The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1855-08-23
Pennsylvania Poiitics--Letter from VIM.
d. Reed, Esq.
To the Hon. n. G. Curtin, Chairman Of til
Hhig State Committee, Harrisbug.


a member of the State Committee, aud de-
sire 10 state the reasons which have led me
10 this conclusion. 1 am quite aware thai
these motives may have no interests either
to my laie colleagues or 10 The public, but
am not less satisfied that there is something
| in existing political relations calculated to ai-
i feet personal character. and which admonish
es every honorable man 10 be perfectly inge.
nuous and unreseryed as 10 what he does
In This communication | mean to be- so,
and shall be very glad, If am in error on
any matter of fact that you will correct me.
was appointed member Of the State
Committee by The Wing Convention of 1854,
which nominated MIR. Pollock and MI. Dar-
sic. To us was confided the duty of promo
ting the success OF thai, ticket in its integrity
Mr. Darsie's success as much as Mr.. Pei
locks. We were bound in topor 10 do all
we could for both these gentlemen, and can
confidently assume that if any human being,
in or ou: of the Convention or the Commit
lee, had hin,td ihe idea that one oil these can
didales was to be sacrificed, il would have
been met b. a most indiguan: rebuke. There
was.not even an undercuIrent of intolerance
then. These were Whg nominations, en-
trusted to The honor of Whig Committee.
On receiving the intelligence of my ap-
pointment, Immediately wrote to the Presi-
dent of the Convention, begging, for personal
and official reasons, 10 be excused from ser
wing. Had dreamed of what has since oc.
cured, my withdrawal would have been per-
empory, and should have been spared of
the modification of seeing the party, with
which have acted for thirty years, endanger-
ed, if no; destroyed, by sinister and in
fluences which could not control and with
which might seem 10 be implicated. Yield
ing, however, 10 the urgency oi old and kind
friends, who seemed TO thipk might render
some service, consented 10 act. In ore re-
spect, and but one, (asids from the pleasant
personal association we have had, am glad
served. 1t enabled me, and in this my col
leagues of the COMMITTEE and our candidates
cordially co-operaied, TO aid in assuaging the
asperitles Of political conflict, and so 10 direct
the canvass of that little or no personal feel
ing mingled in ii. Sure am that no word
of personal reproach or unkindness 10 Gov
Bgler, or any individual member of the Dem
ocratic parry, emanated from the State Com
miuee. 1t was in this particular most dec
orous contest.
Having agreed 10 act, took, as you are
aware, my full share of duty, and attended
every meeting of The COMMITTEE, one of
which was held three hundred lilies from my
home.
You will excuse this recapi,ulat!on. 1t is
necessary 10 the illustration of The painful,
and in my judgment, most discreIitable Sc
quel 10 what was so propitiously begun. In
The winter and spring of 1854, Two incidents
of public interest occurred, which in my opin-
ion were attended with the worst consequent
ces-,he passage of the Consolidation Bill,
and the first election under it. To consolida
lion, in every form in which il was present.
ted, am no, proud 10 say | always was, and
yet am, resoluteIy opposed. The principle
was wrong and delusive-the detailsof the
measure, as has been abundanily proved,
were incongruous and imperfect-ihs ma
chinery rickerty-and the manner in which
it was forced on the public, no one ventu.
ring TO resist the spurious sentiment that was
most unfortunate. is sad results no ore now
questions. The most sangune enthusiast of
this great speculation can do no more than
hope for the very distant future. In The long
run, Ito use favorite phrase,) il may sue
ceed, bu, it will be very long run indeed, of
suffering and dishonor, and a social dsorgan-
izatou and imminent bankruptcy. Every
one OF these results has in point of fact al.
ready eEsued. A large municipality has been
created which thus FAR cannot manage itself
lis Legislature is a miniature Harrisburg,
translated to Philadelphia. The treasury is
bankrupt The credit OF the community has
been narrowly saved, so for as the payment
of mere funded Interest ls concerned, but is
PROSTATE in everything else. New loans are
fanliarly talked of. New taxes are ineviia-
Bile, and yetno one ventures TO propose them.
These affirm to be the corsequences-the
bitter and the natural fruits of this consolida-
tion scheme.
In May of last year occurred the first cleo
lion under the new system.
II was al this election that, for The frs, time
was developed new and mos, dangerous ell
enent OF political action, which has been run
ming short race of triumph ever since, but
which now, am happy 10 believe, is near
itsappropriale end. iofcoutse re fer to Know
Nothinglsm or secret Amercanism. How,
OF where, or exactly when il originated, no
one knows-at least, no one out OF lis Coun-
ellis, and, suspect, not very many OF them.
II is believed TO have had very impure ori-
gin out of this Stale, and TO have been lrans-
planted hi,her by hands already stained with
good many black political spots, 5aukrup,s
in fortune and character, spirits congenial 10
any devices of fraud that might under a
cloak of secrecy, be perpetrated with safety.
Such believe 10 have been its origin, though
am equally well satisfied that much person.
al respeciabiIty and honest though misd-
recled, sentiment has been infused in it since.
No matter, however, how or where it began,
the disease broke Out with great vrulence in
this city in the spring of 1854. Hundreds
and thousands Of sturdy Wings, who had