The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1880-03-12

IN June, 1861. nearly eight years be-
fore Thomas +. BayaTd took his seat in
the Senate. and month before Congress
declared war against the Southern
States, he addressed public meeting of
the citizens of Delaware at Dover, in
which ne said
The question for every good man now TO ask is
My country. what do to restore your peace
and happiness The past and its lessons should
not be lost upon US; but to inquire now into the
original cause or causes Of our troubles would not
be within the scope Of these remarks useful at
present. The practical question before US torbids
mere speculation it stares US in the facc-a hard
stern fact. Eleven States have withdrawn from
the Federal Union with solemn and deliberate &C
tion. and have united under new government
They have made their declaration ofindependence
Of the Government under which live. and ex-
press thei; determination to maintain it at every
cost. With this secession revolution, or rebel
lion. or by whatever name it may be called, the
State Of Delaware has had naught to do To our
constitutional duties towards each and every mem
ber Of the Union we have been faithful in all times
Never never has thought : word, an act Of ours
been unfaIthfUl to the Union Of our fathers-in
letter and in spirit 1t has been faithfully kept by
But the stern fact is still before US, and but
two alternatives present themselves. Shall we
make war upon and subjugate this new contedera-
cy, or shall peacefully treat with them and con-
sent to their selEgovernment, trusting to time,
which IS the great healer Of all wrongs and pas
sions. to bring them again voluntarily into com
mon government with ms ?"
! This speech Of Mr.. Bayard, the great
purpose of which is indicated by the
question he asked. My country, what
can I do to restore your peace and hap
piness - is now being used by his enc
mics as an argument against his nomi-
nation for the Presidency. The views
I entertained by Mr.. Bayard in the early
part of 1861, and up to July in that
year, when Congress declared war, were
the same as were held by the best men
Of both parties, who were anxious TO
save the country from the horrors OF =
/ civil war. stephen y. Douglas in Il
speech In the Senate declared his belief
that war meant dissolution Of the
Union, final and eternal. Gen. Scott,
Mr.. Chase Horace GrGely, Stanton. Mr..
TiIden. HOratiO Seymour, and others of
. Ike prominence. were all advocates of
peace as long as there was the least
hope that an amicable settlement of the
difficulty was possible. Was it a crime
in 1861 to plead for peace and its bless
ings, and to protest against war and
: bloodshed, as long as any prospect was
held out of peace and reconciliation be-
tween the sections ? Demagogues may
say so, but such Is not the Judgment of
the country After war was officially
declared, Mr.. Bavard was for the Union,
and his State was the first Of the south
ernmOst tier of the Northern States to
furnish a regiment of soldiers for the
Union army. President Lincoln in his
message to Congress iE December, 1861.
speaking of the attitude Of the States
north as well as south of Mason and
Dixon's line, said of Delaware 'SoutI
Of the line, noble little De7alcarc led Q1
right from the FIRST" As the Bayard:
are said 10 own Delaware politically
and as Mr.. Lincoln seemed to be proud
Of what .'nobIe little Delaware" haC
done in 1861, we don't think that Thos
F. Bayard's patriotism will suffer ma
terialIy from the veEomous assaults tha
are now being made upon him. Th
record of no public man in this countr
can be less successfully assailed thai
that of Mr.. Bayard.