Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1867-12-13

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States to which they apply. II bind
them hand and foot ina5solute slayer'
and sabjacts them 10 stranEe an,
hostile power. more unlimited an,
more likely 70 be ahlsed than any 9th
er now known among civilized men
II tramp.es down all those rights I,
which the essence Of liberty Consist
anfi which free government Is al
ways most careful 10 protect III de
nigs the NlJsgs coFB}ss and the trial b1
jury. Personal freedom. Hcupertr anC
iile. II asSaIlei bN the passion the pre-
ju8ice or the rapacitv gf the raler. hav.
no security whatever. iii lns the ef
feet Of q bill 0f attainder or bill Of pain
and penalties not upon q few individu
ais, but upon whole masses. including
The millions who inhabit the sub
jcet states, and even their unborn chill
dren.
These wrongs being expressly for
hidden, @nuCt be coustitafioaaHy In
ticted upon any portion our people
no matter now they may have come
within our jurisdiction, aud no mattel
whether they live IN States, Territor
les or districts. have no desire u
save from the proper and just conse
4uelcas Of their great crime those who
engaged in rebellion against the Gov
eTnmelt. But as q mode If punish
ment, the measures under considera-
ton are the most unreasonable that
could be invented. Many of those
PEOPLE are perfectly innocent; many
Keep their fidelity to the Union un-
tainted 10 the last; many were inca
pable OF amy legal offence large pro
portion even Of the persons able 20
bear arms We're forced into rebellion
against their Will, and Of those who
are guilty with their own consent. the
degrees Of guilt are as various as the
-lzIes Of their character and temper.
But these acts Of Congress c0afouud
them all together, in0le common doom.
lnai@crimiuate vengeance upon clas-
SIS, sects and parties, or upon whole
c8mgHUui-g-. Ite offences committed
Ry them zgalIs-l the Governments TO
which they owed obedience, was COM
mon @ iae uaggarstls ages Of the world.
But Christianity aud 81 viliZation have
made such prog that recourse to a
SO cruel and unjust would
meet with the condemnation Of ali uu-
pre.Glliccl and r.ght-MiDded men,
The punitive Justice Or this age, and
especially O.. THIS country, does not con-
si-l iu stripping whole STATES Of their
liberties and reducing ali their people,
without ll-,ll--il1,t0 the condition
OF slavery. is deals separately with
each individual. confines itself 20 the
forms Of law, and vindicltes its own
purity by al impartial examination Of
every case i.efore competent judicial
tribunal II this does not satisfy all
oar desires with regard 70 Southern
Rebels. let ar console ourselves by re-
lectlug that "a free Constitution, tri-
UuglauC in war, aGd uu8rQEen in
peace, is Eggth far more 10 u~ and our
EUltIleiI t'IlH tlll gratilcaLcA OF any
present feeling. au aware il Is as
-gu+l snat this system Of government
f8r the Southern State, is BOT 10 be per
peIuai. ID iz trsle 1li5 Military Gov
I i- through llIs temporary evil that q
greater evil Is 70 be made perpetual
III the guaruteez of tag Constitution can
ia broken. professionally, u servea tenn
uerary purpose, and ll 3 part only q
The country. we can destroy tden ey-
-r-whe.e and EC al t-u8e. Arbitrary
measures grten change hEE llaT gen
arall + change fer the IS tae
cuH~e Of desporls-a thar IS aas no halt
5G- llGla. The il-crL8EL-5sl exercise OF
Et- power brings no sense Of security tg
It's -Itieets. fgr they Cal never EIz4EE
what more they viii be called TO endure
wheu lis red right hand is armed 90
plague them again. Nor is 81 possible
10 conjecture how or where power. un-
restrained hy law, EDay seek It's next
victim The STATES that are -t-I free,
b.. rHFrH- am
j t1e Constitution does not protee5 all,
j protects none. It Is mauiteztly a1d
ay8Wedlv the object Of these laws %
eoHfer aT-en negroes the privilege 0l
voting and - distrancili-e such . mum
her Of white citizens - VIII give the
formers q clear majority ST al elections
IN the Southern States. This 20 the
minds Of some persons, Is 50 important
that violation Of the Constitution Is
iuzti6ed Us meaus q bringing II g.
bout.
Egr9 SURGE
The morality is always false which
excuses "a wrong bactuse II proposes 70
accomplish q desirable end " e are
Hgt permitted e. DO evil that good May
come. Bat in this case the end itseli
Is agIl es well as the means, The sub
5Gczlrigl gf States TO negro domination
would be worse than the military de5-
rstizu under which they are now suf-
esing. il was believed beforehand
that the people would endure any @.
mount Of military oppression f9r any
l-uEtti gf time rather than degrade
themselves oy s1eiectiol to the negro
race. Therefore, they have been le.
without e choice. Negro suffrage wa
established 9E att u Congress, and IN
military g si-eEs were commanded g.
-lpeEiutell the process ul clothing u
negro race with the political privilege
torn from white men,
The blacks in the South are entitled
t. De well and humaneiy governed, and
tg have The protection CfJu5t laws igl
al Llelr rights VI person and property.
il it weTe Uraelelh.e ag tfsl5 time "a
give them d government exclusively
their own. under which they might
manage IlelE own affair, In their Own
way. i would become grave ques-
rzaD whether We ought - 10 20, oI
rFhaEEar common humanity would not
regalre us 10 save them from them
v- i5ll under the circumstance
This Is 044y speculative p4iHs- IL j.
mos proposed merely that they shall
govern themselves. but that they shall
rule tire white rare. make a7ld admin
lister STATE args. elect Presidents and
rlleu gers Uf Congress ard shape % 2
greater or .lss extent the future destiny
Gf rla whole crUILFs-. IS sa.a such &
trust and power be safe ga such hands
The peculiar qualities which should
c-ls ree.er.ze ANY people who are st q
-4s.- r--.rr ass 7svss -5-a-flf.-zf Of 1gs=t-