Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1858-04-03
EDfrORtAL coRREsPoNDENcE.
JOINS Horri., Philadelphia, |
March 30. 1853.

In looking over the last Sunbury Gazette,
perceived that the editor has taken exeep-
tions to our impressions" Of the I.ecomptos
Convention at Harrisburg, for II cannot, with
propriety, be called anything else. Having
been at New York last week. aud therefore
not able TO reply, will briefly notice few Of
his"very peculiar impressions" We certain.
ly did not expect that Mr.. Youngman's views
would coincide with our own on this subject,
at least for any length Of time, although 10
December last, Mr. Youngman entertained
views very similar to our own, on the lie.
compton question. and did not hesitate TO ex.
press himself in favor Of Mr.. Douglass course'
in his speech on this subject. 1t was not
long, however, until one Of those peculiar
changes, to which the Gazette hos always
been subject, was visible in its transition
from its opposition to its fual support Of the
Lecompton Swipdle. What had induced this
sudden change, it is not for us to say, but the
Philadelphia Sunday Dispatch whose cores.
pondeut at Harrisburg, had taken pains to
gather the causes Of the sudden conversions
OF the numerous anxious members of that con.
vention, found that no less than about sixty
or about one half, were either applicants for
office, or expectapts, or Office holders
Among those the delegate from Northumber.
land county was put down as an applicant for
one OF the numerous inspectors of the Custom
House in Philadelphia. Whether this had
to do with this change, we shall not
to determine.
Perhaps there was not sane man 10 that
convention, who seriously believed that it was
a fair representation Of the people. The Pre-
sident, Mr.. Dawson himself, declared verbal
ly and in writing his opposition to the Le.
compton Constitution not three weeks previ.
Gus. but the Gazette not only excuses him for
.his desertion of bis principles. but contends
that he was right in deprivng the minority in
having voice on the committee, and that,
too, after having given pledges to some Of
the members in the minority, who voted for
him, that he would appoint q proportional
uu"oCi VII tuis Couituittcos uc luch tuut u
minority is not to have voice. or to be heard
in Convention, because it is small, is Ger.
tainly rich and original, if not democratic.
The editor of the Gcsette has also upderta.
ken the forlorn hope Of opposing the Sale Of
the State Canals to the Sunbury and Erie
Railroad Company. He may well soy that
it seems hard that he should oppose the in
terests of that great work. With the excep.
tion of the Supervisors, Collectors, Weigh.
masters, Mud-bosses and other Canal officials,
there are not perhaps dozen men in tho
county who do not feel that the sooner the
State gets clear of the canals and shakes of
the leeches that fatten on the public plunder,
the better it will be for the people.
1t is, however, not more than right that
this little squad of minority should be heard
and the Gazette is, perhaps, entitled to some
credit for standing by them in the hour of
their affliction, when the voice of the people
was raised against them. Had the Gazette
published the Report Of the majority, which
was signed by eight Of the nine members that
composed the Committee, its readers might
have seen by whom, and for what purpose
this white.washing report was got up. But
here the editor is again inconsistent He
contends that in the Harrisburg Lecompton
Convention the minority had no right to be
heard, but in the Sunbury and Erie matter,
be contends that the one, out Of the nine
members of the Committee should overrule
the others, and that the interests Of the mud
bosses, and the canal officials, should be pro-
tected at the expense Of the people. The re.
cords show that the canals have been dead
loss, and that the State would have saved
money BY giving them away twenty ago.
One of the remarkable features OF the
times are the prayer meetings and religious
gatherings throughout the cities. These
meetings are held not only in the churches
but in the most public places-such as Thea
tres, Concert-rooms &c. While in New York
went into the Johns Street Church. The
crowd was great, but at Burtons Theatre
where Henry Ward Beecher was announced
the building was packed full inside and ou,
long before the hour appointed. The meet
ings in the city of New York are estimated
at twenty-three, aud the aggregate number
OF persons attending is CLIO. Of these 100;
are at Burton's Theatre, which is q uuior
meeting 1850 at the Methodist Episcopa
churches 825 at the Dutch Reformed 6lt
a, the Baptist 325 at the Presbyterian, aut
the remainder Union, Young Mems Christian
Association, Congregational and Mariners.-
This is in the city proper. and does not in
clude Brooklyn and the suburbs.
After the Theatre, by far the largest gath
eriugs are at the John street and the AleI
street Methodist churches. or the meeting
at the john Street Chapal, the Baptist EI
aminer says:-
We dropped in at noon, aud enjoyed th
pleasure Of bearing few simple, earnest. fer
vent remarks from the converted pugilisl
Gardner. lie made an unaffected reierenc
to his own recent experience of converting
grace, which has SO suddenly transported hin
! while riding in wagon, from the horrors G
conviction TO blissful view of Jesus, that b
instantly cried out "Hsllelujah !" in tone 8
loud as to frighten his horse. aud nearly I
have produced disaster. Said he, "Yes,
shouted hallelujah, then. shout halleluja
now expect to die shouting hallelujah-
and by Gods grace / hope to shout hallelr