Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-09-29
VOLUME sS: NO. 40

not possibly be an issue In the October con.
test, that they are making extraordinary ef-
forts to mislead ano deceive their feIlow-citi.
zens into contrary belief
They think that our hostility and preiudices
against the negro are so great, and that thew
have SO often appealed to these with some
show of success, that it is only necessary to
repeat the effort in order to accomplish their
designs. They tell you that efforts are being
made to elevate the negro, and to place the
two races on an equality. They seem to be
very much afraid that some poor degraded
negro may outstrip them in the race Of life.
They tell us that these negroes are weak, ig-
norant, and inferior to the whites If so, il
would seem that they needed our helm and
assistance TO educate and instruct them The
only danger of equality we can see, is that
some white men. by continuing lenrerin such
a course Of argument, in utter disregard 81
trqth, experience and history, for the base
purpose of reaching the preiudices of the
thoughtless, may at last succeed in bringing
themselves down to or beneath the level Of
the negro. The time was when they conf
IDENTIFY declared that the destruction of slave
ry would send swarms of negroes into our
midst to drive away white laborers.
Experience has shown that the few we had
here ran away from slavery in the South, and
that had there been no slavery there these
negroes in the North would have long since
moved South. They told us, too, that in case
OF war, the slaves would all fight for their
masters. Neither Southern masters nor
their Nortoern allies have any faith in this
doctrine now. But these politicians cannot
live without the negro. He comprises nearly
their entire stock in trade. One year it
is one phase of the negro question; another
year 1t Is something else The great work of
Bishop Hopkins was once one of their stand
ard works. 1t is rather dull sale this year.
Ihe conduct of these politicians toward the
poor degraded negro would be past all COM
prehension had we not memorable example
OF the same kind in the early history of the
human race.
All the troublesome and deadly plaques of
Egypt, including the death of ali the first
born of the land, were not sufficient to reach
the heart of Pharaoh, nor to persuade the
Egyptians of the error and sins of slavery
So that, even after the slaves had left the
country, led by pillar of cloud by day and
pillar of fire by night, the ruler and his hosts
of subjects followed them even into the midst
of the Red Sea. Our nation has suffered
more than all the plaques of Egypt. AS the
law of primogeniture has been abolished
among us, the deaths were not all of our first
born, but nearly one of every household; yet
and wicked Pharaohs, as leaders, are still pur-
suing even into the midst of the Red Sea.
VIII not the waters standing as walls of
safety to the slaves, return again and cover
Pharaoh and his hosts, and all that come into
the sea after them, until there shall remain
not so much as one of them?i
Our Candidates.
For Auditor General, we have presented
the name of Major-General JOHN +. HART
RANFT, of Montgomery and for Surveyor
General, that of JACOB M. CAMPBELL, of
Cambria. As biographies Of these two gen
Glemen have recently been published and cir
culated among their fellow citizens, it is only
remarked here, that they are both brave and
gallant soldiers, and especially qualified for a
satisfactory discharge of the duties of the re-
spective offices for which their fellow citizens
have nominated them.
Importance of the Issue.
1t is not to be disguised that there is large
number of persons both at the North and at
the South, who have not finally abandoned
the hope of the ultimate triumph of the prin-
ciples Of the late Rebellion. They hope to
secure by the success of their views at the
ballot-box, that which they failed to accom-
plish by armed force. 1t may depend upon
the decision of Pennsylvania on the 10th of
October, whether the war shall prove, at last,
a failure-whether its fruits are to be only
debt, disgrace and Slaughter or whether it
is to be slavery, ate-soyereignty and the
right of secession.
1t is well-established fact that the contest
was long protracted by reason of the hope and
belief entertained by the South that they
would receive aid and sympathy from the
North. 1t is now all-important to the South
that they should be assured that this hope is
fallacious, and that the North will adhere un-
falteringly to the doctrines, principles and
views which carried them triumphantly
through the four years of bloody war. 1t is
best to let them know at once and forever,
that there is no hope for the final triumph of
the doctrines and measures for which they
contended in the field.
We have seen that the men among us who
were first to urge upon the Government to
hold the Rebels in the light of belligerents,
are now the first to strive to relieve them from
the consequences and penalties of their bel
hgerency, Those who were constant in their
predictions that the "war would never end,''
and that ''the South could never be conquer.
ed, :" are now most ready to insist that the
war is over, and that its objects and results
shall not be secured, but that Rebels shall be
restored all to their former rights
under the Constitution and laws of the coun-
Try lucSG same men VINO are now dppeAunR
to the soldiers for their votes officially de-
as ''murderers" all those engaged in
trying and Furnishing by military commission,
the authors of the wholesale slaughter of
their companions in arms.
All this and more they do with full knowl
edge of the law of nations and the laws of
war, which declare that these men have for
feited all their rights under the Constitution,
and that they now lie PROSTATE of the feet of
the victor, as conquered, overthrown and sub
dued belligerents; with jast such rights and
no more, as kind and mercifuI Government
may choose to vouehsate to them. Let the
people rally to the polls and sustain by their
votes, the great cause SO nobly and braYely
defended and sustained by the soldier in the
field. The future will then declare that the
''great war of freedom was not failure
but our children to the latest generation will
learn to read with the warmest glow of patri
otism those pages Of our nations history
which describe the skill and heroism Of the
officers and soldiers of this great struggle,
and never cease to venerate their memories.
The greatness, power, resources and energy
of free people displayed in our great strug.
gle for the preservation of the nations life
viii only be equalled by the future greatness,
and succ IS Of the nation purified,
regenerated and reclaimed by the fiery ordeal
through which we have just passed.
BY order of the Committee.
JOHN CESSNA, Chairman.