davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1854-10-04
which Party is Sectional.

A few evenings since Mr.. LETTER and ..
P. Brown labored long time, to prove that
Fusionists were national. and Democrats
were sectional in their views.
But short time ago, the New York Iri-
hume and other leading fusion presses openly
advocated the dissolution of the Union. Will
o. P. Brown or Mr.. LETTER tell US wheth-
er this was national movement!
Every Fusion paper within our acquain-
tance has advocated Union at the North,
to make war on the South. Is this nation
al movement! Every article Of theirs is
full of denunciation against the South, and
their whole aim is to prejudice the people
here against their Southern brethren. Is
this a national movement! No! Every act,
every Convention, every meeting of the Flu
sion party, shows them to be sectional and
narrow-minded in their principles and policy.
We have frequently asserted, and we
again do it, that the Democratic party is and
ever has been the national party Of the coun.
try. The Democrats of Portage county are
national in the principles which they advo
cate.
The following resolutions passed at oul
late county Convention, show where We
stand upon this subject:
Resolued, That we regard the constitution
OF the United States as the safeguard of ou
liberties, and our greatest security for ma
tional prosperity and advancement, and Wi
hold ourselves sacredly bound to respect an'
comply with its provisions at all times ant
under all circumstances.
Resolued, That we will stand by the Un
ion; that we will resist ell attempts to form
parties based upon Sectional views an
bounded by geographical lines, as dangerou
to the best interests of the people, and W
believe that the only guarantee we have TO
perpetuity df the Union,is in adhering to, an
acting with the Democratic organization Q
the country. r s$e ID Id -
! Is there anything very sectional in thes
resolutions! The next time Q. P. Brow
takes our paper as a text to preach from, W
hope he will read them to bis audience
They are planks in the platform upon whic
the DEMOCRATS of Portage county stand.-
How utterly absurd the attempt to prov
that we are sectional in our views and dos
trines.E "a. ri bia 81 E2saU 1rG gF4agl be-
The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1854-10-04

tnb,n "Beer Barrel in the morning, and o
Barrel of Beer in the evening"" We are
credibly informed, and have no doubt OF its
truth, that last spring. when Mr.. LETrRR
was a candidate for Mayor, he agreed not
to hinder the sale Of liquor and beer, during
the three days Of the German Glee Clubs
festival, one Of which days was the SGbodth.
In view of all these things, we say we are
surprised to learn, that MIR. LETTER claims,
in the Counties of Portage and Summit, to
be Maine Law Temperance man, especial
ly, when here, where he is at home, all par
ties have always regarded him, and still re-
gard him, as the opponent of all measures Of
that kind.
DANIEL GOTSHALL, ''s
P.W. p. and Past Dep. Gr. w. P.
D. H. HARMON, t sa.e-- -,
P. w. p. and Past Dep, CIR, w. P.
Canton, October 3, 1854.
We have been furnished with additional
evidence but the foregoing certificates are
sufficient. They need no comment, II
Temperance men are honest when they
pledge themse Ives to vote for no one who is
not in favor of the Maine law, they will re-
fuse to support Mr.. LETTER no matter what
their views may be upon other questions.
But il is said that there are some among
the Democrats who drink occasionally, and
ICE have no right to charge Fusionists, with
their temperance principles.
We haze right to point out the inconsistent
cies of our opponents at any time. AS for
the Democratic party it has never made
temperance an issue-has never made any
pledges upon the subject, but each man in its
ranks is left to enjoy his own opinion upon
this, as we'll as other kindred subjects. Not
so however with the Fusion party. Its men,
bers stand solemnly pLedged,t to vote for no man
who is not in favcr of prohibtory law, and
their dishonesty and Inconsistency lies in the
fact they are now willing to break that
pledge for the sake of the spoils of Office.
The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1854-10-04
The Temperance Party and d. F.
Letter.

