Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1866-06-01
golitifal.
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LETTER FROM Il. DALE OWEN.


Shall there be Guarantees for the Flu.
ture, or shall Restoration be UncOn-
stitutiOnal!-ShalIe each State be ad.
mItted as il Tatiiies the Constitutions
Amendment!
70 he Editor Of tie ~ T. Tribune
SIR: I take exception, in these days, tC
10 eontrarieties OF opinion touching the
proper mode Of restoring harmony between
the late belligeTent sections of our country.
That is problem which may tax the best
energies Of the wisest among US, and in re.
gard to the solution of which the ablest may
differ But If the task before us is difficult,
it IS not hopeless; not, / firmly believe,
doubtful even, | have faith in the people
| have faith, stronger still, that God, who
forsook US not in the gloom Of the rebellion,
will guide US now when the scene Of combat
is changed from the field of battle to the
election precinct and The legislative hall
The essential is that we approach this
great subject IN a fitting spirit. 1t avails
nothing to talk about the enormity of seces-
sion and the e0ndign punishment it merits.
The punishment of nations is in other hands
than ours IF the judgments Of God have
not already stamped slavery as a sin and
treason against beniicent government as a
crime, IN vain are the efforts of man in that
direction.
Nor let us. in our indignation, forget how
that sin of Slavery, the cause Of the Rebel
lion, originally came upon the South against
her own win, against her solemn protest. La
December, 1770, the King of Great Britain
commanded the Governor of Virginia un-
der pain of the highest displeasure, to as
sent to no law prohibiting the importation
Of slaves. Virginia, in April 1872, ad-
dressed the King in remonstraDce, saying 10
him these remarkable words: 'fThe impor-
tation Of slaves. a trade Of great inhumani-
ty, will endanger the very existence of your
Majesty American dominions Maryland
and Carolina followed that lead
But aside from this, what so uuphilosopb-
ical and unjust is the spirit Of the Pharisee
1t is due to a geographical accident lat VIC
were not born shareholders in the City Of
Charleston. Dare We assert that, ii we had
been, we should have been iuster men than
they-more scrupuous about living by the
labor of others? Shall We stand up, in the
temple of eur own self righteousness, and
say God We thauk Thee that we are not
as other men, or even as these South Caro-
linians23
We can never, indeed, forget--God forbid
that we should 1.-The terrible consequences
of treason the hardships, the suferings,
the lest lives, the parents aud widows be-
reavea, the countless thousands Of homes
made desolate, amongst US. But 70 avert
evils in the future better BELTS Christian
people than to avenge injurious Of the past.
Let us learn % the deSpised and the owly.
Is it we only who have injuries to requite ?
What were our sufferings during the war
compared to the thousand wrongs pefpetra-
ted. throughout generations, against the
millions Of Southern slaves2 But. though
the iron entered into their souls, did they
return evil for evilg Did they forget, when
the day Of liberation dawned, the words of
che text Vengeance is mine, Twill repay.
thus saith the lord
lftiere be anlong our people a reyengetul
element ei - i,as pander 20 ii. If We in
pose condition. before We restore political