Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1853-08-20
About Local Candidates.


About Local Candidates.
We do say emphatieally-howeyer much the
assertion and the principle may be antagonis-
tical to the views and the interests of some
that that man deserves high honor who will
not restrain the honest convictions of his mind,
but allow them to control him in casting his
vote for a candidate for a local office whom he
thinks deserves il, in consequence of his high
integrity, capacity and idelity--and for that
reason alone, irrespective of all Others.
We defy any one to take up a file of our
paper for the past five years, and point to any
paragraph where we have plead for the success
Of a candidate for a local Office upon any other
principle than the above. We have never to
our knowledge assisted, editoria,iy the aspira-
tons of any local candidate nor do we believe
lieve any one will ever accuse of so doing who
is disposed to treat US fairly; our newspaper
file, however, is our best advocate in this in
stance. Although we are willing to excuse
such fanatacism in others, we contradict the
assertion whenever and wherever made, that
we have ever alluded to the claims of a candi-
date for a local Office upon party grounds.
We doubt that there is more than one in
stance in our editorial course where we have
made any mention whatever Of the prospects
and claims of a local candidate, even upon the
ground of competency and fitness for the office
he sought. Upon one occasion only we men,
toned favorably the name of our present ad-
mirable sheriff, then a candidate for reelection
when the Wing party was in the ascendant,
and who was its nominee; but we did not call
upon the party to rally to his support; we
merely exercised our personal Partially in
speaking of his merits and his qualities, and
his peculiar adaptation for the Office of sheriff,
for reason of his many high and valuable cha
racteristics essential to the able performance
of the duties of that Office. We believed then
and we believe now, that when he retires from
office the people will lose a valuable officer,
and one whose equal for the post he has so
admirably filled for the last six years it will be
very difficult to find,
Whatever might have been our inclination,
it would have been highly indecorous, to say
the least, for a stranger just coming into the
parish-as we considered ourself for the first
two or three years Of our residence here--to
have recommended to the support Of the peo-
pie a local candidate Of whom we knew but
little, but whom they had known perhaps since
his boyhood. But five years. residence entitIe
US to be something more than a stranger-and
as the advocacy of local candidates seem now
to be the fashion and almost the only topic up
or the streets, we will be excused if we now
depart from the rule hitherto laid down in this
respect.
Allow US then-ye who are ever ready to
assail our motives and to malign our actions
for the first and perhaps the last occasion, ere
he lays down his pen as it may be and bids
adieu to his desk and his records-to speak a
few words in defence of an old man, of sterl.
ing integrity who has at last become the sub.
ject of partiaan hostility, as exemplifed by
gross and wanton attacks in public print. Let
US record the fact, not from our own know
ledge only, but from the knowledge and asser-
vations of scores of old and estimable citizens
of both parties, that not one single blemish of
inoompetency or neglect can be brought against
LOUIS PETtr for the long number of years he
has acted as Recorder of this parish; and if
the time has come that this old and faithful
public servant is to be removed through party
MISUNDERSTANDING that he has ever
kept aloof from polties--he will leave behind
him in the archives of his Office, monuments
Of integrity, vigilance and industry, which his
predecessor may strive in vain to emulate. He
has friends, hosts of friends, who wish him to
remain where he is, for the true interests of the
parish ; by them his name was announced with
out his knowledge; he can make no personal
efforts in his old age to secure an Office which
requires such unremitted care and attention if
its duties are faithfully discharged, but if elect
ed, will continue to serve the people as he has
ever served them-scrupulously careful in per.
forming the duties Of an Office which, of all
others, should be exempt from political feeling,
and the candidate for which should be voted
for upon no other principle than that of ahon-
esty, capacity and fidelity"
The Military Mavement-The New York
Journal Of Commerce learns from an authentic
source that two Of the four companies of the
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