American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1860-02-16
Fer The L.ssAalsr o.ss..s. .

suppOSition that you need assistance
that | essay to offer few thoughts upon
the controversy between Mr.. Virgil z.
Shaw IS Chairman Of the Central Com.
mittee and the Republican party Of this
county. make the Republican party a
party interested in this controversy for
two reasons, ...
lst. Because the effort to induce Mr..
Shaw to do wha! you complain be will GOT
do. was begun with 40 intention to benefit
the party, and without reference to an,
advantage which might accrue to the Ga.
Estte from publishing notices and doing q
portion Of the other printing which the
party might require.
Cd. Because 10 refusing to publish no.
tees Of meetings in both the Democrat
and GszSIte after being instructed 10 do
so by vote Of the Republican County
Convention. Mr.. Shaw has placed himself
in position antagouistc to the party aud
puts the strife between the party and him. !.
self. | have said that this effort was be.
gun with reference to party interests-the
following facts will justify that assertion
ltlsa fact we'll known to the Republicans
throughout this county, that the Gazette is
and has been largely Dalronized by the
Republicans iu the county, even at time
when 1t did not claim 10 advocate R.pub-
ican principles. Probably it has larger
circulation among the Republicans than
'ny other paper in the county. / do not
propose now to show why this is CO.,
Whether it be for want Of ability in the
management Of the American Democrat,
or for want OF proper effort to place it in
the hands of the party cannot say. Doe,
stics said If his Pluribusta "failed to re.
munerate its publishers, the blame must
rest upon the people who refuse to buy it,"
The Gazette having the advantage Of
speaking to many Republicans who did
not take any Republican paper published
in the county, it was deemed best, even
while twas opposed TO the party to use it
as an advertising medium. and the former
Chairman OF the Central Committee did so
use it, not considering it expedient when
it came to a business matter Of advertising o
to forego the benefit TO be derived from
speaking through the columns of the Ca
zstte to those Republicans who might not
be reached through other means.
This was the condition OF matters
when Mr.. Shaw became Chairman of
the Committee. The same necessity ex.
listed 10 speak through both papers that
had existed before. There was one change
however worthy Of notice. The only OBJ.
lection tha. could be urged agains, the &C.
ton OF the former Chairman was, that 10
thus bestowiug patronage upon the Ga
zette, we were aiding to sustain a paper
opposed to us. That objection was now
removed by the fact that the Gazette had
changed hands, and what is more mpor.
tsnt here, it had changed its tone so that it
had in the judgment Of all its impartial
readers become soundly aud inteusel y Re.
publican. and this it had been for more
than three months before Mr.. Shaw, con.
trary TO the known wishes Of several good
Republicans, saw fit to depart from all
previous usage of the Central Committee
and refused 10 publish calls for meetings
&C., in the Gazette.
In the American Democrat OF last week
Mr.. Shaw attempts a justification Of his
action in this matter. and | propose to no.
tice 1t in few particulars.
He says that sat meeting of the Cen
raj Committee last fall, a resolution was
offered to recognize the Gazette as an or,
gan Of the party" l am informed that
the resolution before the committee was
the same one which was afterwards passed
in the County Convention. If such be the
case. then Mr.. Shaw has forgotten what
the resolution was, or we differ in regard
to its effect. The resolution simply pro.
vided that calls Tor meetings and other no.
tees Of the Central Committee should be
published in both the Gazette and Demo
ora,, but nothing was said about ::making
either paper an organ Of the party. and no
additional obligation would have been i'm.
posed upon the party or any member Of it
10 sustain either or both Of those papers by
the passage Of such resolution.
But this resolution afterwards came up
before the county Convention and there
passed as you say unanimOusiy. Regard
less Of all this Mr.. Shaw still refuses to
comply with the wishes OF the party. His
justification Of his action after the passage
Of the reslution may be divided into three
parts, is.. He says Il was not at the
meeting" What this has to do With Ike
matter is not very clear. Does be mean
to say that his absence from the meeting
prevents him from knowing whether such
a resolution passed or not? Or does he
mean to in innate that il he had been pres,
ent he could and would have hiudared tie
passage Of the resolution? Or does be
wish 10 convey the idea that il he had been
there, his SSingle yoteagainst the resolution
would have made 1t fail to pass UNANIMOUS.
LY? II the latter be his meaning have
NO exception to take to it, as that would
have been the only result Of his presence
He replies sudIy "lhat the minutes Of
the Secretary Of the meeting, Mr.. Keller.
contain nothing in regard to the passage
Of such resolution, bnt after the minutes
had been handed by Mr.. Keller to the Ga.
Eettc, such a resolution was inserted in the