has its laws for the |
Government of all its people, and he or they |
who infringe them by tumult or breach of |
the peace, rebel against the nation. Let us
be resolute and indexible, but let US be or
derly and calm.