The Fusion party was the temperance par
ty last fall. They pledged themselves by
resolution after resolution, never to vote for
a man for any Office unless he was in favor
OF prohibitory law similar to the "Maine
Law" Our readers all remember this, but
to show clearly by their own documents
what their position was, we give the follow
ing extract:
LYMAN w. HALL in exhorting the friends
of temperance to persevere in their efforts
to carry the election last all, uses the fol-
lowing language:-"Let meetings be held
in every township, let speeches be made, let
prayers be uttered, let sermons be preached,
let all that good men and devoted women
can do in this good cause, be done, Ohio
Star, Sept. %, 1853.
At meeting Of the Temperance Alli-
ance Oct. 6, 1853, J. s. HERRIcK, as Chair
man Of committee on resolutions, offered
the following which was adopted:
"RcsoLred, That the true issue before us,
is grog or no grog-intemperance or sobrie-
ty-Mane Law or no Maine Law, and that
we will meet the crisis with fearless and
unfaltering purpose" &c.
After the election they still continued to
make temperance the issue. Hear Mr.. HALL:
"Let the temperance friends stand by their
arms. We must again give battle to the
monster, and ne'er again give over till the
curse of rum is wiped OHt from our county and
the land.'- Ohio Star, Oct. ~, 1853.
Again: "Let freedom and temperance be
unalterably inscribed upon our banner.
O. Star, Oct. l9, 1858.
At mass temperance Convention held
in Ravenna, after the election, at which o..
p. Brown and LYMAN w. HALL figured as
important characters, the following resolu-
tions were adopted:
Resolued, That our energies be directed to
keep The temperance question before the people,
till all are willing to admit the necessity oi
adopting measures of prohibition similar to
those embodied in the maine Law"
Resolved, That we pledge ourselves as cit.
izens, to make the temperance question the
PRIMARY QUESTION IN ALL OUR POLITICAL AC-
TIoN, and that hereafter, at all coming elec-
tions we will vote for no man, but such AS
ARE PLEDGED TO THE SUPPORT OF PRoHIBI-
TORY LAW, until success shall crown our ef-
forts, and our beloved State is freed from
the curse of rum"
This is the position of the fusion party
upon the temperance question. Could they
have made any stronger pledges! But what
has been their course in the present contest!
Have they, and are they carrying out these
pledges! No. They have violated their
pledge-broken their faith, and are now
using all their efforts to elect B. F. LETTER
to Congress, who is known to be man no
toriousy tntsmperate and abandoned! Dare
they deny it! We can overwhelm them
with evidence which no man will question:
We give few items of proof which will
be amply sufficient:
The following is the certificate Of Hon. ].
H. L. SCOTT one of the present representa-
tives of Stark county in the Ohio Legisla'
ture. He is we'll known in Portage as a
friend of Education, having taught in Roots
town. He is to be one of the Instructors al
the coming Teachers Institute in this place
The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1854-10-04
! { 6 { {
New BALTIMORE, Stark Co., o.
Sept. 26, 1854.

.
Having been reliably informed that B. F.
LETTER is attempting to palm himself off as
"Maine Law Man." very temperate and pi-
Gus, hereby certify, that said LETTER has
the reputation OF being constant drinker
and visitor of groceries and drinking saloons,
and / have repeatedly seen him drinking
both in Canton and at Columbus--at the lat
ter place he has the reputation Of being one
of the best Judges Of liquor in the State!
As to his "piety," kao,o him to be most
profane swearer, and hare seen him GAM
BLING at a faro tank in Columbus. He
told me last spring that he had spent some
two hundred dollars by his frequent visits to
the capital during the winter; but he did not
care for that: He "could make it all up in
one night" did not ask him how, but un-
derstood him to mean by gambling.
J. H. L. SCOTT.
We also append the certificate of DANIEL
GorsHALL and D. H. HARMON, Esqrs., men,
bers and officers Of the organization of "Tem-
piers" in Canton. ....-
We. whose names are hereto subscribed
have learned with surprise, that B. F. Letter
ESQ.,, of Canton, and his friends for him
! claim, in their electioEeering operations in
Portage and Summit counties, that Mr.
LETTER is warm friend of Temperance
Maine Law man---and never was any thln9
else. We have been, and are Temperance
men, and our surprise arises from the facts
) within our knowledge, that Mr.. LEIrER, al
ways, here at home, ridiculed us on account
. of our principles, and opposed us, because
those principles carried out, would deprive
him of one Of his strongest and most reliable
; means OF eIectioneering. In 1851, wher
!. the new Constitution of Ohio was before thu
people for adoption, Mr.. B. F. LETTER tool
the field against the Temperance clause
> and in all parts of the county, he proclaime,
s his adherence to the old license system
5 During the election campaigns ofl84S, l84!
and 1850, when Mr.. LETTER was candi
date on the democratic ticket, in Stark coun
ty. for seat in the State Legislature, b
not only would give no pledges to favor
more stringent Liquor Law; but sccfed 9
/. the friends Of the measure for desiring one
During those campaigns, he was, for the pc
sition Re occupied on thatsubject, opposed B
the Tempersnce men generally, and hy Mi
. CHANCE, the aOld Droad-Axe PARTICULAR y
Il = - . ...-a
The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1854-10-04
John HI. EAlippart and the Trans
CriDt.

