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

@3StS d IAe hotS "aasessSA by NiU 10 tnat con-
~yention. Read it:
"Io the Delegates composing the Convention:
u respectfully decline having my name
brought before this convention for any office
in the parish" JOSEPH Fl. ERWIN"
This announcement | find only chronicled in
the Southern Sentinel. In the Gazette it is
omitted entirely, and it is made to appear in the
report of the proceedings of the convention,
as published in that paper, that Mr.. Erwin was
fairly put in nomination. Why was this omit.
ted, Mr.. Editor. in your papera And why were
the proceedings, as recorded by you, so distor-
ted to the prejudice of Mr.. Erwin! This has
a smell as of Something rotten in Denmark
After this, | am surprised that the Democra.
tic Central Committee should have addressed
Mr.. Erwin the letter which they did. What
did they have to do with him! Why did they
address him, proposing to hold another con.
vention for his benefit, and subject to his OPP
ton, when he had refused to have his name
brought before the first onee IL Mr.. Erwin
had submitted to that Convention, then it
would have been perfectly proper. But after
he had refused to allow his name to 60 before
the convention, was not the Indictment of such
q letter a virtual concession on the part of the
committee that illiberal influences had been
thrown out prior to the formation of the con-
~vention, and that by thus offering him another
they were willing to indemnify him for the in
Justice of which he had been the victim! 1t
certainly does appear so to me.
But Mr.. Erwin, with the good sense and
judgement which might have been expected of
him, resolutely declined tie offer. And now,
because he has assumed a position that every
individual on that committee itself would, un-
der similar circumstances, probably have as
sumed, he is abused and viliied for it. But he
is able to stand it all. Conscious rectitude is
more powerful to sustain and uphold than all
the adventurous aids that can be thrown
around US.
And now, Mr.. Editor, with one or two OBJ
servations on some articles which have recently
appeared in your paper over the signature of
H'The people," | will close this communication.
The first charge thus brought against Mr.. Err
win, is arrayed in the following words: SNOW,
surely, there is no consistent Democrat who
can doubt for a moment the aohiggish propen-
sites of Mr.. Erwin" Well, pray, what are the
premises from which this bold inference is de-
duced! Why, the writer of those articles, in
his second letter, tells us he had thought that
Mr.. Erwin would retreat from the contest at
ter having, once at least, done violence to his
feelings, and incurred the displeasure of his
party-and because he has not retreated, there
fore he must be q whig. This is a species of
reasoning that | must confess is altogether too
profound for my limited capacities to compre-
bend. In the first place, he sets out with a
sweeping postulate that | cannot by any means
admit, viz: that she has done violence to his
principles, and incurred the displeasure of his
party" Will that correspondent be SO kind
as 10 inform us in what way MIR. Erwin has
done violence to his principles? / suppose he
alIudes to the note published by him the 2sth
day of May last, on which we have already
freely commented. / suppose he considers that
note a positive declaration that he would not
under any circumstances run, unless he were
the regular nominee. And now that he has
come out as an independent candidate, | sup
pose he considers Mr.. Erwin as having viola
lated his promise. Mr.. Erwin never declared,
81 will never run, | will never allow myself to
be brought out, save as the nominee OF the
convention" He never made any such pro-
mise. How then can he be considered as hav'
ing violated a promise which he never made.
But again. How has Mr.. Erwin done vio-
lenee to his principles? Has he violated his
principles by refusing to be the dupe and foot
ball OF an arbitrary few? Did he, violate his
principles by withdrawing. his name from the
convention I'LL view Vi LLS ugly IaCbo HhsCh hou
been made known to him! Has he violated
his principles by adopting the bold, fearless,
manly and independent course which he is now
pursuinea On the contrary, if he had skunk
way from the contest, like a defeated cur,
would he not have disgraced himself and his
friends, and sacrificed every principle of self
respect and of honor! Would he not have
been equally despisei by his enemies and shun-
ned by his friends! But he is also accused of
having incurred the displeasure of his party
This, like wise, | cannot assent to. No doubt
he has invoked upon himself the dIsapproba-
ton and ennity of a few, but ! am satisfied a
large majority of the Democratic party, when
they come to understand the matter fairly and
see it in its true light, will approve Of his
course, as the only one he could have honora-
bly, pursued, although he may not receive a ma
jority Of their votes. | am the more inclined
to this conviction from what | have already
seen and heard myself.
Moreover, Icannot see how Mr.. Erwin could
have justlyincurred the displeasure Of the De-
mocratic partys.s according to your correspon,
dents assertion, when he says that he has been
linked with the Wings for two years. How
can you reconcile these two declarations Is
this not a palpable discrepancy Your cores
pondent not only accuses Mi. Erwin of having
been a y wing for at least two years, and of ha-
wing incurred the displeasure Of the Demoera.
tic party, a ridiculous Inconsistency, but he also
accuses him of being brought out by the
Wings.
This is false! II was owing to The advice
and solicitations of staunch members of the
Democracy that he concluded to allow his name
10 be brought forward. do not pretend 10
Aay that he was not sympathized with among
his personal wing friends, but | DO say, that It
was in compliance soih The aduice Of his Dem
ocratic Jrieads-true and good Democrats
that he gave his consent.
The last and unkindest cut-nay, more, the
most false and infamous charge of all brought
against Mr.. Erwin by your correspondent, is
that of PERJURY. This, Ar. Editor, is SO serious
an accusation, that ] am utterly at a loss how
To cnmnnent ON tt shall therefore, mass over