Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1860-09-27
A pemagogse,s bid for omco.

ter made great houriah n challenging Ans
drew G. Curtin, to meet him before the peos
pie of Pennsy lvania, and fairly discuss the.
leading issues involved in the present can
vass. The challenge was promptly accepted
by The Republican candidate, with an imme-
diate uffsr of entering on the contest, and
discussing all the issues. But Henry D
on the stump, for the purpose of discussing
the great political Questions of the age, and
therefore made after propositions restricting
the deba5e and confning the discussion only
to such questions as he deemed proper and at
issue, This cowardy excuse was made in
order to escape the responsibility of the meet
ing; and in the meaatime Henry D. Foster
has been in training by William A. Stokes,
w. Ii. Welsh and the custom house clique of
Philadelphia. The result of that training
vas the production of speech on Monday
evening, in the city of Philadelphia, ostens;-
bly, originated by Henry D. Foster, but in
reality prepared, coneocted and arranged by
the gentlemen aforesaid and the CLIQUE here
in before named. AZ literary effort, the
speech is great failure. AS logical pro,
duetion, 1t is weak and unreliable. As DO
lfiieai paper, it is full of misstatements and
perVerslons-and as a bid for the votes of the
people cf Pennsylvania, it is beneath the
character Of the smallest politician in the
smallest village Of the smallest State in the
Union. Is has but one merit, and that con-
sists IN the audacity of its assertions-while
the b.lingsgate flourish Of its assault on w
Il. Seward, proves Henry d. Fosters pan
dering propensity to the lusts and preiudces
Of ignorant people. He was compelled to
make this assault, to satisfy the southern
supporters of his master, James Buchanan,
who still dreams that there is force In the
pass ons which he has so successfully WELD
ed 20 impair the dignity of the Executive sta
ton, and divide an organization which ele.
Yated him to place and power.
Mr.. Foster plants himself on the Reading
platform. By this he endorses the principle
Of Douglas, and in spirit reiterates the senti,
ments OF carelessness as to whether slavery
is voted up or down lie declares that the
people have right to introduce or exclude
slavery from territory, as they please-a and
with this stale and fimsy declaration of a
right, knowing that all the machinery of
government under its present organization,
Is an antagonism to the extension of slavery
from the territory. Henry D. Foster comes
before the people of Pennsylvania as the ad-
yocate Of a sovereignty that is worthless, i'm
practicable and unreliable. He ADOPTS this
mode o. argument to silence and apTease the
| sspuatter sovereign" and abridges-the priv
ilege by placing i: within tho restrictions of
the courts in order to nulify and cajole his
slave-eode sympathizsrs. These are happy
conclusions to arrive at, particularly for one
who stands between the FIRE Of two hostile
factions, each differing distiBctly on this
great question, and each determined to hold
him responsible to their exposition of this
modern Democratic faith.
On the question of the Tariff. Henry D.
Foster is about as safe and reliable as ames
K. Polk was claimed to be on the same sub
ject. Il is of course game of brag, which
he will never be called Oh to verify in any
position to which he may hereafter be called.
But in the present state of the Democratic
party, with the history of their past decep-
ton on the Tariff question, and the expert.
ence of '48 before the eyes of the American
people, it is not likely that Henry D. Foster
can deceive them on this great act of legisla-
ton for the benefit and protection Of labor
The history of legislation proves this asser-
ton. The career and condition of the pres
ent Democratic organization illustrate how
well it has estimated the prosperity Of the
country. In its ruin and dismembermept
we have an exhibition of that ruin which
Dem ooratie legislation has portended for la
Dor ever since it took possession Of the pow.
eTs Of the government, nor csn Henry d. Fos-
ter prove it to have done more, if he were to
continue in his professions of devotion to the
interests of labor until doomsday cast its
dark pail over the whole country.
There is literally nothing but sophistry
snd fatery in this entire speech. Blended
with the Irish blarney of Billy Stokes. it has
wang of that deeeitful coolness with which
Foster dispoaas Of responsibility when be
is em berrassed. It may satisfy the leaders
Of these broken factions lit may appeasa the
Administration, and it may console Foster
imseif-but it will never satisfy the honest
voters of Pennsylvania. It is nothing more
than tribute to odemagogueisu--a mean and
mastery effort TO deceive and delude houest
men n an hour Of great d,nger and crisis
Of immense importan Co. Harrisburg 2s1e-
graph.
Breckenridge Ngen for Disunion.
Is it not little remarkable though arfect
ly natural-that all the Disunisn men in The
country should be SO jealous in the support
Breckenridge?