We are surprised to see the Canton Trans
cript come out in favor of Mr.. LETTER and
against Mr.. SPALDING. Mr.. KLIpPART at
tended the Democratic Convention at Alli-
ance, and while there labored hard, to pro-
cure the nomination Of certain gentleman
of Stark county, and assigned as reason
for it, that he Danted to beat LETTER. He al
so stated in substance that he regarded Mr.
Letter as corrupt, bad mana demagogue,
and man unworthy Of public confidence
He now turns around and defends this same
corrupt man LETTER. We cannot account
for such conduct. We had before supposed
him to be an honest man. Some say, that
LETTER has bought him up by taking one
hundred copies of his paper. We can hard
ly believe this, but if it is true he has certain
ly sold himself to the highest bidder, for no
Democrat would give any thing for him or
the influence of his paper, after such an Ut
ter disregard of good faith and moral princi-
Dle
The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1854-10-04
Do,ablc---DeaIing.

Mr. LETTER takes different position up
on the Nebraska question in nearly every
speech he makes.
At Rootstown, he labored hard to con-
vince the people, that slavery, never would
90 into the territories, of Nebraska and Kan.
sas; at Ravenna, he labored fully as long
and earnestly, to prove that slavery poald
be established in these territories.
What a pity, HALL & Co., failed to give
him instruction, before he went to Roots
town. 1t would have saved him, one politi-
cal somerset at least.
The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1854-10-04
BEAR IN MIND,
Dare NOT Answer.

Week before last, we, in our paper re.
quested JOHN s. HERR1cK one of the Fusion
Editors of this town, to state whether or not,
he was in favor of the Wing Baltimore plat
form of 1862. We expected that he would
have candor enough to answer us, but in this
we were mistaken. He dare not say word.
He has sold himself and his principles over
to HALL g. WADswoRTH, and is now theiI
chattel. They own him; he is their tool, and
what right has he too speak a
The Wing Baltimore platform and the
Pittsburgh Free Soil platform are as wide
part as the poles. Yet HALL q HERRIcE
the advocates of these respective platforms
are now members Of the same firm. There
has been total sacrifice Of principle on one
side or the other. Which is it! They dare
not tell us. Why don't you speak gentle
man Are you afraid arag r
The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1854-10-04
O. p. Brown ana the scutinel.

0. P. Brown in his speech last Friday
evening, spent nearly his whole time in rid
icul;ng articles which appeared last week in
the Sentinel, and in abusing US. No epithet
seeming to be vile enough to satisfy his de-
sire for slander, We certainly felt fattered,
for there are some men whose abuse is an
an honor. We began to think that our
humble paper was doing some good for De-
mocracy. Mr.. BRowN is certainly of the
opinion that it is doing the Fusion cause in
jury, or he would not take so much pains to
counteract its influence. t-..-...
The most cowardly part of his speech,
was that wherein he charged that the edito-
rials of the Sentinel were written by some
body else, other than ourselves.
Now we wish it distinctly understood, that
we are the sole conductors of this paper, and
are williag to be held strictly responsible for
every word and line which appears in its ed
itorial columns. Whatever of merit or de-
merit belongs to il, is wholly chargeable to
US. II therefore o. p. BKowN or any other
man finds anything displeasing in the Senti-
mel, let him come to US; if he can prove us
to be wrong, we will correct our error
We are. willing to defend the doctrines
which we hold; we are capable of proving
whatever we state as fact. We are desir-
Gus that our opponent should call our course
in question, for it oftentimes furnishes an
opportunity for introducing evidence which
we were before diffident about doing. Ia
We are comparative strangers. here, and
Mr.. Browns design undoubtedly was. tc
crush US, or at least cripple our influence be.
fore time was allowed us to establish char.
acter for ourselves. This he cannot do, i
we are rightly informed by the citizens O.
Ravennu, he has not sufficient weight O.
principle to iniure any man. Demagoguism
is plainly an element Of his character, land ht
will be compelled to wipe out many incon
sistencies in his past political conduct, be-
fore he can hope for influence in the com
y
munity where he resides, ei,d M e.a Il
MIR. BRowE formerly lived in Geauga coun
ty. While there, he was first Democrat,bu
there being no chance Tor Office as such, h
joined the Wings; here he was again dis
appointed; be then went over to the Fre'
Soilers only again to be beaten. Having
forfeited the confidence Of all three Of thes
parties he cleft that county in, disgust.
What loss it must have been to the peoPl
Of Geauga county, What pity they di
not appreciate his brilliant talents and pur
character! He now claims to belong to p
party, and we suppose as a consequence
ready, to hire himself .out to those men VIII
\ will pay the highest price for his services.
The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1854-10-04

