The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-05-31
FROM CONNECTICUT.
WEST MERIpEN, Cow, May,

WEST MERDEN, Conn, May, 1855.
To the Editor of the National Era:
am much pleased with the general tone of
your remarks upon the American party, social
ed, and its relation to the great question before
which every other must sink into insignifcance.
Your central position seems to present unequal
led facilities for the requirement of correct
general knowledge of the political movements
in every part of the country. But a person
must be enainently weatherwise, nowadays, to
discern correctly the signs in the troubled sky
of our politics.
Your remarks on the late election in this
State, so extensively and so secretly be-wire-
pulled, are quite correct, and to the point. If
eminent party services-we should not say par
tn services, but services rendered to the over
whelming sentiments of community-are to be
paid in the coin which Governor Dutton has
received, we cannot but think that in future
there will be no such thing as false philanthro-
ply, and that all services rendered to humanity
henceforth will be entirely disinterested. AS
you know, he received but small fraction of
the votes which should have been cast for him.
Nothing was alleged against him. His name
appeared at the head of the Wing State ticket,
in the columns of the two prominent Wing pa
pers, the Palladium and Courant, but not a
word was said in favor of his claims to the GU
bernatorial chair. From the day of his nomi-
nation to this, his name has scarcely been men
toned by the Wing press. 1t seems incredible
that name entitled to so much gratitude
should so soon have slipped from the popular
memory. The paper first mentioned has always
been more remarkable for the tortuosity of its
course than for its ability. The principles of
its editor seem to be located in his pocket, and
he is gifted with the most delightful simplicity
in thinking that their proper place, or with the
most refreshing ignorance that it is their local
ity. He is an eleventh-hour politician, with an
eternal laundering after high places and pelf
He is now President of the Senate, and is said
to preside with as much grace as though "to
the manor born" / must, nevertheless, do him
the credit to say that he advocates, and with
apparent sincerity, the most Anti-Slavery prin-
ciples, though considerably oppressed with Jes-
uitism-that prevailing nightmare. 81.
The Wing party in the late election, by wire
pulling means, was almost entirely merged in
the Know Nothing organization. / suppose
our own town to be fair specimen of the whole
State. The nomination of the American party
was made privately, and kept secret; and at
the Wing caucus, shortly succeeding, its men,
bers appeared in such numbers as to force their
own choice on the uninitiated Wings. We rec
ommend this controlling the meetings of 9TH
ers-this novel and intensified manner of mind
ing ones own business, already so extensively
practiced-as truly and worthily american, and
deserving unioersal adoption.
1t is uncertain how far the new party in this
State win go, in its efforts to become national.
The other day, Governor Miner spoke approx
ingly, In conversation, of the Louisville Jour
nails proposition to eonciliate the North by the
modification of the Fugitive Slave Law, and
the Presidential nomination of some Southern
man like Sam Houston, whose actions, now
and then, have smaoked of Free-Soilism. /
cannot, and sOU not, think that Connecticut
| freemen will sanction such movement, or
] that the worthy Governor is the mouthpiece Of