Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1859-07-15
The Gazette and Judge Rannsy.

The Gazette claims that Judge Ranney
was once opposed to the Fugitive Slave Law,
and it is terribly exercised at the pretended
discovery. Its editorials during the past
81 have treated Of nothing but Ranney,
RonDsv Ranney The first impression of
,he reader would be, that he had committed
sors infamous act, which could never be
rorgivep. The Gazette takes pains to speak
hv degrees the awful disclosures il is about
to make, lest the revelation should be too
wonderlul for belief One would naturally
sunpose. by the hints thrown out before
hand TINT our candidate for Governor had
been guilty Of perfdy, fraud or malieasance
in Office, and after reading the first few SEN
tences might shrewdly suspect that he had
been convicted Of some heinous crime. 1t
ia quite evident that some horri(ying reve-
lation is to be made, which is expected to
rive terrible shock to the mind of the
reader lie is commanded to stand still, to
hear and tremble. Although eleven years
have elapsed since the offence was commit
ted. it can not yet be forgotten An action
80 entirely disqualifying any one to bo
Chief Magistrate Of this State, must be for
ever remembered, The foul spot viii
not "out," but his guilty hands, like those of
Macbeth, would
multitudinous seas incarnadine.
After the reader mind has thus been put
into a state of expectation, satisfactory to
the editor, the astonishing revelation is made
and it consists simply in this that Judge
Ranuey once spoke out against the Fugitive
Slave Law, and couutenauced principles
which are now held by the Republican par
ty. Terrible accusation for them to make:
That he once favored principles which they
haYe adopted and Incorporated into their
platform How reasonable the opposition to
him, and the assertion that he is unfit fol
the Office for which he is nominated. Is
this the only charge the Gazette can prefer
against him the only objection it can Of
fer :? We should think SO from the coptin
ual "harping" it keeps up upon this ono
subject. His private life has been 80 pure
and his public career SO unblemished, tha
it Is unable to discover any vile act which i
can parade before its readers any instance
of dishonesty or corruption which would eff
iectually damn him in the estimation o
the people of Ohio. Hence the miserabl,
shift which has been adopted This charg
has been the sum and substance of all the
objections found against Judge Ranney, lo
but few men OF superior intellectual capao
ity, or higher moral character, can be foun
any where.
With respect to the declaration, that h
ever opposed the Fugitive Slave Law, eithe
by making speeches or taking part in con
ycntons, it is sufficient to say that it is to
tally and entirely false. 1t is vile slandei
gotten up for the worst purposes. The re
port which was in circulation few week
ago, to the effect that in lS4S he had mad
a speech in a public meeting, denouncin
the law in question: was peremptorily de
MED by reliable men, who were present
the time. 1t was shown to be u miserab
sGandalous falsehood The letter the G,
zette publishes and comments upon wit
such apparent gusto will share the san
fate. Judge Ranneys previous career, Civ
the lie most emphatcally to the slandero
reports in circulation concerning his poll
cal tenets. They cannot injure him amo
his friends, and their friyolity and trini
character will cause them to be despised
his political enemies.