Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1852-09-18
What Constitutes Proof2

of a party when, on the eve of an election
it is reduced to the extremity Of acting upol
the defensive, in repelling charges against it
nominee, which, if believed, must inevitabl.
crush his hopes in the South. Concurrent cir
cumstances and facts have so far compromised
Gen. PIERCE with Southern interests and Sou
thern pref udices-facts and circumstances de
: flying contradiction-that the party press anc
leaders in hamlet and city, have decided
to do as Macbeth wished to be done with ply
sic-'Throw argument to the dogs, we'll have
none of it" They are not even SO generous
as the rolicking schoolboy, who, when asked
by the master as to the cause and extent of va.
rious mal-practices which required no contra
diction, sharply r%etorted, 81 deny everything
and insist upon proof" The gentlemen OF
the Democratic press, and the leaders orally
deny everything it is true, but unlike the pupil
who had got himself into a tight place, they
do not insist upon proof! Oh, no! But when
proof as clear as the light of day is brought
forward by Wing editors to show the true, at
titude of the Democratic nominee in reference
to the South, those gentlemen to whom we al
lude place their backs against the wall (if we
may be allowed to use a igurative expression)
and boldly declare that avowals and affidavits
are unworthy of notice, and that all editors
who give credence or circulation to any of
fhocn cfofop,aptc ,.,biab ppil;f,tar oroipct tho
prospects of PIERCE in the South, are equally
disreputable and deserve the stigma and ana
themas of the Democratic press and people
generally.
Now, what constitutes proof? If it has not
been proven incontestibly, by Gen. PIERcE's
votes and reservations in Congress-by his dec
la~rations at New Boston, fastened upon him
by evidence stronger than any we ever yet saw
produced in any previous political struggle
by the known sentiments of his party in New
Hampshire upon the Fugitive Save Law-by
the warm support given him by the Van Bu-
rens and a host of other influential Free Soil
Abolitionists-by the support he receives from
the Abolition journals in Ohio-that he is COM
mitted to Freesoilism, committed in his oppo-
sition to the Fugitive Slave Law, and therefore
committed against the peace of the country
and the dearest rights and interests of the
South, We must not only acknowledge our ig-
norance Of what constitutes proof, but beg
permission likewise to say that we are entirely
in the dark with regard to all the rules and
laws instituted by civilization, by morality and
education, for the purpose of calculating truth
and indicating right.
There is not a mail that does not bring US
and overwhelming evidences in sup
port of the position which we claim for Gen.
PIERCE through a combination of facts which
ire irresistible; and if the South see proper to
support him, with a full knowledge of all the
rrefragable proofs sustaining those facts, let
t shoulder the responsibility and do so. In
'ur position, it is our especial duty to expose
the truths in the premises, and we shall
continue to do so, irrespective of Democratic
and reputation, much as we es-
their good will and appreciation.
AS another link to the chain of proof allu-
ed to, we will refer to a circumstance con-
in the candid and well written letter of
Foss, on the first page. When the New {
BOSTON explosion took place, the Democratic c
ress denied with triumph that PIERCE could
ave used the language attributed to him, as {
e was speaking in opposition to ATWOOD, the c
ocular Democratic nominee for Governor, who S
redicated his strength upon his bitter opposi- .
on to the Fugitive Slave Law. But what
oes Mr.. Foss tell US in the straight forward
lyle of his letter? He gives us to understand
lat PIERCE had opposed ATWOOD Tin his No. P
speech doubtless) whose principles, =
owever, triumphed; but another election COM .
g on, various leaders were appointed to speak d
nth special reference to the Fugitive Slave t
and New Boston was assigned to General !.
1ERcE, and so satisfied were the people of II
ew Boston that the speaker was as much OPP i,
,sed to that law as they were, that they poIled n
strong a vote against ATWOOD as they had O
e year previous polled for him. This circum- +
ance proves Gen. PIERCE to be a man Of po- Ia
y, of little political honesty, and less politi- II
] irmness. n
To conclude our inquiry-What constitutes e,
ogf? we annex below a letter from Colonel b
AYNEs, addressed to the Washington Repub- &c
, denying the assertion that he had been sent
the Pittsburgh Free Soil Convention by
Wings. 1t speaks for itself:
the Editor Of The Washington Republic: &c,
SrR-Permit me to contradict a vile report, III
W going the rounds of the newspapers, to the -
ect that was sent to Pittsburgh through the 81
yt,an.a and - tho oa,,o - Al. L. u-.~zz ar