The Democrat continues to circulate the
charge that Mr.. SpALDTNG is palming him
self off as a Catholic. Such lying SLAM
der needs no contradiction in this county.
Mr.. SPALDING is we'll known here. He is
in favor Of Religious freedom whether it be
Catholicism or Professionalism. He panders
to no religious sect-he is pledged to no reli-
gious creed, so far as his political action is
concerned. .r#
The course pursued by the Democrat to-
wards Mr. SpALDING upon this subject is un-
fair and dishonorable. ......
The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1854-10-04
Friends. Turn owt! Turn QUIT!

Friends, Turn ONt! Turn out
And don't fail to see your honest but care
less and lukewarm friends and neighbors,
and have them go to the polls with you.-
WORK WITH THE INDIFFERENT,
AND DON'T FORGET THE IMPORT
ANCE OF ONE VOTE. 81.
ONE VOTE MAY DECIDE THE CON.
TEST. Let every Democratic vote be
brought to the polls. ORGANIZE, Or
GANIZE and remember that "vIGILAxcE
Is THE PRICE OF LIBERTY" "a.
The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1854-10-04
OuR Candidates.

1t is not an uncommon thing just before
election, for our opponents to circulate
false and malicious statements in regard to
the Democratic candidates. They are doing
this now, in different parts Of the county and
district. We do not think they will be be-
lieved in many instances, for the great mass
OF the Democratic party are too well &C
quainted with Fusion falsehoods to pay any
regard to them.
The candidates are generally known
They are good men, all of them.
OF Mr.. SPALDING we have SO frequently
spoken, that we need add nothing more at
this time. He has already served the peo-
pie of this county with honor to himself,
and satisfaction to them. His honesty, and
capacity, have been tried and not found want
ing. In political principles he is firm and
reliable Democrat, warmly attached to the
constitution, and If elected Gas he will beg
the cause of equal rights, free homes, and
all those great measures tending to develope
the resources of the country and advance the
interest of our citizens, viii find in him
true and faithful representative.
BENJAMIN F. HOPKINS our candidate for
Probate Judge, is man every way fully
competentto to discharge the duties of that Of
fce. He is possessed of sterling integrity.
of sound and discriminating judgement
s.id has been for the last twenty years famil.
lar with the laws regulating the settlemen
of estates, and other matters which mus
= frequently. come before the Probate Judge
He will discharge the duties of the ofic
with fidelity and ability.
HORACE M. CLARK the candidate for Cler
g of the Court, has been for the last thre
years Deputy Clerk under Mr.. SPALDrNe.-
All who have had business in the Clerk
. ONCE will bear testimony TO his efficienc
5 as an officer. By the three years practic
which he has had, he has become much be
ter qualified, than any one can be, who
nnacapsinted with the business Of the Q
Gce.
JosEPH Looms the candidate for Audito
is well known throughout the county. He
6rm and reliable Democrat; as busine,
man. he Is courteous, honest, and faithful
He has the confidence of his fellow either
ef Ill parties, and will be elected by .
overwhelming majority. a
vALEsTrEE HEyDE the candidate for She
if. Is : man Of super 10. qualification for d
plses Honest and sHergetit, he will pc
form the duiies Of that impoEtaHt oaies
The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1854-10-04
Beware of Fraudulent
Tickets!
Read Before you Vote.

We caution the voters of this county to
be cautious at the coming election, about
their tickets, because we are satisfied that ev-
cry means that trickery, deception and dis
honesty can devise, will be resorted to by
the Fusonists, to defeat the regular nomi-
nees of the Democratic party. Every spe-
cies Of ticket will be printed, and every
means taken to deceive the voters Of the
county and defeat the popular will.
VoTE NO TICKET BEFORE YOU HAVE READ
1T OVER CAREFULLY.
The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1854-10-04
q. n - y ~
RNOrll1CIkS.t

Its the custom o. our spoil-seeking op-
ponents, to circulate falsehoods about our
candidates, just upon the eve Of every elec-
tion. Democrats should beware of these.
We presume they will issue an . ..extra" on
Monday, filed with nsisrepreseatations. They
know that we have no time, to answer thems
and.s and as consequence, they can misreprei
sent and falsifywith impuRitty, al. /
The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1854-10-04

