Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-05-12
THE TERRIBLE CALAMITIES IN
THE HOUR OF TRIUMPH

The assured triumph of the nation, the
hitting OF all the clouds of doubt and despon-
deney OF the last four years, is filed with
horror and pain by assassination and by the
dreadful slaughter cf our returning soldiers
by supposed accidents. All the dangers of
transit both by land and sea seem to have
eliminated to kill the soldiers who have es-
capped the dangers of battle and the horrors
OF Southern Imprisonment What multi
tude OF longing hopes, just bounding with
the assurance OF speedy fruition; what mass
OF yearnlng affection for homes, parents,
wives, children and all the loved ones-sep-
arated by years of absence, saved through
thousand perIls, and now exultine in the
prospect Of swift reunion, never more to
part-were in moment brought into the
presence OF despair and death In the most
horrible shape, when fifteen hundred of our
returned soldiers were destroyed by the
steamer Sultana
What widespread grief does this catas-
upphe carry to families in the North; a
grief destitute of even the stern solace that
pertains to death on the battlefield 1t is
but little while since a similar slaughter,
then thought terrible in magnitude though
but fraction of this, occurred by the loss of
an ocean steamer. The frequency of acci-
dents to railroad trains conveying our SOL
ditrs recently delivered from Southern cruel
bondage, must have struck the public mind
This coincidence and succession of fatalities,
suggests irresistibly system and method.
And there is everything in concurrent cir
cumstances, IN the notorious Southern dis
position, and In previous attempts, to give
force to the suspicion.
Tho dae4y,Na4sor &c xoon.ov......
an organized system OF Southern warfare
We need not recall the examples of it. It
has been frequently carried into execution
ON the Mississippi. Taking passage in pas
senger steamers on the ocean and lakes, to
rise and oyerpower the crew and DESTROY the
vessel or use her to commit otherpir acies,
has been acknowledged by the insurgent
leader Davis to be done by his warrant. So
aiS0 have rODper1es Of Northern villages, by
gangs organized in Canada. So also the
secret obstruction of railroads. TO nrecinitafe
passenger trains to destruction. Recently
several cases of arson are announced. as ira
ced to paroled rebel soldiers. Arson was or.
ganized to fire Northern cities. AssasSira-
ton OF the heads of civil Government. and
winch 1t was intended to include the lead
ing Uenerals, IS brought into play to revive
or avenge defeated cause.
Is 1t not in accordance with all this
these deeds and this notorious character.
that these insurgents should conspire to sink.
explode and fire the vessels conveying our
returning soldiers2 Are we not making the
lives OF our brave soldiers who have con-
conquered these sayages in the field, and the
lives and property of loyal citizens in the
north and in the lately called border States,
cheap, by our loose way of turning these
double perjured villains loose into society
upon parole? We entreat our authorities to
reserve some of the outbursts of mercy for
the survivors of the brave men who have
tants who have ever been true to the Gov
ernment, and who in the border States have
faced constant perils in their fdehty.-C Cin.
Gnzette