Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1850-08-19
Judge Johnston in Old Portage.


His Honor, Judge B. Johnston, the whig
candidate for Governor, visited this county
on Thursday last. In the forenoon he ad-
dressed the people at Garrettsville, and in
the afternoon at this place. Notwithstand-
ing some two weeks notice had been given
of this great event. and Jud ge J. had been
heralded forth as one of the greatest men
and best speakers in the State, not more than
300 or 400 hundred..persons were in attend
ance, and liberal allowance might be
made for the number of Democrats and |
Freesoilers present. A meeting of equal
dimensions might be called together in al
most any township in the county upon any
occasion of public interest, and one in which
decidedly more enthusiasm would be man
ifested. The spirit manifested by the wings
heretofore was wanting, and their express
sions clearly indicated that in their hearts
they wished Judge Johnston had remained
in the quiet retirement of Yellow Creek,
and they left to pursue the even tenor of
their ways.
The speech was perfect compound Of
egotism, falsehood and nonsense, and well
calculated to convince those who were be-
fore in doubt absut the fact, that the speak
er is in truth BOBBY. His main effort
was directed to uniting the Wings and
Freesoiers together in support Of himself,
and to this end was nea rly his whole speech
directed. He did not claim that the wings
had not abandoned the position which they
occupied two years ago, in favor Of the
Wilmot Proviso, but he said that they had
never advocated the Proviso as an end, but
as means for the accomplishment of
certain object, and as circumstances had oc-
CURED which were seen only by God before,
which rendered the accomplishment of that
object certain, he considered the duty of the
Freesoilers to abandon their organization
and go over to the support of whiggery. He
forgot to tell them that whiggery changed
front upon this question long before all the
circumstances which he referred 10 had trans
pired-long before New Mexico had taken
any action for the establishment of State
Government, and at 8 time when the pass
age of the Proviso was as much needed as
it was in lS48; and he was equally forget
ful to make honorable apology for the false
hoods and abuse which his party leaders
heaped upon the Democrats in '4S, for TAX
ing the same position and predicting the
same result. Oh, no; that would not have
been consistent with his mission. To sum
up his appeal to the Freesoiler,, he
declared that those who now forget the ma.
ny standings and goings-astray Of the
whig party, and return to the whig fold
will be regarded as the true friends of free
dom, but those who do not, are mere trad
ing politicians, who would barter off party,
principles and all for place.
His honor next turned his attention to
the subject of State politics, but it was evil
dent that this formed small part of his
mission among the political heathens of the
Western Reserve, and his hopes of making
proselytes on this score must have been a.
nything but fattering. But if he neglected
this subject altogether, he doubtless felt that
his real purpose would be apparent to all,
and the frail covering would disclose the
real shape and dimensions of the animal
which it concealed. He opened this branch
of his discourse by allusion to the hard
money issue, and charged the Democrats
desire to skulk that issue-a charge much
easier made than proven true. His remarks
upon this question showed how much re.
gard he had for truth. He said that the
"Cleveland Plain Dealer was authorized to
declare that the hard money question was
not the ISSUE" when that paper is @author-
lied" to say no such thing, and has said
no such thing. Again, he said the Demo
Gratis at their 9th of January Convention,
had adopted strong hard money reso-
lutions which were re-af6rmed by the Con-
vention of the 4th of July, and that the
Committee on Banks and the Currency in
the Constitutional Convention made their
report on the 5th of July, but it being un-
derstood that number of democrats is in that
body would not vote for the hard money
report, and as the issue had been made On
paper, the Convention adjourned, and the
question is to be kept in the shade till after
the election is over, and if Judge Wood is
elected, the Convention is to be considered
as instructed to vote for the hard money re-
port. Thus charging the adjournment up
on the Democrats for the most mercenary
motives. Judge Johnston knew full well
that when be made that statement it was
entirely void of truth. He knew that every
whig present at the time of the adjournment