The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-03-22
BOOTH AND RYEcRoFT.

BOOTH AND RYECRoFT
HUBBARD, TRUMBULL Co., OHIO,
February 5, 1855.
Your several epistles of the lst inst. 1 duly
received, and observe that s. M. Booth and
John Ryecroft have been fined and imprisoned
one in $1,000, the latter in $500.
Cannot the Free Democracy of the United
States do something in this matter, and relieve
them from paying this 81 200, by raising the
amount? If the Catholics of Ireland raised
over f20, 900, by what was termed the Catho
lic rent, at a penny per week, to obtain and
defend their rights during the struggle in the
British Parliament for Catholic Emancipation
the Free Democracy can raise this trifie. They
can do it, and more. 1t should be 5000, so
as to remunerate these men for their lost time
&c. IT this idea meets your views, let us hear
from you, stating how you think best to pro-
coed in the matter. In these hard times, it
may be thought there could not be much DONE
Let every man give what he can spare have
not much to give; if it should be but the wild
owls mite, who knows but there may be bless
ing with it? Yours, respectfully,
A Protestant FRESHMAN.
The Editors of the Independent, New York
city, have already announced their willingness
to receive and forward contributions in the
case alluded to. Our correspondent will please
send what he has to them.-Ed. Era.
MR. DOUGLAS wRoNG-ILINols RIGHT.
PRINCETON, BUREAU Co., ILLINOIS,
March T. 1855.
In recent number of your paper, speaking
of resolution introduced into the late Legisla-
ture of Illinois, which resolution required color
ed persons to produce certificates of freedom
before being allowed to travel on the cars, you
ask, "Did the old dynasty ever do anything
meanerH Let me correct the evident misap-
prehenson of the Era, by stating that the reso-
Democrat, and it did not pass the House. No
Republican or antiNebraska Wing or Democrat
voted for it. at least so / recollect it.
ItseemS to be a question with Senator Doug
las and with some rather nervous papers, wheth-
er the election of Mr.. Trumbull is to be attrib-
uted to Anti-Slavery or to what is termed Know
Nothipgism. If the latter element exerted any
influence in the Senatorial election, or in any
other matter before the Legislature | was igno-
rant of it. 1t is true, it might have been done
and l not know it, but / think / was as favora
bly, situated to know it as those thousand miles
off. We did not do ali that could be desired in
the cause of Freedom, but what we did do was
genuine. "Nec deus intersH, nisi nodus del
dignus," which means, being interpreted, do not
scare up the ghost of Know Nothingism when
there is no call for it. 1t would no doubt be
very pleasant, or at least desirable, for him, if
Senator Douglas could take home the "flatter
ing JUNCTION that it was not Anti-Savery that
defeated him. But he cannot escape in this
way. He will not be allowed to dodge the issue
He must meet the friends of Freedom opposed
to the Nebraska fraud, in the future great bat
tie in this State 1t is indeed possible that Know
Nothingism defeated Shields; but if SO, it was in
the ranks of the unterrifed Democracy, the fast
friends of Senator Douglas.
On the whole, think that the Era can be
comforted concerning Anti-Slavery in Illinois,
that it will still be loyal to the cause of Free
dom. OWEN LOYEJoY