The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1865-09-22
BEDFORD, PA, FRIDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER ., 1865.

was several times member of court martial
and once judge advocate, and know that,
As Senator Hale declared ''they are organized
80 convict" Woe be tc the civilians wAo come
before them. They are allowed no counsel,
save the discretion Of the court, in general are
Ignorant of the charges against them, and have
no means Of procuring witnesses. The accuser
also selects the judges Of the crime; and then
has the approval Of the sentence. There must
be return to civil law, not only because the
Constitution prohibits any other means Of trial
than by jury, but even military writers agree
that civilians are not subject to military rule
We have assumed the garb of citizens and let
as maintain their rights. Let Us emulate the
example Of Washington, the first commander
iR-chief Of our armies who though possessed of
boundless power, was the first to curb military
power and make it subordinate 10 the civil. /
would also have you emulate that beau ideal OF
Democracy, Andrew jackson Look at him
at New Orleans, when lie had achieved that
memorable victory over a veteran English ar
my. Millions were rejoicing; and he was the
hero Of the day. In this hour Of triumph he
was arrested by civil process for alleged vio-
lations of the municipal law. He appeared.
4 crowd Of citizens and soldiers gathered a.
round, and when Judge Hall announced that
the general had broken the laws, a murmur of
Indignation passed through the crowd. The
Judge hesitated tG pronounce the sentence.
Fear moi" said the general, ''the same arm
which repelled the eremy will protect the de-
Hberations of the court" He paid his fine,
and would not permit the citizens to reimburse
him. Would that some Of our shoulder strap
ped gentry would show the same respect to the
laws of tue land.
We would also demand the restoration of
the writ of habras corpus SO that men can be
no longer SEN to bastiles without due process
of law. In that indictment against English
tyranny, known as the Declaration of Indepen-
dence, appear the following counts:
lie has erected a multitude Of offices,
and sent ,.itheg swarms of officers to harass our
Deople. and eat out their substance"
.fIe has kept among US in times of peace
standing armies withOpt the consent Of our
Legislatures"
He has affected to render tn2 military in
dependent Of, and superior to, the civil pow
er."
For imposing taxes on US without our con-
sent: and For depriving US in many cases Of
the benefits of trial by jury"
In addition to the above we W ould bring
other equally strong charges against the party
in power, and the principal one would be the
suspension Of the great writ Of right against law,
in sovereign States in profound peace, and re-
fusing to restore it when there is no war or ap-
pearance Of one in the land.
We would also support President Johnson in
his endeavors to bring back the Southern
States to their loyalty. We want Virginia,
South Carolina, and the rest, all back in the
Union. not as territories, but as free, sovereign,
and independent States, as they were when
Washington gave them to US. We would call
to the memory of President Johnson the dec
iaration he made in 1860 in the United States
Senate, when he said: "When the time comes,
if il ever does come which God forbid, | in
tend to place my feet upon that Constitution
which have sworn to support, and to stand
there and battle for all It's guarantees and if
this Constitution is to be violated or this I'M
ion broken, it shall be done by those who are
stealthily and insidIously making encroachments
upon It's very foundation" In this reorgani-
cation we would also ask that some mercy be
shown the people lately in rebellion. True,
when they opposed us with arms in their hands
We COulu tuA4Nl liC usual puIliSbulCiils Dub
when they grounded their arms, when they
submitted to the laws in good faith we should
not oppress them The man is a coward who
you'd insult our late foes, who would wreak
vengeance OH unarmed men, upon women and
children. Shakespeare truly said:
THE quality of mercy is not strained
It droppeth the gentle rain from Heaven,
Upon the place beneath; it is twice blessed
It bIesseth him that gives and him that takes;
'Tis mghtiest in the mightiest; it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown
His seeptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above his sceptred sway,
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
1t is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest Gods
When mercy seasons Justice
Thank God, none but the political clergy
prate of vengeance, class of men who did
more to cause the war and less to aid it than
any other body of men. But we regard it as
unmany to strike fallen foe. We,
through our general, told them that if they
would lay down their arms and return to their
homes they should not be molested by the Uni
ted States authorities The pledged word of
sOldler must De kept; anu hoWsVef mucn stay
at-home patriots may urge the hanging of Gen.
Lee and the men under him, the true soldier is
opposed to it. In short, we want the Southern
people back in the Union. We want nc more
Internal dssensions, but let US present uni
ted front to the world, and in few years our
people will be as good friends, nay better than
we ever were before.
We also insist that electors shall vote as
their judgments dictate The object of the
war was rot to do away with vested rights;
but to assure them to ourselves and our descen-
dants. We want our legislatures to be repre-
sentatives of the people, and the selections of
generals, operating through squads
of soldiers, Had ] the time would tell you