Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1849-09-05
John III.
COMMUNICATED.

~AAAA -
[coMMUNIcATED.I
In an intelligent community, reason and truth
are the only available weapons by which either
party can possibly succeed in their underta.
kings. The political gamester may appeal to
the passions and prejudices of the people; he
may color in enticing hues the secret machina-
tons of a designing, malicious soul, but before
great fundamental truths, vouchsafed by rea.
son, the web he weayes, like dew before the
rising sun, is ~dissipated in a moment.
Consistency has we'll been termed a precious
jewel in matters personal as well as political
it is a powerful lever, showing forth the true
character of the man under all circumstances
He is truly a %demagogue, who falls into the
sentiments and prejudices of every man he
meets, and advocates principles in one place
he dare not own in another, These remarks
have been called forth by the very equiyocal po-
sition occupied by Mr.. Harmanson on the Tex
as annexation question, By reference to the
journal of the Senate of Louisiana, for lS45'
first session, page IL, we find that on the bill
advocating that measure, and requesting our
Senators and Representatives in Congress to
Law said resolutions before their respective Boz
dies, that no less a person than John H. Har-
manson was the only member that roted against
IT, In the list of yeas we find, among others,
the names of Declouet, Kenner, Downs, Sill
dell, and Ledoux. This vote of Mr.. Harman-
sons, standing as it did against the oft-express-
ed sentiments of the people, of not only his
Senatorial district, but of the State, to say the
least of it, places him in a very unpleasant at
titude. But how does this shrewd, calculating
politician attempt to explain away the stigma?
We will see, if his organs report correctly. In
his St. Francisville speech, as reported in the
Bayou Sara Ledger, Mr.. Harmanson says that
the reason he voted against the bill was, that
the wings had Incorporated the Wilmot Provi-
SO into it. Now, when we remember the fact,
that the Wilmot Proviso was never heard of
then, and that Downs, Slidell, and Ledoux, the
present Democratic candidate for Auditor, all
voted for it, we see the utter fallacy of the ex-
PLANTATION. 1t is difficult to believe, but facts
are stated, and the records prove it.
1t is common for the Democracy to appropri-
ate to themselves the loving cognomen of the
poor mans party; and especially in this dis
trict, a certain press, when at a loss for other
matter, makes "ruff1e shirts and silk stockings"
a prolific theme. Now, Mr.. Harmanson, in his
celebrated tariff speech, says he will not by his
vote protect the sugar interest. Let us see if,
whilst he was in Congress, he had an eye to
the interest Of the poor man. At page lO2 of
the Congressional Globe, ls47, we find the fol-
lowing resolution, introduced by Mr.. Went
worth:
RESOLVED, That it is inexpedient to levy any
duty on Coffee.
Mr.. Harmanson, with a large majority, first
votes to lay the resolution on the table, and af-
forwards when the previous question comes up,
votes against it. That is, he says there should
be a tariff laid upon tea and coffee, the very
necessaries that the poor are compelled almost
to have. He discards here his very singular
free trade notions, and probably because there
is no hard working Industrious tea or coffee
growers at home to protect from foreign CON-
petition, he is willing duties should be laid up
on them; but if these necessaries were grown
in this country, if they needed the fostering
care Of government, Mr.. Harmanson's very Ii
beral spirit would have expanded, and been will
ling to admit the foreign article free of duty
Tea and coffee, by use, have become as neces-
sary to both rich and poor as almost any other
article. We do not cultivate either, and their
admittance free of duty would have been a be-
neft to the country at large, to the poor man in
particular. Verify, if the Hon. Mr.. Harmanson
received only the votes of those he benefited
during his Congressional career, Col. Stewart
would be our next Representative without a
dissenting voice. WARREN.