Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1867-02-21

ed at ana encouraged Dy -the Demo
cratic party, and when Walker was
taken in the waters of Nicaragua by
Commodore Paulding, Mr.. Buchanan
denominated it grave error" and
all the Democratic presses echoed it
as grave error" Can it seem,
then, SO very strange to find these
same elements of Democracy falling
so gracefully into the embraces Of Sc
cession With this constant train
ing, is it matter Of surprise to find
them sympathizing with their "err-
ing sisters" of the South? Once in
the maelstrom they could not extri-
cate themselves if they would !
think they would not if they could
Sir, have alluded in the briefest
possible manner, to few only Of the
evidences of disruption and anarchy
produced by the political education
of the Calhoun school That their
party attachments should be so strong
as to relinquish their grasp upon the
last vestige of rational liberty on
earth may seem unaccountable
The approaching census Of 1860
was to disclose to the South the great
disparity in the growth and popula-
tion of the respective sections. None
knew better than they the lessons de-
ducible from that disparity one Of
which was that, except by some won
derful political legerdemain, the scep-
tre of power in the Federal Govern
ment was hereafter to be welded by
the North. Their efforts to secure
slave territory in Mexico and Central
America had proved failure. The
| Dred Scott decision had proven abor-
tive by their defeat in Kansas. The
reopening of the slave trade could
not be nude available without the
acquisition of Cuba as the entrepot
from which to distribute into the ter
ritories. These nicely laid schemes
having all been defeated by Northern
sagacity and frmness the power of
the Democratic party in the free
States having been broken by the
light of intelligence impaired to the
people through free schools, free pull
pits and Methodist stump speakers,
the South was ready for separation
by rebellion.
Without so much as putting forth
to the world bill of rights,or setting
forth list Of grievances, they com
mitted several clear and positive
acts of war, and then fired upon Fort
Sumter. Without reciting what is so
sadly familiar to every household in
the land, permit me to say that for
four years every link which bound
those seeding States to the Federal
| Government was severed. All au-
thority in the South was welded
against the Government Their ter
ritory remained within the bounda-
ries of what was once the Union it is
| true But all that constituted State,
and all that constituted civil or mill
tary authority, was not only without
the pale of the Union, but was bitter
ly hostile to it. Every school boy
can comprehend the truth. They took
up the sword and pershed by the
sword. Their conduct was simply
right or wrong. If right, then they
are entitled to all the privileges and
franchises they ever had under the
@gis Of the Government, and Mr..
johnson and his newl y-made friends,
and the rebel and his longtime friend
and ally are in the right, and their
very kind and benevolent views
should be respected accordingly. But
if they were clearly aud palpably in
the wrong--if the destruction of hun
dreds of thousands of the best men
of the land to satisfy an unholy am
bition was wrong, then should they
| be made to suffer for the wrong they
have done, and no mawkish charity
or licentious benevolence intervene
to save that people from such a de-
privation Of civil and political rights.
as will in some measure deter them
from a renewal of the strife, and leave
some land mark of the disapproba-
tion of all right-minded men. These
amendments propose to do this. They
are offered as mild protection
against future treason. They do not
propose to restore to as our lost ones;
they do not deal out anathemas for
our losses, but they do urge that we
come back to those ideas of govern
ment enunciated in the immortal Dec
laration Of Independence, founded up
on the equality Of human rights
Like wise rulers they intend strength
ening the weak points in our nation
al fortifcations-weak points devel.
oped by these four years of internal
strife Would they not be unwise
not to do this Whoever may have
stamped them as "string of gilt
tering generalities," matters little;
we are in deep earnest-as were our
fathers-that they are eternal truths,
and that they shall enter into the fu-
ture of our Republican government.
As the great party of progress, we
assume the responsibility of amend
ing this fundamental law. Let our
friends mourn, if they will, that ,lieir
Southern allies cannot be placed in
the jury-box on this trial of them
selves We are willing to adopt the
theories of Philip Sober, when he de-
clared that rebels should have uo
voice in the restoration of the seced-
ed States We are willing to listen
to the voice of that loyal element
which stood by the flag when to do
so "tried mems soul )" but to place
the question in the hands Of the
guilty party would be- most supreme
folly.
Nothing is asked but VIII t is die
tated by the clearest sease of justice
and mercy When we consider the