The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-10-05
Judge Gholson.

The Ashtabula Sentinel. of Sept. 14th, af
ter commenting With force and point npon The
/ inconsistencies of certain pro Slavery Demo-
cratic papers, that have been denounciDg
without stint. the Republican candidates upon
the State ticket generally. and our candidate
for Judge in particular proceeds as follows
" But what is the duty of Republicans ? is
the question that concerns US. We propose
to meet this subject in all honesty and frank.
ness aud for ourselves will confess that We
do hot like the unknown position of Judge
| Gholeon. We would like to have him openly
express the belief that the Fugitive Slave A ct
is null and void and say that he would dis
charge the first man. black or white arrested
under it. These are our views, and those OF
thousands of the Republicans of Ohio But
Judge Gholson, and most of the legal profes-
sion, hold that it is indecorous to express an
opinion in advance where case may come
before him-that it is unbecoming in Judge
to do SO. Then it is 10 be borne in mind that
great numbers of the Republican party have
not been educated up to the full anti slavery
standard, and do not see these things in the
same light as many of us do. And it must
not be forgotten, that however desirable and
necessary it may be to have the whole party
placed upon that high ground they are not
there yet and so long as we keep up our
connexions with them we must wait for them
to come up, if we would bring them along
If the foremost of an army should march at
full speed, the rear would be lost. In the
great march for freedom, We must not discard
the conservatives for they look after the bag
gage. At our State Convention, these con.
seryatiyes we're impressed with the belief that
Judge Swans decision ought to be indorsed.
to show that we respected Government au-
thority, the res ddjudicatG and all that We,
of the progressive school, were determined to
set seal OF condemnation upon that decision;
and there was earnest strife on both Sides
we preferred of course. man, known to hold
with Judge Sutliff but it being apparent that
we could not nominate such a man on account
o. the fear of discord. as the readest expedi
ent we concluded to take up with a man whose
opinions were understood to be upexpressed,
and who was not known to be against US Il
Thus we were compelled to adopt an alterna,
tive and instead of getting candidate known
to believe the Fugitive Act unconstitutional
we had taken one with whom it was supposed
to be an open question-making our victory
over the conservatives to consist in the setting
aside of Swan, and by that act denouncing his
decision. We achieved "half a loaf" which
was deemed :" better than no bread. ~ & |
In this way Judge Gholson was nomin OF ed
and by all the rules of parties and conven
tional action, the Republican party, is bound
to support him. 1t unfortunately happe ned
that some over jealous friends, got hold Of
story which was applicable to his father, that
he had emancipated slaves, and by mistake
gave him the credit oft. Upon that the ultra
anti slavery men built great hopes, and we con.
fess to having been carried away with it. Up
on closer inquiry. it turns out not to have been
so /; and one argument IN favor of his probably
deciding with u.s. was taken away. We wish
It had been true, as we once believed; out
,ince it arose from mistake, and was outside
IF the conventional action it is certainly prop
,r that we should take him as he was presented
% the Convention aud not reject HIM because
We we're deceived in matter where ne had no
,Uepcv We speak thus frankly, because we
eel that we are addressing thinking people.
Who will make up their minds nationally, upon '
he facts before them and then decide inde'