Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1856-08-09
AN APPEAL TO THE VOTERS OF
NORTHUMBERLAND. COUNTY.


aim and doctrines of the democratic party
have ever been, to vest all political power,
and bring it as nearly home, as possible, to the
people, who are supposed to be the best
judges Of their own rights and duties.
This doctrine, however just and unobjecton-
able to every true and Sba9sreAed ddmocrat'
is not always pal0abte tothe designing g.
whose principles of democracy, al sq
and modfs6 so as not to come in cd Ilct
with their thirst DwnDn0 constant
Such is the-presehtc0 the Dem
ocratic party in Mort land county.
Its organization is q c9D~blled by a few
designing men, who few years since set
out with a view of appinriating all the
Offices among themselves, and their especial
friends, to the utter exclusion of an outside
of the narrow and biggotted circle, in which
they move and reign supreme. grants, and
despotic rulers are ever ready to assign
excuses for their most despotic acts, and
thus it has been with the SO called standing
committee, in their aggressions upon the
rights of the democratic voters of this
county in attempting to bring them entirely
under the control and power of this secret
Inquisition, whose edicts directed to the
democracy of the different townships, re-
quiring them to surrender their rights in
selecting their own officers of the primary
elections, and tamely submit to the control of
fbo &c to1 hv too
as absolute as the DEGREES of an Eastern
despot, or the mandates of the Vatican.
Their excuse for this high handed outrage,
and the extra judicial test oath, with which
the agents of the committee insult every in
dependent democrat, who does not acknow-
ledge the supremacy of this corrupt oligar-
chy, is as absurd as their professions are hol-
low and insincere.
The pretence that it was necessary to guard
themselves against the Introduction of Know
Nothing voters, is best refuted by the fact.
that the leaders of this faction, have in mum.
Der of instances offered to barter away their
votes in opposition to the Democratic nomi-
nees, and at the last Senatorial election actu-
ally voted almost in body, for the Know
Nothing candidate, led on by their chief,
who stops at no sacrifice in his long continued
aspirations for seat in congress. These
charges are not founded on mere suspicion.
but have been acknowledged by their own Or
gan. the Sunbury Gazette. Such are the
men who set themselves up as leaders of the
| lamn ic Marty of this conntv
The test oath administered by the agents
of the committee, is not only immoral in its
character, but is no more binding in its obli-
gations than mere promise, and is only used
to brow-beat and insult those who have too
much manliness and independence to submit
to the dictates of o selfish secret cabal, sud-
denly sprung upon the people.
Are the independent democrats of this
county ready to surrender themselves into
the hands of a cabal, organised few years
since in this place for the purpose of control,
ling the elections and apportioning the off.
ces among themselves? Some of whom are
bankrupt in principle, and destitute Of the
requisite qualifications for the positions to
which they aspire, and whose only capital is
hereditary wealth and the spoils of Office.
Having failed to accomplish their selfish
designs. it was deemed necessary, a few years
since, to change the old and tine honored
system of electing delegates. The delegate
system was therefore abolished, and the peo-
pie we're called on to vote directly for their
candidates ; but they still had tie power of
electng their own onicers-and thus had
tions. and some say in the Convention in the
selection of the Standing Committee-the
appointment of Coniereej, Delegates, &c.
The leaders Of the caba rot feeling safe as
long as the people had anything to say in
their Conventions, resolved by one bold stroke
to deprive them of any representation in that
body. The chief of the cabal who had twice
failed in his aspirations for Congress had a
plant tool in the person of the Chairman
OF his Standing Committee, ready to carry
out any measure deemed necessary TO accom-
plish his purpose. Accordingly at the open
ing OF the campaign last year, appeared the
| '""'0uo Su'Ne VI tHo SoiIullttte, tuhlub away
from the people the right Of choosing their
officers and substituting individuals appoint
ed by the Committee, to conduct the cleo
tons, and to represent the Committee mot
the people, in Convention. The Judges be-
ing appointed by the Committee were, of
course, no longer responsible to the people,
but to the Committee who appointed them
Thus the Committee will be enabled to keep
themselves in Office forever
Another movement was to purchase up the
Newspapers Of the District, and where that
could not be done, to establish new ones, and
for this purpose this Congressional aspirant
has already expended in this and Schnylkll
Counties, about $4,000. Thus the Press,
which should reflect and speak the sentiments
of public opinion, is made the tool of design
ing politicians and used to coerce the people
into their own selfish measures.
A crisis has arrived when the democracy
OF Northumberland county must rise up in
their strength and throw off the shackels
that an irresponsible cabal are endeavoring to
actp md / Tnt l;,,