Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-10-06
RECORD OF THE DEMOCRATIC
PARTY.
Pro-alarnrg Y tTnc1ion.


SO far from maintaining the indissoluble
nature Of the Federal bond the Democratic
Party at an early period in the struggle
adopted the theory that the secession of the
South absolyed the remaining States from
all further obligation to the Constitution,
and that they were Individually at liberty to
separate and set up for themselves or form
new connections on such terms of alliance as
they might please. There can be little
doubt that the ultimate object of this scheme
was to reorganize under the Montgomery
Constitution, whereby the old supremacy of
the alliance between slavery and Democracy
might be restored. aud the domination of
the party be perpetuated. The keynote to
this viii be found in one of the resolutions
adopted at the great Democratic meeting in
Philadelphia, held January l6, 1861 We
have the authority Of Mr. William B. Reed
for the assertion that 1t was adopted with
enthusiastic unanimity
Resotued, That in the deliberate judg
mezt of the Democracy of Philadelphia,
and, so far as we know it, of Pennsylvania,
the dissolution of the Union by the separa-
ton Of the whole South, a result we shall
most sincerely deplore, may release this
Commonwealth from the bonds which now
connect it with the confederacy, and aCoitId
authorize and require It's citizens, through
convention to be assembled for that purpose
to determine with whom their lot shall be
cast whether with the North and East
whose fanaticism has precipitated this mis-
cry upon Us, or with our brethren Of the
South whose wrongs we feel as our own, or
whether Pennsylvania shall stand by herself,
ready, when occasion offers, to bind together
the broken Union.
That these were the views of the domi-
nant men of the party is evident from the
fact that Judge Woodward at that time
made no secret of his desire that Pennsyl-
vania should 60 with the South.
So, IN the spring of 1861, Ex-Governor
Price, Of New Jersey, in a letter to i. w.
Burnet of Newark, argued the matter thus:
Il believe the Southern Confederation
permanent. The proceeding has been ta-
ken with forethoueht and deliberations
IS no hurried impulse, but an inevitable act,
based upon the sacred, as was supposed,
equality Of the Statcs; and IN my opinion,
every slave State viii, in short time, be
found united IN one confederacy. =
Before that event happens, we cannot act,
however much we may suffer in our materi-
al interests 1t is in that contingency, then,
that l answer the second part of your ques-
ton. What position for New Jersey viii
best accord with her interests, honor, and
the patriotic instincts of her people I sag
cnphaticaIy they loould 90 nth the South,
from eUely lCjse, prudeatiat and patriotic
purpose. y
At the time Of the Chicago Convention,
these views were not so openly ventilated,
but they evidently we're at the bottom of
the reconstruction contemplated by the
cessation of hostilities' and convention
Of all the States advocated in the platform.
One speaker, however, d. II Mahony, of
Dubuque. Iowa, was bold enough to enun-
ciate them, and they were favorably reeeiv-
ed:
"We must elect our candidate, and then,
holding out our hands to the South, invite
them to come and sit again in our Union
| circle. A yoice-suppose they won
come p If they viii not come to US, then
am in favor Of going to them. Loud
cheers.
And the Van Buren, County Press, at
Paw-Paw, Michigan, declared
''If the North and South are ever re-uni-
ted, we predict it win be when the Confed-
crate States North adopt their new Mont
gomery' constitution, or something very
near ike it There's a good time coming
boys.