Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-09-22

FELLOW CITIZENS In compliance with
your request, | have come to give my views
of the present condition of the rebel States
of the proper mode of reorganizing the
Government, and the future prospects of the
Republic During the whole progress of the
war. never for moment felt doubt or des-
pondency | knew that the loyal North
would conquer the rebel despots who sought
TO destroy freedom But since that traitor
Gus confederation has been subdued, and we
have entered upon the work of 'reeonstrue-
ton or restoration, | cannot deny that
my heart has become sad at the gloomy pros
poets before us. s
Four years of bloody and expensive war,
waged against the United States by eleven
States, under government called the Con
federate States of America, to which they
acknowledged allegiance, have overthrown
all governments in those States which could
be acknowledged as legitimate by the Union.
The armies of the Confederate States having
been conquered and subdued, and their ter
ritory possessed by the United States, it be-
comes necessary to establish governments
therein, which shall be republican in form
and principles, aud form more perfect
Union with the parent Government. 1t is
desirable that such course should be pur-
sued as to exclude from those governments
every yestige of human bondage, and render
the same forever impossible in this nation !;
and to take care that no principles of self
destruction shall be Incorporated therein.
In effecting this, it is to be hoped that no
provision of the Constitution will be infrin-
ged, and no principle of the law of nations
disregarded Especially must we take care
that in rebuking this unjust and reasonable
war, the authorities of the Union shall in
dulge in no acts of usurpation which may
tend TO impair the stability and permanency
of the nation. w thin these limitations, we
hold it to be the duty of the Government to
inflict condign punishment on the rebel be-
igerents, and so weaken their hands that
they can never again endanger the Union
and so reform their municipal institutions as
to make them republican in spirit as well as
in name
We especially insist that the property OF
the chief rebels should be seized and appro-
priated to the payment Of the National debt,
caused by the unjust and wicked war which
they instigated.
How can such punishments be- inflicted
and such forfeitures produced without doing
violence to established principles
Two positions have been suggested
First-To treat those States as never hav-
ing been out of the Union because the Con
stitution forbids secession, and therefore a
fact forbidden by law could not exist.
Second-To accept the position in which
they placed themselves as severed from the
Union; an Independent government de factc
and an alien enemy to be dealt with accor.
ding to the laws of war.
1t seems to me that while we do not aver
that the United States are bound to treat
them asan alien enemy, yet they have right
to elect SO to do If it be for the interest ol
the Nation and that the Confederate
States" are estopped from denying that po
sition. South Carolina, the leader and EN-.
bodiment of the rebellion, in the month oi
january, 1861, passed the following resolu,
ton by the unanimous vote Of her Legisla.
ture 4:
Resided, That the separation of South
Carolina from the Federal Union IS final, and
she has no further interest in the Constitu
ton of the United States; and that the only
appropriate negotiations between her anC
the Federal Government are as to their mu-
tual relations as foreign States. =
The Convention that formed the govern
ment of the Confederate States, and all the
eleven States that composed it, adopted the
same declaration, and pledged their hive!
and fortunes to support it. That govern
nient raised large armies, and by Its formi
dable power compelled the nations of the
civilized world as well as our own Govern
ment to acknowledge them as an Independent
helligerent, entitled by the law of nations t.
be considered as engaged in a public war
and not merely In an lnsurrection 1t j.
idle to deny that we treated them as bel
ligerent, entitled to all the rights, and sub
ject to all the liabilities of an alien enemy
| We blockaded their ports, which is an un
doubted bellieerent right; the extent O
coast blockaded narked the acknowledged
/ extent of their territory territory Grim
inalIy acquired, but de facto theirs.
We acknowledged their sea-rovers as pri
vateers and not as pirates, by ordering thei
captive crews to be treated as prisoners O
war We acknowledged that commission
| from the Confederate Government was sufi
cient to screen Semmes and his associate
| fromrhe fate of lawless buccaneers. VII,
i,ni an acknowledges Government iejace o.
Re .f'Jcto, could have power % issue such ;