Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1854-08-17

cedents, and are shrewedly insisting that if
an alliance effectual is to be formed, whiggerv
must. be an unseen element-that political
temperance, nativeism, or abolitionism may
triumph, but whiggery never. They think it
an unpropltious time to JOIN that disintegrated
party.
Yet reduced to such hopeless position these
leaders manifest willingness to fall in with
every wind of doctrine" that may promise to
result in temporary success Hence we find
them ready TO tamper with sectarian preiudices
to excite one sect of protesting christians
against another-to array one class of citizens
against another-to prostitute the cause Of tenn
perance and ;he sacred cause of education to
mere partizan ends-and to thus minister to the
worst passions that have ever enslaved the hu-
man heart and brought strife and contention
into the wOrld-to disregard the admonitions
teachings of George Washington, and trample
under foot the obligations to the constitution of
our common country. And all this they do to
promote no great end of public policy, but to
gain political power.
Mr. Webster predicted on his dying couch
and sent the prediction to his friend RufusCho-
ate, that after 1892 thewhig party would exist
only in history The facts we have detailed veri-
fy that prophecy. IF that great man and his
still greater compeer in craftsmanship, Henry
Clay, were permitted to return among US, they
would asseyerate that the present whigparty is
not that which they were accustomed to advise
and counsel. The respectable and hghtoned,
though often mistaken gentleman, who used TO
rally under the lead of these great statesmen,
would never condescend to such a humilating
dishonorable and anti-republican position,
as that now assumed by some of their former
political associates.
1t constitutes one branch of the present tao
tics of the opposition to the democracy to raise
q clamor about the supposed diversion of the
common school fund TO sectarian purposes
and this matter has not been deemed beneath
the dignity of anotice by the whig state cen
trail committee. We will give you, fellow-ci-
tizens, in answer to this charge of the opposit-
ion, a plain statement of facts and brief his
tory Of their own conduct on this school ques-
ton.
In 1886 when Joseph Ritner was govern
or, and both branches of the legislature were
composed Of majority Of wings, the common
school law was re-enacted, and a feature en-
grated thereon, a portion of the fund to en-
dowed schools, and also tc the schools of re-
hgious denominations on certain conditions,
which can be seen in all the school laws, as we
will detail from that time until a change was
made BY the law of the last session of the |
HeHGISI dSSGLID III 1CfI, hnGn w H. Il
Johnston was governor, and the legislature I
was composed Of majority of wings, the !
school law was again revised, and the feature
providing for distribution of the fund to re-
ligious sects was retained and the law was
approUed by the executive of the state. In the !
course of the last session of the legislature
when both branches were democratic, with a
democratic governor, the schoollaw was again
revised and re-cnacted, but all the sectarian /
features were stricken out. In the face of this |
record, showing that they, and they only. as
a party when IN power, have engratted this
feature on the system, they have the hardi-
hood 10 come before the public and attempt to |
make a false issue against the democratic par
ty on this question. Ranging demagogues at
tempted last winter to excite prejudice on the
subject and raise an alarm as to the action Ct !
the legislature, when not single petition Was |
presented asking for the measure, Ior a mo- /
ton made to that effect Comment is unneoes-
sary. We only ask, if the democracy be not
friendly to tie school system, how it comes
that It mas been so long cherished and per-
fected under democratic rule
The effects of our opponents to excite reli- |
gious preiudices against US is no new thing. -
You VIII all remember that when that good !
and pure man, Francis r. Skunk, was the |
democratic nominee for governor, the wings
attempted to raise a sectarian prejudice against
him. He was charged with submission to catho-
lie influence, and with traulPling upon the
American flag while walking in a catholic pro-
cession at Pittsburg But this shameless ex-
pedient failed, and DIr. Skunk was elected
and lived long enough to live down all these
slanderious accusations.
We need not reiterate the system of tactics |
adopted by the wings in the presidential CON
test of 1852, in which they courted the catho-
lies and foreigners with the same sincerity
that they had previously denounced and revil-
ed them And now, with foreigner on their
own ticket, they have the hardihood to change
their policy again, and have commenced to fan
the flames of prejudice against adopted citi-
zens, and those protesting certain religious
belief, whether native or foreign born, They
have attempted to create the impression that
every adopted citizen who happens to hold an
Office under a democratic administration, has
been selected because he was sueh-that every
man ofthe catholic faith was selected because
he was OF that sect. It is not for US to say why
the wings have so long continued Joseph Il.
/ Chandler, catholic, in important Offices, or
why they have nominated Mr.. Darsic, AN a.
/ dopted citizen, for canal commissioner-bu
/ we do say that the democratic party, treating
! all classes of citizens and al religious sects
\ alike, adhere to the constitution, and reward
men according to their merits and qualltlcat-
/ ions. Some catholics and adopted citizens, 1t
! is true, have been appointed 10 Office under
present state administration, and some of both
J these classes have been turned Out-but the
i religious views Of either the applicant or m
cumbent were not considered in any case. LII
= II was commended that too many MethOdIStS