Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1866-09-28
THE THREAT OF MIR. JOHNSON

The new rebellion is progressing rapidly.
Mr.. Seward, in his Louisville speech, says
that the South Is more loyal 10 the Union
than the North that at the South ''there
is entire unanimity," while the North Is di-
yided. This shows us what Mr.. Seward UNI
derstands by loyalty. 1t is loyal to support
Mr, Seward and Andrew johnson 1t is
dislOyal to vote for Congressmen who oppose
| them. 1t shows us, too. what sort of q
/ Union Mr.. Seward wants It is a Union
based on caste and prejudice; a Union where
rebellion Is rewarded and fidelity punished /;
a Union in which the Declaration of Inde-
pendence Is denounced, and the Constitution
dehed a Union where free speech, a free
press, and freedom of peaceable assemblage
viii not be tOlergted in ten States; a Union
clothed with the Infamy of violated pledges
reeking with the murder CT helpless loyalists
and CORY with the blood Of the martyrs of
New Orleans. Such Union is a cheat and
deluslon, for 1t would end in war 1t is an
lmposslblllty, for lJcan never be established
| The loyal people, whose earnestness the
graves Of three hundred thousand men at
test, will never tolerate a Union ruled bv
traitors, based upon denial Of rights guar
anteed by the Constitution, and brought
about by usurpation and massacre.
But Mr.. Seward does not stand alone.
Andrew johnson fortifes his declaration
that the South is loyal and the North dis
loyal, by the threat that unless the people
accept his policy they shall have civil war
on Northern soil. Alter months of incendi-
airy speech, intended to in1ame the spirits
CT his puritans to the utmost, he hurls this
threat ut the people, hoping, perhaps that
it will crush all opposition to his will.
The people know that DR. johnson can
plunge this country into civil war again, if
he chooses. His own language and conduct
has forced them to contemplate that result as
by no means impossible They know that
he can make war upon the government of
the people, and attemp, to crush it by bay
ouCts. They know thai he has reason to
hope that the aid Of Copperheads at the
North and rebels at the South would be Civ
en- to such a rebellion. And looking the
fact squarely in the face. the people will do
exactly as they did in 1850. They will vote
as their conscience and Judgment dictates,
anG. they win fight, if need be, to sustain
and enforce the decision rendered at the bal
/ lot-box. There are million of veteran sol
diers who can be put in the field within
twenty days to sustain the verdict OF the
people at the polls, and if Mr.. johnson or
his followers mean to resist that verdict let
them count the cost.
Mr. johnson. be it remembered, throws
out this threat with thereturns of the Maine
election before him. He is politician. He
knows that a Republican gaia of fifteen
thousand In that State, in spite of all his
efforts there, is sure indication that the
loyal States viii vote down him and his pol
icy by majorities larger than we're given foi
Lincoln IF he thinks to frighten the peo-
pie OUT Of the expression of their sincere
convictions and honest judgments he is mis-
taken And if he thinks that he can with
safety resist by armed rebellion decision Of
the people at the balIot-box in favor of the
policy Of Congress-if he thinks that all the
power that he can command will suffice to
put down the millions whom he now calls
traitors-let him try itl-JE$so1Ti Demo
crat.