Mr.. LETTER in his speech at Aurora, d
few evenings since, distinctly declared him
self to be opposed to the restoration Of the
Missouri Compromise" What do our Fu-
sion brothers think Of thsts They ought
70 get their candidate, on to the platform,
before they send him, around the county,
TO defend Il.
The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1854-10-04
Keepit before the People

HALF A MILLION OF THE STATE
DEBT PAID WITHIN NINE MONTHS.
The tax payer should remember when he
comes to vote, that within the last nine
months over HALF A MILLION DOLLARS in
Ohio State Stocks have been cancelled.-
Thus is liquidated under Democratic State
Administration, debt, the mere interest OF
which, was costing the people of Ohio more
than THIRTY THOUSAND DOLLARS PER ANNUM.
The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1854-10-04
Democratic County Ticket.
Democratic Meeting

GA Democratic meeting, will be held in
township OF Streetsborough, in this county,
Friday evening, Oct. 9th. Turn out men of
all parties.
The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1854-10-04
The Fusi0nists the Advocates Of
Religions Persecution.

sRemember that the issue in this Con-
gressional district is Slavery and Popery
against Freedom and ProtestGHtism.--POr-
tgge Democrat.
The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1854-10-04
Bear ia Mind,

That the Portage County Branch Bank of
Ohio, and the Life Insurance and Trust Com
pany are now indebted to Portage county
for State and county taxes, EIGHT THOUS-
AND EIGHT HUNDRED AND THIRTY
DOLLARS, which they refuse to pay, and
that the Fusionists are in favor of eremptiEg
them from the payment of this tax which is
justly due.
BEAR IN MIND,
That LYMAN w. HALL, while Editor of the
Ohio Star, and JOHN S. HERRICK while Ed
itor of the Portage County Wig, both de-
clared themselves opposed to the law which
taxes Banks and that they are still opposed
te equal taxation.
BEAR IN MIND,
That if the Fusionists succeed to power in
this State the Banks will be erenfpted from
the payment of the above amount as we'll as
all future taxes which may be assessed against
them under the law.
BEAR I'm MIMI,
That If the Banks were compelled to "fork
over" this amount of EIGHT THOUSAND
EIGHT HUNDRED AND THIRTY DOL
LARS which has been levied against them,
and which they refuse to pay, the taxes
which are levied upon the unprivileged peo-
pie would be lcssened to correspond ing
amount
BEAR IN MIND,
That Mr.. LETTER is opposed to religious tol.
eration-opposed to the right Of the people
to govern themselves-opposed to equal tax
alton and equal laws--in favor of sectional
parties, and by building up these, woult
overthrow the government. @ "
..,.. BEAR IN MIND,
That Mr.. SPALDING is in favor Of religious
toleration--in favor of the right of the peo
pie to gove,n n themselves-in favor OF usin,
all constitutional means to prevent SLAYER.
from going into territories now free-in ia
vor of equal taxation and equal privileges
in favor of granting homes to actual settler
lin favor of preserving the constitution an
the Union, and that if elected to Congress
he will use all his influence to promote thes
great ends of our government.
The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1854-10-04
J. OLDFIELD, F'.
r. HI. MCCALL, ai
PETER DESHONG,
G. S. BEATTY, (Fusion Whig.1

4. G. s. BEATTY, (Fusion Whig)
The above certificate would have appeared
last week, but for the fact, that the friends
Of Mr.. Letter assured me that the editor Of
the Repository would make the correction in
his last weeks issue. These are the names
Of few Of the gentlemen who heard Mr..
Letters acknowledgment of the facts con-
tanned in their certificate.
80 4aa sa,'" H. P. DUNBAR.
The above certificate shows in what man.
ner Mr.. LETTER regards the Sc men who be-
long to the Wing party, or who entertain
Wing sentiments; and yet be now expects
to be elected in part by Wing votes.
Will Wings vote for him! Will they
sustain the man who denounces them! Are
they ready to throw away all their former
principles and use their influence for the
election Of a man who has fought against
them all his life Perhaps there may be
some who will do it, but in our Judgment ma
ny of them would far rather vote for con-
sistent man of any party. than for an incon-
sistent and corrupt demagogue, such as B. F.
LETTER has shown himself to be. ..
The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1854-10-04

6-A Young man fSS hal named John Moore II was vas
murdered near wheeling Oh Thursday night
by some unknown person,