Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1854-04-12
For the Portage Sentinel.

For the Portage Sentinel
The Ohio Star has made its ninety-ninth and
last leap, leap into noncntty but not quite into
oblivion Its history we'll and truly written with
copious extracts from its columns to show all the
positions of all its editors and leaders would be
curiosity. Would not such book sell in our
book stores!
In the absence of such book let us trace q
short but true sketch of that noted paper:
The Ohio Star commenced its career, we be-
lieve, in December, 1929, Lewis L. Rice, Editor,
Cyrus Prentiss, Jonathan Sloan, Frederick Wads-
worth, William Frazer, David Mcintosh, and
perhaps few others were reputed to have bought
the Press and types and were supposed to lead the
movement. The object oc the paper, under Mr..
Rice's management, was to promote the cause OF
Political anti timasonry and its object was pursued
with much zeal about four years-though for a
portion of the first year its political object was dis
avowed. Masons and masonry were denounced
and abused without stint, and all who took the
part of Masons were more furously denounced
and stigmatized as Jacks--Jack Mason. Honest
Masons thought it prudent to stand back till the
gust was over. as they believed it surely would
not last long; and it did not. The election of
1880 went anti masonic in Portage county That
of 1891, partially SO, and 1892 went fully anti
masonic. The principal benefits of those elec-
tions were that Sloane was elected and reelected
to Congress, T. Wadsworth, Sheriff, and S. Fol-
iambe, Auditor. In 1888 the first Jackson Demo-
cratic full ticket was run in Portage, and resulted
in a total discontinue of political anti-masonry,
never to rise again by that name.
About the close of 1888, Laurin Dewey was in
stalled in place of Rice to preside over the Star.
1t was currently reported that Rice was turned
out for some free remarks he made touching the
conduct of the notorious Reverend Ephram X.
Avery, accused Of murder near Fall River, Mass
achusetts. Mr.. Dewey commenced as editor by
pledgng himself to uncompromising enmty and
opposition to Masonry; but the prospects of po.
litcal anti-masonry run so low in 1884, that they
determined to coalesce and cooperate, as party
with the Clay National Republicans, and crcum
stances altered the case with him and at the
Convention of the party for nominations in the
full of 1894 Laurn Dewey arose from his sea-
and nominated Agustus Baldwin, a royal arch
mason, of Hudson, now Summit county, as
candidate for the Legislature. That sealed the
lips of the antics about Masonry, but the Star was
now fully installed, as the organ of the Nationa
Republican party, and carried nearly all the An
ties with il. Some however would not follow the
lead.
The Star had prepared the way for that movement
in 1882, by abundant denuncatons or General
Jackson, for his veto of the United States Bank
and afterwards for his removal of the deposites o
the yublic money from that Bank, in anticipation
of its dissolution, and also when, in anticipation oil
of the suspension of specie payments by the
banks, he issued his spe Gle circular to stop the
receipt Of paper money in the Land office for
lands, the Ohio Star, was loud as any other, in
its denunciations Of what they termed an act
of "atrocious tyranny" But those acts saved
the Public lands and altogether relieved the gov
erDment from the control of the great money
power, which its friends believed absolutely nee.
essary to carry on the financial affairs of Govern
mcnt and equalize the exchanges; but now, even
Greeley's paper, the New York Tribune, admits
that the exchanges are better than ever they were
under the influence and management Of the U. s.
Bunk.
And those measures OF General Jackson's Ad.
mihistration, and the later one of Van Buren's
who "walked in the footsteps" the Independent
Treasury, were denounced with as much bitter
ness in the Star, and if possible more than the
Nebraska bill is now. Indeed no language is or
paper to use, toward Democratic opponents, and
their measures, all of which measures, up to the
present one, have proved most beneficial to the
country. MORE ANON.