The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1867-05-24

people and opinions and habits. We
have bitter sectional strife, subjuga
ted people, overthrown States, and an
animosity of party warfare never be-
fore known. at
We had freedom of thought. We
have an intolerance which strikes down
independence of opinion and proscribes
political differences as crime, and es.
tablishes searching scrutiny into the
hearts and consciences of the commu-
nifty.
We heard in our bitterest struggles
the voice of reason; now that voice is
drowned in the clangor of the trumpet
which marshalls prejudice and rage
and hate to intensity the party strife.
We had peaceful confederation.
Now, while national unity is inculca-
ted as the highest duty, the perpetual
ton of geographical divisions and ma
tional hatred is rewarded with the
highest praise.
Congress, which was the theatre of
1hlCilCCtddL uCDIIC, 10 IO" tIIC ICS 1otl y
of the DEGREES of party caucus, and
hesitation to record them is treason to
the reigning power, and involves loss
of fpersonal preferment, even ofpolitical
life.
We have broken down the barriers
which hemmed in that vast array OF
powers-closely akin to mere brute
force-which we believed the govern
ment, and even society, could not, in
any event, justly exercise, and have
given them as the plaything of every
passion. We had republic; we have
an empire.
1t is said that learned naturalists
have pushed their researches so far, thai
from the inspection of single bone
they can determine the species of the
animal, and reproduce his form even
though it be thatofthe giantmastodon.
No philosopher examining the United
States of1S67 could possibly reproduce,
without the aid of history, the former
Republic of 1860. The change has been
of the most radical character. 1t is the
change which converted the Rome o.
Cato into the Rome of Caesar; and no
less than that is it change wrought
by the power of the sword.
Nordo Wonderatit. In the first Con-
gress of the war Mr.. Lincoln justified
| his suspension of the hdbeds corpus, on
the ground that he had the right to
infract one provision of the Constitution
in order that he might be able to com.
pei others to obey the residue. He
| ridiculed his constitutional power to
| issue his proclamation of emancipation,
yet in weeks time he issued it. He
asserted, in his letter to Mr.. Greeley,
that he had done and would cotinue to
do so much and no more than he
deemed pnoaSfa~sI- e. s--~~r------
control of the government. lney ue
came reVOIuLIUuIot1. TH0y wrought
these changes 1 have described. They
are working on still greater changes.
They seized with avidity the sword.
The cessation of war will not give them
rest. They will go on from one point
to another-from the reconstruction OF
1865, which met the approval of Con-
gress and the President, to the conStI-
tutional amendment-frOm the cOnstl-
tutiOnal amendment to the recOnstruc-
ton of 1867-from that to the confisca-
ton of Thaddeus Stevens-from that to
whatever worse the frenzy of the times
may prompt, till thereaction shall come;
and the people, sated with experiment,
wearied with uncertainty, shall drive
them from power, even though 1t be
through blood. No success will satisfy
them-no attainment will give them
repose. Themeasures struggled for to-
day as all they desire, attained to-mor-
row, are instantly forgotten in some
new demand. Neither, national unity
nor thesuppression ofthe rebellion, nor
the maintenance of the Union, nor the
abolition of slavery, nor negro suffrage,
nor equality of political and social
rights, nor the exclusion of white men
from the ballot, nor confscation, nor
corruption of blood, will for oneinstant
exhaust their restless activity.
Forit is a law which knows no excep-
ton, that the leaders of revolution are
constantly advancing before the fires
which they themselves have lighted.
Phe moment they pause they are en-
veloped in the flames.
And this same orator told us that in
addition to the loss of the former Re'
public. we would incur debt which
would add two hours each day to the
labor of every working man in the
country, and that the gain should be
considered ample compensation for this
, toll. What was the gain? The abol
ition of negro slavery at the South
Forthis consummation they were tt
perform and to suffer all things; fol
this the Constitution was to be subver
ted, the Bible was to be rewritten,
new God was to be enthroned!
Slavery has perished; all histor!
: tells us that it can not be re-establishet
: in these ages in this country. 1t is ou
: bounden duty to recognize this grea
Y social change; to ameIiorate whateve
!, may be incident to it, and, so far a
e possible, to prepare the freedmen TO
i the discharge of the new duties whic
| thnnn SI11