The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1860-03-21
For the Portage Sentinel
The Opposition Party.

It would be curious and amusing history
that would describe the winding and vascil
lating course OF the party sometimes so call
ed, that has been consistent only in one
thing for the last thirty one years-consis'
tent only in its constant, unvarying, Persis-
tent opposition to the Democratic party, to
its principles, its policy, and measures.
I will not attempt now to write its history,
but only to glance at some OF it's general fea
lures. 1t began on the first accession Of
General jackson to the Presidency, BY fu.
riOus onslaught on FreemasOnry, Of which
order General Jackson was known, as Wash
inpton was, to be an honored and honorable
member. That hobby of Anti Masonry was
mounted by the opposition politicians, and
ridden with whip and spur until It was run
down and found no more available, when it
was abandoned after JacksOn's second elec.
,iop. Previous to its abandonment, howev.
er, the politicians OF that school had aroused
and mounted the United States Bank hobby,
and made it available in some places, as il
did in this county and sometimes in this
State, to acquire office and emolument, which
appeared to be their only aim. These lead.
ing politicians, when on hobby, were wont
to praise. paint, and vOrnish it, trim and puff
it, until the honest yeomanry, the honest
rank and file of their party, were humbugged
and ,mesmer zed into the notion that the
hobby was a right sleek amin al, and able Ond
capable to carry their party into power
They were made TO believe that Masonry
was extremely, imminently d,ngerous 10 he
peace and prosperity OF the country that
therefore no Mason should ever be voted to
any office and of the United States Bank
they were told and made to believe, that it
was absolutely necessary 10 the successful
ma msnagement Ot the finances Of The Govern.
ment, and to the exchanges and commerce
Of the country. Indeed, they predicted and
depicted the ruin OF both commerce and the
nationa finances, If that United States Bank
were not re.chartered. Their papers were
filled with denunciations OF the "Ant.Bsnk
Democracy" and with predictions of ruin il
that Democracy should succeed in the elec.
ton of General Jackson for a second term,
and of his friends and supporters to Congress
and to State Offices. The same gume Of de.
nuncatiou, Misrepresentation and elander
was tried in vain, to prevent the election of
Van Buren,, to follow in the footsteps OF
General Jackson. Van Buren, WAS elected
to carry forward those Democratic measures,
which he did faithfully. and including the
inauguration of on independent Treasury
system, which the opposition soon after re.
pealed, under Harrison, but which Demo
cratic perseverance has since re-enacted
and in spite of oil the Anti Democratic op.
position, has been put in full operation, and
found to work TO charm, 80 os to annihilate
all opposition TO that as national in >titution.
But the Efforts Of the opposition, though
unsuccessful In respect to national ele ectOns,
and national policy, were quite successful in
several Of the States, in regard to their main
object-office and it's spoils. They often
succeeded in Ohio, and in Portage county
they almost uniformly succeeded in humbug.
ging and deceiving enough voters to Gerry
their tickets at all elections Tor County and
State officers, until about ten years ago,
when, their issues worn out, m,ny of the
long humbugged, sickened of following their
wndiDgs, and left them in a minority.
But return TO national politics, and the
times OF Van Buren. have NOT, however,
mentioned halt Of the hobbies gotten up by
that party of the opposition. One Of their
groans at the measures of Jackson and the
Democratic party was, that "specie circular, !"
by which the land Offices were prohibited
from taking doubtful bank paper for the pub
lie lands, That policy works we'll yet
Another humbug hobby was, in the canvass
of 1910, the cry Of danger to our liberties by
reason that Van Bnren was about to raise D
standing army. which some magnfed to
250,OO0 men. Then there was the gold
spoon humbug. and the log cabin and hard
cider humbugs, which elected Harrison to
supercede Van Buren,, and elected Tyler, o
Democrat, Wee President.
The death OF Harrion providsntially saved
US from the tyrrsny Of third United States
Bank, which was only killed by the veto OF
Tyler, in obedience to his pledges 10 bis
southern friends before his election, and for
which his northern friends lavish on him
many and bitter curses. That is the fortune
Of such honest men ss they elect, and ex
pect 10 serve their dishonest purposes. Fill.
more bore his share Of them, for signing the
Fugitive Slave Law, to carry out plain pro
vision OF our Constitution.
Since the opposition party has worn cut
those humbugs of Anti Masonry, United
States Bank, and that Of the Treasury Of the
Union in Bank deposits, and several others,
and even worn out and di-graced their old
party nsms Of Whig, they have taken up
the Negro question. and are now in a iair
way to disgrace the new name Of RepubIi.
can, as they have already di-graced the;l
party. by their advocacy and support Of trea
son and murder, and of traitors, thieves anc
murdereFs.
We Democrats, would suppose, as so m an,
of their former humbug deceptions have be
come so transparent, that their servile fol
lowers Wonld look hack and rehact nnl