The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1866-02-16

the fires of destruction which their pre-
| tended friends are kindling around
them. A great noise is made by the
fanatics in Congress about distinction
of color; but the very steps which they
are taking is increasing that prejudice
and adding to that feeling which nature
has planted in the breast Of every man.
There is a point beyond which the peo-
pie will not be passive lOokers-on. To
that point we are rapidly being pushed
by the modern JacObins. The people
of the North realized but little of the
hardships of the recent war. We saw
the tax gatherer approaching our doors;
we saw the wives and daughters Of
those gallant soldiers who fell in battle
put on the weeds of mourning; we
saw the manned and crippled brought
back from the front; but beyond this
it was but dream. 1t came and pass
ed away like a storm i'll the winter,
leaving here and there mark indicat-
ing that something unusual had trans
pired. The people in many sections of
the South, however, saw more of its
solemn realities. Families were brOk-
en- up and homes destroyed, all of which
was but the legitimate penalty of re-
bellion and attempts to destroy thegOv-
ernment. But even this hardship and
suffering is small, in comparison to
that which will follow the conflict that
Congress is forcing upon us. The fa-
natics of that body are leading us, step
by step, into a bloody contest that will
extend to every section of the country.
Its evil results, its hardships and deyas-
tatiOn, will not be confined to one sec
ton, but extend over all localities, east
and west, north and south. a war of
races opens wide the door for rapine
and murder. 1t affects the highest and
the lowest. We have but to refer to
the horrible scenes that transpired in
st. Domingo at the close Of the last
century and those of Jamaica but few
months since to realize its horrors and
dangers. During our late war all could
count upon the enjoyment Of life. No
person was in danger of the bullet I'M
less he was in front when the contend
ing armies stood face to face. But let
a war of races be once fully inaugural
ted-and at the present rate twill come
sooner than we eXpect-and the assas-
SIMS at the door of every citizen, at his
side when he walks the street, and he
knows not when he leaves his home in
the morning whether those whom he
holds dear will bealive when he returns
at night. The contest will be the most
fierce i'll the South; for there the races
are more evenly balanced. But it is
idle to suppose that we shall escape its
dreadful results here. We write thus
We see the fires burning and Congress
engaged in tanning the flames and in
creasing the danger. 1t is impossible
to look dispassionatelyupon theirwork
without seeing the dreadful calamity
that will visit us unless measures are
taken to arrest its progress. We saw
enough in the riots in this city, we have
heard enough of the deeds along the
valley of the Mississippi, to warn us
of the danger ahead. Seeing the whole
country standing as it seems to us on
the verge of a precipice, we raise our
voice Ofwarning, in the hope that even
Congress may pause in the storm and
see where it is drifting. The cOnserva-
tive portion of that body have the
strength and power to arrest the evil
if they only have the courage. viii
they not take hold like men and assist
the President in resisting the fanatical
tide, and thus earn for themselves the
plaudits of their cOuntrymen?-N T.
HOrid.