The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1866-05-25
CHE 9edford 6azettp.
SPEECH of SENATOR COWAN.
DELIVERED
AT AN IMMENSE MASS MEETING.
IN THE
City Hall. Washington, ID. g.. April 9th.
IN SUPPORT OF
PRESIDENT JOHNs0N'S POLICY.
At which speeches were made by l. s. Marshal
Gooding, Ex-Governor VIM. f Johnson
Of Penn'a Gen John l.. Swift of
Mass, and Gen. Green

]
with loud and continued applause
/ Leaning forward, he said: How ar,
you? There are a good many of yol
down there. l have been expecting
you for sometime. Laughter. Wha
did you come for? Laughter, and a
yoice-"Eight hours a day" Well
it is rather late hour for that. Ny
friends, have been speaking this af
ternoOn a good deal, and shall detaiT
you to say few words only. l asked
you what you were here for. | went
home few days ago, and when with.
in twenty-five miles of nay destination
/ met an old farmer in the cars. who
said to me: "CoWan how are you get.
ting along in Washington?" Not
very we'll" Said he, "what the devil
is the matter?" :'Why don't the Union
restore? What is wrong?" Going on
a little further, | met an old soldier
who made the same inquiry: "Whatis
the reason the Union won't restore !
Didn't we whip those fellows down
there? Didn't we make those fellows
lay down theirarmsand obey the laws?''
"CertainIy." ''Then what is the rea-
son the Union won't reSt0re?" Fur
ther on l met an old fellow. with a
long purse and a good many bonds.
Said he: "COWan, what is wrong? |
loaned this Government a good deal of
money to carry on the war. and what's
the reason the Union won't restore""
Now, that is a tremendous question.
Think Of it. AparceI Of bad peoplein
lS60-Gl, undertook to destroy this Tn
ion. We resisted, a. we had a right to
DO, on the ground that wehad theright
to make everybody obey the Constitu-
ton and the laws.
But there was another thing we said
at the same time. We said this is not
a movement Of the people. It is a
movement Of politicians and dema-
gOgues, who want to rule or ruin the
nation. Why? Did this nation ever
hurt any body? Never. There is not
a man who could say he had a single
grievance tOredress or a single wrong
to avenge. Not one. 1t was a
movement Of demagogues who took
the people did not want in the South,
of the excitement OF the moment to
carry those State, out Of the Union.
We said. therefore. this is not the work
of the people. We must 60 down and
rescue the people, and take them out
of the clutches Of these fellows, who
would drive them to their own ruin.
We had a right to do that, and we
made all that terrible war, not to pun
ish the people. not to oppress, to make
slaves Of them, but to rescue them from
the power of the rebellion into which
they had been drawn. We succeeded
in that, and the people were thankful.
They all agreed to lay down their arms,
come back and be good subjects. Are
not they doing that now? Have you
heard of any resistance to the Govern
ment since the surrender Of the rebel
army? The President himself, few
days ago, issued a proclamation that
all was quiet, not only along the Poto-
mac. but everywhere else. Laughter
and cheers.
The people, beaten in war, desired
again to enjoy the benefits Of the IN
ion conferred upon them. But they
cannot have them, and what is the rea'
son? Why my eloquent friend who
last addressed you has told you what
the reason was. Radicalism is the rea.
son. Andm friends, whatreason doe
it bring? What idol does it worship
What star does it follow? What flag
does itmarch under? Radicalism vii
not let the Union restore. When the
people ask why you do not restore tht
/ Union, the reply is, "Oh no; not yet.
/ WHY not? What's wrong? The ne
GRO must vote; that's the whole OF 1t
/ Laughter and cries of ''That's it."
/ These fellows at the Capitol will restor
! it tomorrow if you will allow the ne
GRO to vote in the South, a question
with which we have nothing Whateve
to do. If they want to arguethe ques
ton, let them coup into Pennsylvania
The negro does not vote there. ''No
a bit of it."I If they want to argue tn
question, let them 90 out to ILLINOIS
The negro does not vote there. II the
want to argue it, let them go to NeN
York. He does not vote there unles
he fsa wealthy darkey. Great Laugh
ter Let them go into Massachusett
and argue it there. He does not vot
there unless he is a literary darkeS
ITContinued Laughter.
My friends, repeat that we in Cor
gress have nothing whatever to do wit
this question in the States more tha
YOU people in the District Of Columbl
have. The States which formed tn
Union are free States. They were FIRE
States when they made the Union, an
thev are free States yet. 1t was tt
pride and glory of our fatherst to cemel
a glorious Union like this and still a
, low the States to be free. Now, Wher
incOnsists the freedom Of aState? Yo
will all agree that State would not
free if somebody outside were permi