Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1866-09-20
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TO HENRY WARD BEECHER.

SR:-I have read your letter in answer
/ IN the invitation you received to act as
CHAPLAIN to the Cleveland Convention. |
lave also read most Of your sermons, as
they were published in the Independent,
4 and if I thought you as short sighted in
nrics.-cralt as you seem to be in state-craft,
/ should prefer being my own guide to
4 heaven. than to follow you. Your voice
ana your pen were once a power in this
rsti6n,-0nce the hearts Of the down trod-
Hen thrilled with your eloquence, but now,
a YOU seem to have abandoned your position
4 IS their best friend, to have forfeited their
Inspect and even that of large class Of
4 letter informed men.
You say in that letter "oUr theory of
government has no place for a State ex-
Ssr. IN the Union" 1t certainly has not,
Jlr. BEEcHER. That proposition is just as
true as that moral proposition, that Gods
4 theory Of moral truth requires every man
A 10 be in bis church Men place themselves
IN aAtagonsm to His Law, md how do
vgu propose to help it? Suppose Il com
muricant Of Plymouth Church becomes
r5wivish. and rebels against its govern
4 ucnt and doctrine, separates from It's com
A nmiOn and organizes another where he
4 drinks and CANDLES to his hearts content,
A and is finally c1eIccd to a better behavior
bv the strong arm Of the law suppose in
the madness of his rebellion against Ply
mouth Church he has been caught in the
acl Of setting it Oh fire, can you as pas
tor of that church, permit him to come again
4 into fellowship without giving any evl-
& afti
A lie assurance Of more correct conduct in
time TO come Can you break to him the
A bread Of life If. at the time he receives it,
4 .ciIs you he is sorry he did not succeed
A a his iHcendiariarism, and the hand in
4 which he takes it, is yet red with the blood
4 some lowly brother you have greeted in
| CHRISTIAN sympathy? And it is to this you
A invite US, Mr.. BEEcHER. What do you mean
A the words moderate succession" in con-
4 ..c,iyn with the admission Of Arkansas,
A Tgia, Alabama, North Carolina, and Yir-
-.z? In this qualification you grant the
T-o'a principle the Republican party is
Intending for If it means no admission
-tI proper preparation on the part of
e.e States, it is just what Congress
4 rams. and your use of the words implies
lrjction in your own mind that some
aagaration, some delay, is called for. This
A sound Republican doctrine nobody de-
les to keep those States out Of the Union
never. The time is Fastening on when
A y will be morally fit to form part Of
LIS srea. society of States which is found
ion free suffrage, and obedience to law
-. tAat is evidently not yet. Let us wait
H. BEE.HEG until few months shall pass
4 which we do not hear Of a school house
1g burned down, church demolished,
meeting Of the lowl y ones Of the earth
r.kea up and the ground whereon they
,lel. il prayer, crimsoned with blood un-
q. Ee hear Of no riot, no rebel police firing
3. u free citizens peacefully assembled !;
all we find that no eX-rebel, who has bath
Mthe blood Of the country'S warmest
.clders,! has been elected to Office !;
aa We find that Southern men do not
LIST honor those who have presided in the
assacre Of prisoners of war until the
-!4eru press quits railing at Northern
and threatening another rebellion, and
Southern pulpit its unholy and deyilish
1 TX IF scattering fre-brands and death
Ill. population that might otherwise be
-.; until the Administration surrenders
1surped power, and becomes obedient
tie Constitution and laws until you
nd can go into Southern city and
aa5 our opinions as freely as if we were
the manor born" Even you, Mr.. BEECH
ls entirely as you have become the lick
Tie Of Southern aristocrats, dare not go,
- TO Charleston as you did on the oc-
"a Of the Sumter Celebration and speak
" rh9'e mind. With all your unmanly
4 Il a
eAt, and in the present state Of feeling
would be elected with far less ceremo'
-4on was Mr. HoAR of Massachusetts,
'y years ago. Therefore, we say, Let US
J.. until we see some better prospect OF
ty than we now see, and when we do
southern men appear in Congress on an
sa footing with men Of the North and
,., but until then, may God forbid the
-auce Of Southern rebel to spit his
On upon honest men who have upheld
country through long and bloody
r. The people have sworn they shall
-men who conquered treason in its
me- and poured out blood like water viii
submit to dishonor now The hand thai
.w trigger at Gettysburg is still warmed
the same patriotic current that warmed
then, and can draw another on any ant
Fry battle field which may offer between
.ssamaquoddy and the Rio Grande.
lat, Mr. BEEcHER, do Southern gentlemen
4want? Do they want us to pay them fo
4S out of the Union as if it were a goo(
and we were obliged by it for tht
Icy they sacrificed in their unholy effort
,ae debt they contracted abroad 70
,gss Of the slaves their own folly sc
Yes, they want all that, and demano
, each and every item with the excep
Of the first. There you have in full
platform Of the South, the entirety 0
@ they ask, and expect too, Of Northern
e '4aces when they come into power
these, connected with an unwearie,
'eEsistent effort to prevent the suffrag
-e freedmen, to whom they will contir
ID cling with the tenacity of horseleecE
l,gsents the base and superstructure O
political action in the Southern State