Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1849-08-29
[CoMMUNICATED.
The Third District.

Mr.. Editor: 1t is a lamentable TACT, that the
canvass for Congress in this district is fast as
suming a point of vindictiveness, on the part of
the Democracy, unknown before in the annals
of party warfare, at least upon its present the
atre. Principles have been thrown aside; the
landmarks of politencss and generosity discar-
ded, and as if to blind the people to the true
points at issue in the canvass, private prejudi-
ces and personal vocations are set before them
in bold array.
Now, when a party or press leave the legiti-
mate course of conducting a canvass, viz, fair
ness and candor, and descend to paltry abuse,
it is evident to every candid mind that either the
principles they hold, Or the personal popularity
of the candidate they advocate, is decidedly at
an ebb. This certainly being the course pur-
sued by the opposition press towards Col. Stew
art, his friends can only arrive at the secret
cause of the vituperation but by one of the
two causes stated above. That Col. Stewart
is a warm p~artizan, that he is enthusiastic in his
preferences, both political and personal, is a fact
admitted by the most ruthless Of his oppo-
nents. And who Of US does not prefer the
man Of ardent attachments, warm and gener-
Gus impulses, to one cold and calculating, in his
intercourse with his fellow man? Col. Stew
art may have his faults, his very %sanguine tem-
when known, no one more readily admits them,
or sooner makes reparation. AS there are none
perfect, unless the Democracy claim for Mr..
Harmanson a transcendant nature, there is no
reason why he should be exempted.
We see in this canvass the argument brought
forward, that religion-aye, the holy precepts
taught by the saviour of mankind-miits a
man for a seat in the councils of his country!
and from almost every opposition press in this
district weekly. emanates denunciatory articles
against Col. Stewart, because, as a follower of
that gospel, he dares to vindicate himself from
SANDER, and yielding to the voice of the people,
suffers his name to 60 before them as a cam
didate for their suffragea Read the Democra-
tic papers. Have they not, in order to gull and
mislead the people, thrown argument aside, and
filled their columns with such ribaldry spoken
of above? When a Congressional representa-
tive by his course benefits his constituents, it
is usual at a time like this to parade those acts
before the people. Not so in this district
Harmanson's celebrated Swamp Bill, so ear
nestly disclaimed by La Sere, dies a natural
death on being inquired into. His vote to CEN
sure Gen. Taylor for thrashing the Mexicans at
Monterey is left with the past. His very cha
ritable vote upon the Irish relief bill is never
~mentioned-ah, no! he prefers giving his own
frugal pence, for the relief Of starving thou
sands, to voting 100000 of the peoples mo-
ney in order to rescue human beings of an OPP
pressed and down-trodden nation from the
fangs of gaunt famine and misery. Yet he
asks lrishmen to support him. His vote as
Senator in the Legislature of our State, against
the annexation of Texas, is never whispered
by the consistent Democrats, and the only Won
der is that the Irish relief bill, as in the annex
alton affair, he does not explain his position by
saying the ~rascally "Whigs had Incorporated
the Wilmot Proviso in it." One is as rea-
sonable and consistent with truth as the other.
His peculiar notions respectingthe tariff, par
ticularly on the article of sugar, as delivered in
Congress, is never touched upon by his Demo-
cratic admirers. No, they prefer to pass all
these things by, believing if unnoticed by them
the people will forget his course. They are
mistaken. John H. Harmanson has many po-
litical sins to snswer for, which, Mr.. Editor,
with the use of your columns, will in due time
be discussed. WARREN.
REY, THE JAILoR.-The authentic particulars