Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1853-09-17

which then swayed his mind, afterwards when
this treatment was changed and these circum.
stances altered was not he justly right in alter.
ing his determination too? Unquestionably he
was, and no candid and impartial man will de-
ny it.. If, then, under this, the very worst in
terpretion which can be put upon his note, he
would have been blameless in pursuing the
course he has adopted, how can he be arraign-
ed for Inconsistency when he nerer declared that
he couldnot become an independent candidate1
On the / lth Of July the Democratic central
committee addressed Mr. Erwin letter through
your columns, in which they proposed to him
the holding of another convention, understand
ing that he was dissatisfied with the last. This
letter was addressed TO Mr. Erwin indiridualls,
and not to Mr. Rils, or Mr. Dupuy, and sub.
mitted to him alone the question whether it
should be a convention ofdelegates, or mass
meeting. The committee themselves thus made
the issue between Mr.. Erwin and Mr.. Aree.
neaux. Mr. Erwin replied in your next num~
ber, and, as became him, replied for himself
alone, inasmuch as their letter was addressed
to him. 1t would have been presumptuous in
him to have replied for Messrs. Rils and Du-
puy, without their names being coupled with
| his own, and without being authorized BY them
to do SO. And now what does Mr.. Erwin say
in his reply! You have honored it with a
lengthy analysis in your edition Of July 3oth,
but you certainly do not deal with it in a can
did and impartial manner. The distortions of
political trickery are very apparent.
will now endeavor to make brief review of
Mr.. Erwin's letter in connection with your an
alyss. He begins:
"Gentlemen, Ihaue receired your commun;ca.
tion u. acich you propose TO submit the claims Of
Mr.. Arceneaur and myself for the sherifaly TO,
of
this in your article, that it is an error That
the committee do not propose to submit the
claims of Mr.. Erwin and Mr.. Arceneaux alone
but the claims of all the candidates. Such, it
is true are the words, but evidently not the
spirit, else, why was not the communication
addressed to them all alike! what was the OBJ
ject of submitting the claims of the several can.
didates to new convention? Why, dissatisfac-
ton. Dissatisfaction Of whom? OF Mr. Rils
and Dir. Dnpuy? You say yourself that "Messrs.
Rils and Dupuy have not complained, that we
know of, of unfair usages." Now if they were
not unfairly used, how could they be dissats-
fed? and if not dissatisfied, what was the OBJ
ject of calling new convention for them? Mr..
Erwin is the only one alluded to as dissats-
fed, and as the proposition to call new con.
vention was in consequence of this dissatsfac-
ton, he is evidently the man for whom the pro-
position was specifically intended. .o.-.
"The proposition to call a new convention
was made, also, for the purpose Of preserving
the union and harmony Of the party" Who,
orwhat circumstances was it that threatened
"the union and harmony of The party?" Was
it Mr.. Rils or Mr.. Dnpuy, OF any circumstan-
ces connected with them? Think not. 1t was
name to be brought forward as an independent
candidate. There again the spirit of their let.
ter points directly to Mr.. Erwin. In d word,
it is very palpable that the committee, by the
mode of addressing their letter and the cir
cunstances attending 1t, make the issue them.
selves between Dir. Erwin and Mr.. Arceneanx
alone.
- Thai full justice acas not neted out 10 me BY
the last Conrention, aoas fully conceded" This
is the next clause you take up, and on which
you observe, "Mr. Erwin says that the com.
mittee concede injustice was done him. The
committee make no such concessions, and is
strangethat Mr.. Erwin should alledge that they
had" Here is an Interpretation which fear
will subject you to the same charge that you
have brought against Mr.. Erwin, to wit, that
he does not understand, the English language,
or is guilty of wful Misrepresentation. If
| understand Mr.. Erwin's letter, he is speaking
in generel terms and stating general facts,
which is frequently done in political letters-->
He says it is freely conceded byhis friends and
persons, is the-obyious interpreta-e
ten of that clause. as will Be seen BY noticing
the preceding sentence, in which he says, ,'syou
make this proposition, you say, to compensate
in the estimation Of (of whom? of the COM
nittee! No; of the convention itself? No; but
N the estimation of } my4tiiends, were denied
ne, &c" 1t is not to be presumed that, if the
or the convention had done Mr.. Err
win injustice, they would have acknowledged
t. They certainly would have bad more poll
ica sagacty than that. just on the heals8of
his, as if it were but condensed repetition
# the same idea, which take it to be, he uses
he language which you apply to the commit
ee-''that full justice was not meted out to
ne by the last convention, is fully conceded"
"The manner in which that convention was
onstituted," he continues, "and its proceed
ngs ON the day of meeting, have quite satisfi-
d me, and taught me not to rely upon anoth-
+" In reference to this you state, in your is
ne Of the 23d July, that Mr. Erwin Informs
be Democratic party that he cannot rely upon
S truth and justice" Mr.. Erwin brings no
uch charge against his party. He does not
retend 10 impeach its honesty. He does,how
yer, deprecate the influences which were
brown out prior to the selection Of Delegates
. that convention, and BY which those selecs
ons were more or less controlled There is
very wide difference between the general tone
nd character of the Democratic party, and the
artal and prejudiced clique that constituted
he late convention. But why am thus ana
ising his letter, and endeavoring to show that II
here are no such inconsistencies and fals~
barges as you would lead the Democrspsf.
upposes Why do not at once say, ,Bhren-
Irwin was wrong in speaking Of fioned or q
ion at all? He should not hagefer. He he M
lIsded to 1t in the least in bier. Did hs ~
othing to do with y ydelegation to -
uthorize the Crosse convention <tl'ssas
raw his name frop