Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1849-11-05
DictatiOn,


ius of the Portage County .Whig,' took us
to task, and read US a lecture upon the SUBJ
ject of 'dictation, charging us with having
dictated to the good people Of Portage how
they should vote in reference to \ Conyen-
ton to revise the Constitution, by printing
sFor Convention" upon the Democratic
tickets. Under ordinary circumstances we
should have felt proud and highly compli-
mented by the great power and command
ing influence which our neighbor aseribed
to US. Knowing that he had awarded us
a commanding influence which we in no
wise possess, we took occasion to deny the
soft insinuation and to render an ex-
pianation which wes thought would. be per-
fectly satisfactory and put an end to all con-
treversy in relation-to the matter. But in
this we were doomed to sore disappointment.
Our patriotic.aeighbor of the sWhig,' who,
since he has seen this disposition on the part
of certain editors, or Committees, or Con.
ventions representing the wishes and feel
ings Of the people belonging to certain po-
litical organizations, to dictate in reference
to certain matters, and fearing that the .pco-
pleshave- not sufficient intelligence to act for
themselves, has become their self constituted
guardian, seems 10 no wise disposed to let
US off SO easily, and thus give ussa perfect
settler in his last number:
g The Sentinel of last week is out in
a column, in reply to our brief article on the
subject of the Convention. They evidently
feel uncomfortable at our exposure, of their
course, and attempt to shield themselves by
throwing the responsibility on the Conven-
ton or their Central Committee. They do
not seem to care which, but gentlemen you
cannot eseapeit. Let US for moment ex-
anime their position. They first say their
Convention passed a resolutiun in favor Of
a Convention to amend the Constitution
Grantit. They had right as indiyidnals
to make such an expression.-Bat they
were not clothed with any power TO speak
for the whole party on the subject. The
Central Connittee possessed no more pow
er; and, the printing for Convention on all
the tickets was downright dictation, and we
care not whether it was done by the. Edit
ors, or the Central Committee.
There, reader, you have it flat. And is it
any wonder that We feel @uncomfortable" :"
at such an exposure? We felt just like call
ing for our hat and sliding ou:, when we
read it. But since we scannot escape it, we
are determined to sstand up to the rack, fod-
der or no fodder" : The NH Eiss asserts that
the printing Of sfor Convention" upon the
Democratic tickets was s'downright dicta-
! ton, let it have been done by whoever it
might. Now we declare that it was no such
thing, and that the tickets thus printed were
in direct conformity 10 the wishes Of the
whole Democratic party, and that the Con-
vention in declaring for the measure repre-
sented the unanimous feeling Of the Democ-
racy of the county, that the Central Com
mittee in directing the tickets to be thus
printed consulted not only the wishes but
the convenience Of the Democratic voters
whose agents they were. Moreover, NOT a
single voter was misled in relation to the
object Of the Convention, for it was clearly
expressed upon the ticket; and it is base
and foolish slamdsr upon the 3073 intelli-
gent freemen of Portage county who voted
for this great measure, to say that they did
so under the dictation Of Editors. Commit
tees, or Conventions. Committees and Con-
ventions are but the subjects Of the people,
to obey their wishes and do their will, aud
in regard to this matter did the Democratic
Convention and Committee faithfully dis
charge their duty, and when they fail to do
it they will speak for themselves without the
aid or permission of their self-constituted
guardian, the editor of the Wing.
But the editor Of the Wing does not be-
lieve the foolish lie about 'dictation' him self.
He and his party resting under the sentence
of condemnation by the people for their fool
ish and cowardly course in reference to this
subject, this nonsensical story is hatched for
the purpose of turning the public gaze from
them. But it won't do They used their
best efforts to defeat the measure, but they
totally failed. The people have fixed their
mark indelibly upon them, and with all their
twisting and turning, they carnot wipe it out