The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1866-03-09


stitution of the Country, and by the ap-
probation Of the people, and what did
find? l found eight millions Of pe0-
pie who were in fact condemned under
the law, and the penalty was death,
Was | to yield to the spirit Of revenge
and resentment, and declare that they
should all beannihilated and destroyed
How different would this have been
from the example set by the Holy
/ Founder Of our religion, the eXtremi-
ties of whose divine arch rest upon the
horizon. and whose span embraces the
/ universe! He who founded this great
/ scheme came into the world and found
man condemned under the law, andhis
/ sentence was death. What was hiseX-
! ample? Instead Of putting the world
or even a nation To death, He died up
( on the cross, attesting, by His wounds
and His blood, that He died that man
kind might live. Great applause.
Let those who have erred repent; let
them ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS allegiance; let
them become loyal, willing supporters
and defenders of our glorious stars and
stripes, and of the Constitution of our
country. LettheIeaders, Unconscious,
intelligent traitors be punished and be
subjected to the penalties Of the law.
( Applause. But to the great mass
who have been forced into this rebeII-
| ion in many instances, and in others
have been misIed, l say cIemency,
I kindness, trust, andconfdence. Great
| applause.
My countrymen, when / look back
/ over the history of the Rebellion, am
not vain when | ask you if have not
/ given as much evidence of my devo-
/ ton to the Union as some who croak a
great deal about it. When Hook back
over the battle-felds of the Rebellion
and think of the many brave men in
whose company | was, | cannot but
/ recOllect that | was sometimes in pla-
I ceS where the contest was most diff
( cult and the result most doubtful; but
almost before the smoke has passed a
way, almost before the blood that has
/ been she'd has done rccking, before the
bodies of the slain have passed through
the stages Of decomposition, what do
we now find?
The Rebellion has been put down by
/ the strong arm of the Government in
the field; but is that the only way in
/ which YOU can have rebellion? Our
/ struggle was against an attempt to dis
sever the Union, but almost before the
smoke of the battlefield has passed
away, before our brave men have all
returned to their homes and renewed
the ties Of affection and love to their
wives and their children, we find al
| most another rebellion inaugurated
We put down the former Rebellion in
order to prevent the separation of the
States, to prevent them from flying off,
and thereby changing the character OF
our Government and weakening Its
power; but when that struggle on our
part has been successful, ana that al
tempt has been put down, we hnd now
an eiiort 10 concentrate aIi power III
the ha1ds ol le" al the e''erf'i ileSlu'
and thereby bring about a consoida-
ton of the Government which Is e
/ qUally Objectionable with a aseparatioh'
! Nociferous applause We ma that
/ powers are assumed, and attempted 10
/ be exercised oI most extraordinary
character. 1t seems that Governments
may be reVoiutionlzed, Governments
at least, may be changed WIthout gong
through the strife OF battle. / pelleNe
us TACT atlested III history 'h"I Soi'le-
times revolutions most disastrous 10 d
people are effected without the shed-
ding OF blood. Inc substance oI your
Government may De taken away WINE
the form and the shadow remain 10
you.
What Is now 'Deing proposed we
find that in point OF tact nearly all the
powers Of the Government are assumed
by an irresponsible ceh'ra oifec'oEy'
which doeS not even consult 'he legl9-
lative or the Executive departments on
the Government. by resolutions re-