The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1851-07-10
From the Washington Union.
Gen. Scott and Gov. Johnston the
Nominees of the AbOIitiOniStS.

Nominees of the AbOIitiOniStS.
1t will be seen from the speech delivered by
Governor Johnston that he looks to the repeal
of the fugitive -slave-law, which he regards as
open to discussion and alteration in the same
manner that the tariff of 1916 is; and that he
maintains the position which identifies him with
the abolitionists, applying the term kidnappers
to all those who would aid the southern man in
the recovery of his property, and uses other
terms of ridicule and contempt for those who
have taken the side of the constitution and
Union in the great struggle TO put down the
worst spirit Of disorder which has ever afflicted
our country The Wirc-workers, however, in
this scene of disreputable management have
not failed to gid their resolutions with profes-
sions of patriotism and protestations of sub
mission to the laws of the land. They interlard
their pledges to the abolitionists with solemn
resolves to carry out the provisions of the con-
stitution, and declare that it would be libel
upon their fair fame to doubt their loyalty to
the Union In this respect their language is
but a paraphrase of that employed by Wade,
Seward, and Sumner, all of whom mask their
attrOciOus assaults upon q compact of the
Union by the abstract use of terms used by
schoolboys when writing Fourth of July ora
tions.
But neither the people of Pennsylvania nor
those of the Union can be deceived on ques-
ton of such great and momentous Importance
as the faithful execution of the fugitive-slave
law Governor Johnston was elected to the
present position with solemn pledges, reiterated
! at public meetings throughout the State in
favor of the Wilmot proviso With the aid of
these pledges, and the support he derived from
the promise of General Taylor to prescribe pro-
scription, he was enabled to deceive large
number of democrats, and to control the entire
abolition and free-soil interest of the State of
Pennsylvania. No respectable man dare deny
| that Governor Johnston was opposed to the
compromise measures, and especially to the
fugitiye-slave feature of them which he now
says must be repealed. He separated himself
in this respect from Mr.. Cooper, the conserva-
tive wing senator from his State, and from
! Mr. Clay and his friends. Such being the state
of the case, the legislature of Pennsylvania, at
its last session, passed law repeating so much
| of their previous law as refused the authority
| and jails of the State for the safekeeping of
| to the execution of the congressional act on the
subject of fugitives-Governor Johnston has
refused to sign, and has applied to it the pocket
veto. He avOws and proclaims aloud his oppo-
| sition to this law; and with such sentiments on
his lips he is cheered and enthusiastically re-
nominated for the office of governor by the
wing convention of the State of Pennsylvania.
But this is net all. The same convention
has voted down and negatived, by a majority OF
nearly three to one resolutions in support OF
the fugitive law, introduced by Mr.. Scott the
whig delegate from the city of Philadelphia.
This convention thus places itself directly n
opposition to the democratic convention ON ths
same subject; for, as our readers well recollect
thls last conveEtion openly endorsed the fugi-
tive-slave law, and obtained from Col. BigleI
the unequivocal declaration that, if elected
! governor, he would in good faith execute tht
provisions of that law, and support all the
provisions of the compromise.
The issue, then, is now fairly presented =
Shall the fugitive-slave law be enforced by th,
repeal of all State legislation which obstruct
and defeats its operation? The democrats il
the State convention answer Ayc-the wings
in their convention answer, No. The question
thus emphatically, in Pennsylvania, becomes
Union or Disunion. The democrats are for The
Union-the wings against the Union, by
retaining in force State laws which make th
| execution of the fugitive-slave law impossible
This is in truth the momentous issue The fat,
of the country may now depend upon the deci
) sion of the people of Pennsylvania. The sc
cession of South Carolina, and all the horror
} of civil war, may hang upon the result of thi
election.
Their must not bc-their cannot bc-longc
{ deception on this subject. All the people o
the Union, but most especially the people o
the South, because it is their special interea