Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1853-11-05

the public gaze and endeavor to excite the pre-
JUDGES Of the community against me, when |
was not Il candidate but a private individual
in no way connected with any pubIical Office,
I am unable to divine" This remark is gratu-
itous, and is merely made at random for the
purpose of exciting sympathy. Where did
Mr.. Erwin mention MIR. Robertson's name in
his pamphlet? No where. He alluded to GER
tain correspondents whose illusions had ap-
pcared in the organ" in as strong language
perhaps as they had hurled at him. If the as
serIions and language used by Mr.. Erwin were
not applicable to Mr.. Robertson, as one among
Others who were making combined efforts to
defeat him, why did he notice it? The world
generally supposes that there is son truth in
illusions, when an Individual takes them to
himself and makes a defence before the public.
Not is pa!pab'e on the very face Of that
document, that Mr.. Robertson's object in issu-
ing it was not to screen himself from any ami
madversions made by Mr.. Erwin in a general
way. TIE gentleman is 100 much of Il politi.
clan to have any feeling whatever respecting
charges made upon anonymous correspondents
or If he had, he has too much tact to display
that feeling before the public, unless there was
an urgent necessity for so doing. He wanted
4 cause to exercise his influence in a public
manner with the Democracy of IbervilIe, to
blast the public prospects Of a young man
! ,uIn h,ca. bic cunaasc r,,,np hic o,rp y,av;tc ,p1
his own industry. A glorious opportunity Of
fered. At the close of the canvass, when his
potent 'sign m~anual' might have its greatest
! effect, he assumes to be traduced by Mr.. Err
win rs a just reason for replication; and ha:-
ing been brought out at that moment (by
whom , as a candidate for the Legislature, he
embraces in his article against Mr.. Erwin all
the advantages-alI the influence-which such
Il position can weld. Here is an anomoly in
politics. Here is 4 step taken upon the throat
Of RepublicaniSm, which the people should
check before they are strangIed! A political
candidate "a candidate for the Legislature
whose popularity is 50 great as to know that
the mere mention of his name as a candidate is
sufficient to insure bis election, steps down
from 50 lofty an honor TO dictate Indirectly to
his party aud 10 the people, in a long article
over his signature, as to the person not worthy
Of their support,
Mr.. Robertson, in this pr0nunciament0 you
have taken Il dangerous leap; you are a lucky
man if your political career-opening so re-
splendentIy previous to this canvass-is not
! furnished n i fatal manner bv this e1traordi-
nary interference in a local eIection-the inter-
! ference Of a Legislative candidate.l VIII the
people sanction such bold, intrusive, immodest
intermeddling with a local election by one who
is himself a candidate for a political ofice?-
We believe there is too much intelligence and
true patriotism among the people to submit TO
such a high-handed act.
But we must bring this article to a Close
We have said far more than we intended when
we commenced, but not more than the case
justified. And as we have said comparatively
but little during the campaign--as in fact this
is the first instance where we conceived Mr..
Erwin required any defence from any one
we trust our readers will pardon the space
which we devote to the subject this last week.
A few more comments and we have done. Mr..
Robertson courts investigation into his politi~
cal character; we presume that he likewise in
vites criticism upon his political acts. We
have begun but not yet finished an unclouded
review of oae of the most dangerous political
acts that we have ever met with in our editori-
al career. Let the people weigh it well.
- IF Mr.. Robertson aIludes to the editor of
this paper Gas has previously been charged)
when, in speaking of Mr.. Erwin, and charging
him with vile conduct, he says, "This he has
done in a document to which he has afix-
ed his sign manual, but which he did not write
for know his exact caliber'--we will simply
say to the gentleman that he is mistaken if he
really thinks so. Joseph H. Erwin, sir, is the
author of that document" and no other per-
son. We had something to do with it, We ad-
NIT. We requested and advised Mr.. Erwin re-
peatedly not to publish it, as we conceived that
he was too well oWn--that his character as
a man, an officer, and a good and consistent
Democrat, was too well and favorahly known
to require any defence from his pen against the
reiterated attacks in the "organ." This was
our advice, given contrary to our pecuniary in
t~erests. AR. Erwin's reply was that bis feel
ings as well as his private and public character,
had been base|y trampled upon, and that he
was determined to have the article alluded to
published, if he had to 60 to New Orleans or
Baton Rouge to have it done that he would
rather have that publication 60 before his fell
low-citizens than to be Sheriff! And it did go
before his acknowledgements it teens with
proofs of a high-minded, honorable and talent
"A ro,tlom,p Mr. potcrtsnD miiptu riStook-