Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1869-05-07
THE DADDY DID so" ARGU.
MENT.

Our neighbors of the Gazette have been
harping for several weeks on the fact that
Messrs. Russell, Barndollar, and Cline
voted for the insertion of the word
white in the Constitution Of Pennsylvania
in the Convention of 1889 Thirty years
have made great changes. Human civil
cation has made vast strides in that time in
the way of progress. We have no doubt
that if those three very worthy gentlemen
we're living to-day and privileged to recon
sider their act Of thirty years ago they would
vote to. day just as SutmaD, Longenecker
and Weller voted Why less than ten years
ago these very scribbers for the Gazette
were crying aloud in defence Of slavery as a
divine institution. They have since then
defended and advocated the cause Of one Of
the most iniquitous rebellions that ever dis
graced the annals of christendom. They are
already heartily ashamed of both, though
but Eve years have elapsed If they had
but for moment considered their Own
course they would not have been guilty Of
the folly Of making an appeal to an inteli-
gent community against human rights and
human liberty, with no better argument
than that because the fathers erred their
sons should continue in the error. 1t is the
argument of a class Of people who know no
reason for what they do and when asked
are only to calculate Daddy did so. Thir.
ty years ago we travelled by coaches or on
horseback from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh
and the post was the most rapid means Of
communicating even the most important
news Thus did our fathers. Who start
ing in a hurry to Philadelphia would think
of mounting his horse and spendiuga week
on the road now, if business of importance
required his presence there at the earliest
possible moment? Would the Gazette scrit-
blers do SO? Verify they might and defend
the wisdom of their conduct with their IN
answered Daddy did So If fBusiness re-
quired the instant transmission Of intelh
gence to the Temotest portions Of the coun
try would they hastily indite a letter, seal it
with a wafer and send it By a messenger on
horseback? Surely they might and quote
the example Of ''Daddy did SO. Do the
Gentlemen of the Ggsetts expect to ignore
railroads, steamboats, telegraphs, reyolu-
tons in science, art, and politics, all the
progress of thirty years by the miserable az
gument that Daddy did So Thirty years
ago the slave power wa dominant To-day
it is utterly destroyed, and Liberty is the
Watchword not only of the nation but Of the
world. A new and better era has dawned
upon our nation. We are now living up to
the full enjoyment of Jefferson's ideal when
he penned the glorious sentiments Of the
great Declaration of independence This is
a nation Of FREE--GN Awake ye sleepers
cease to dream 9f the dark, dead past. The
sun of liberty has risen upon Us, and a bet
ter day has dawned Your Rip Van Win
kle sleep has bewildered your senses. Rub
your eyes aud look around you. Daddy's
old post chaise has become antiquated, hia
wooden mould. board plow has rotted in the
turrow, you need not 60 TO seek it now, the
last vestage has long since disappeared aud
like it the brutality and inhumauity Of sla-
very have disappeared from oar statute
books forever Daddy did S" did rot
save it nor will it save you. The men who
voted for the Fifteenth Amendment viii be
held in grateful remembrance when the
memory of the slave driver and all his lack
eys shall have rotted in oblivion.