The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1868-07-10

placed the iron heel of the cOnquerOT
upon the South. Austria did not
dare to fasten upon vanquished Hun
gary, nor Russia to impose upon con-
quered Poland the ruthless tyranny
now inflicted by Congress upon the
Southern States. Military satraps are
invested with dictatOrial power, overi-
ding the decisions of the courts, and as
suming the functions of the civil au-
thorities; the white populations are
are disfranchised or forced to submit
to test oaths alike revolving to justice
and civilization and debased and ig-
norant race, just emerged from servi-
tude, is raised into power to control
the destinies of the fair portion of our
common country. These men, elected
to be legislators and legislators only,
trampling the Constitution under their
feet, have usurped the functions of the
Executive and the Judiciary, and it is
impossible to doubt after the events of
the past few months, and the circum-
stances of the impeachment trial, that
they will not shrink from an attempt
hereafter to subVert the Senate Of the
United States, which alone stood be-
| tween them and their victim, and
which had virtue enough left not to al
low the American name to be utterly
disgraced, and justice to be dragged in
the dust. In order to carry out this
nefarious programme our army and ma
Wy are kept in times Of profound peace
on a scale which has involved a year
ly expenditure of from one to two
hundred millions, prevents the reduc-
tion of our national debt, and imposes
upon our people system of the most
eXOrbitant and unequal taxation, with
a vicious, irredeemable and deprecated
currency. And now this same party,
which has brought all these evils upon
the country, comes again before the A
merican people, asking for their suffra-
ges, and whom has it chosen for its can
didate? The General commanding the
Armies of the United States. Can
there be any doubt as to the designs Of
they Radicals, if the should be able to
keep their hold on the reins of gov
ernment! They intend Congressional
usurpation of all the branches and
functions of the government, to be en-
forced by the bayonets of a military
deSpOtism!
1t is impossible that a free and in
telligent people can longer submit to
such state Of things. They will not
calmly stand by to see their liberties
subverted, the prosperity and great
ness Of their country undermined,
and the institutions bequeathed to
them by the fathers Of the Republic,
wrested from them. They must see
that the conservative and national
principles Of liberal and progressive
Democracy are the only safeguards of
the Republic. Gentlemen of the Con-
ventiOn Your country looks to you
to stay this tide of fdisorganization, vi
OltlICCj ttllNl OCopOIlolIl' IL Wiz llOI
look in vain, when next November the
roll shall ye called, and when State af-
ter State shall respond by rallying a.
round the banner of Democracy, on
which in the future as in the past, will
be inscribed our undying motto: '"The
Union, the Constitution, and the
Laws !"
Temporary Chairman.
He nominated for temporary Chair
man, Hon. Henry D. Palmer of Wis
consin, which was agreed to.
Speech Of JLy. Palmer.
Mr.. Palmer, on taking the chair,
said:
GENTLEMEN OF THE CONVENTION
Permit me to return to you my most
sincere Acknowledgements for the high
compliment you have chosen to confer
upon my State, and the great honor
choice you have made, as the tempo
rary presiding officer of this Conven-
ton. Permit me to assure you, gen
tlemen, that during the brief period
shall have occasion to discharge the
duties Of the Chair, | shall bring to
bear such ability as | may possess to
discharge those duties with perfect
fairness to all the States and to all the
delegates. | do not regard myself as
competent; and if [ do, shall not re-
gard it as my duty in occupying the
chair temporarily, to enter into any
general discussion of the political situa-
ton of the day, or to advise, or seek to
instruct this Convention in regard to
the performance Of its labors. / may,
however, be permitted to congratulate
you and to congratulate our country
at large, that on this bright and beau
tiful anniversary of our nations birth,
once more a convention of the DemOc-
racy of this country is assembled in
which all the States are represented
prolonged applause), and in which
delegates from the East, and from the
West, and from the North, and from
the South, all come here and unite to-
gether to perform great work for our
common country. [Applause.l And
permit me to express the hope that this
fact may be an omen Of unity of sem
timent in this Convention, which shall