The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1855-12-01
Old Friends-OuF Duty In the Next
presidential Contest.


old Friends Oar Duty In the Next
Presidential Contest.
FRANKLIN, Pa, Nov. 80, 1856.
A. HART, Esq.
Mr. OLD AND ESTEEMED FRIESD:-Your
paper has been received, and the article
marked, perused and reperused dozen
times. To oil your readers, save one. il is
without interest and of little importance-to
that one, TO me, 1t has a menAing. The
present yanishes. | am rejuvenated and the
scenes Of other days cluster around me-
"The smiles, the tears Of other years." the
friendships Of long ago are fresh as Of yes
terday. You and and all that were wont,
meet again, as friends, Ia the purity and
confidence of youth; the hopes, the aspiras
tions Of boyhood seem almost as rational
now as then, and it is hard to forget, that
"the real of to-day" does not correspond
to the ideal Of yesterday" How bright
then our day dreams! how exalted our stan
dards OF excellence! how anxious for the
great battle fields Of life! ..
1t is refreshing, to meet occasionally, o
fellow traveller plodding up and down this
'dreary world, after years of separation,
true 10 whatever he proiessed when first we
met. Years ago, when we used to discuss
political questions in our Lyccum, we were
democrats. And now, when SO many have
!gone wild after the countless isms from SEN
sualism to Know Nothingism, am re.
lofced. Sir, to find you unwavering in your
devotion to, and battling for the changeiess
truths OF the democratic creed, and welding
in the cause that mightiest oil weapons a.
gainst error, the Press: and am rejoiced.
too, to learn from the size and appearance
of your paper, that the people of Portage
Co., appreciate the value of q democratic
journal, and hope that their patriotism with
honesty, too, will anticipate its material
wants, and never permit its "shadow to
grow less"
There never was time in the history OF
American politics, when the Union demand-
ed Of its devotees more uRtireing efforts
than at the present. In less than year
the greatest conflict we have ever known
will come off: and that conflict will be be-
tween the conservative democracy on the
one hand, and the elements of darkness and
of anarchy on the other. All the discord
ant elements, that have ever been opposed
to democracy are preparing to fuze; they,
who have been enchanted by the melody Of
"the rich Irish brogue and the sweet Ger
man accent" have shown no loss delight
in the mysteries Of the dark lantern; the
Church burner of yesterday is ready to EN-
brace the spawnings Of foreign prision,
while he, whose eye-balls have started from
their sockets at the mere recital of the
wrongs of the Inquisition, only awaits fa-
vorable opportunity to worship at the shrine
ofSt. Peier,and for auglt we know, st. Pc
ter may be quite as willing to bow to Baai
Sambo and Samivel are found cheek by
jowl, and familiarly crossing their legs, agree
to forget and forgive the past. Tle defeat
of the democratic party is the great desder-
atum for which every other consideration
must be postponed: the hope of spois slim
ulating one. deep rooted prejudice, turned
to hate by defeat, another, and fanaticism,
third class OF opponents, we must expect a
bitter contest. The experience of the last
few years indicates to us very clearly the
kind of tricks which will be employed by
the opponents in this contest. Their "Plat-
FORM will resemble the responses of the
Delphic Oracle, in that it will be suscepti-
BILE Of any desired Interpretation, and may
not be departed from by any course of poll.
cy whatever. And we shall see its expoun.
ders handling it skillfully,and with it, eclip-
sing the kaleidoscope by the multiplicity Of
colors which they will produce in turning il
to suit particular localities. ..
With such a prospect before US, it is the
duty Of every Democrat to stand by his col
ors; for our defeat would not be the mere de-
feat Of a party, but virtual reputation by
the American people, of the Federal COM
pact. Let us, then, have our Armour buck.
led on, and bright, and resolve, as we have
a resolved before, that the Union of these
States MUST AND SHALL be preserved rs the
greatest good; and with the Constitution as
our watchword, and the great Buchanan us
our leader, victory will be ours.
In Pennsylvania we have given an earn.
est Of what we will do. A year ago oul
colors were trailing in the dust--this fall
the old Keystone is redeemed, and il oul
election could have been postponed one
week we should have left nothing for his ex.
ceilency, the X. N. Governor of this Com.
monweaith to do the coming winter, but
count his losses, and make Aid.de- Ca mp
with the rank Of 1t. Col. out OF what lit.
tie timber remains unappropriated to that
purpose--we should have had two thirds
majority in both houses of the Legislature
But must close by asking you to accept
my thanks for your kind wishes and remem.
brance, and the assurance Of my undimin.
ished regard.
G. HEYDRIcK.