The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1860-03-01
A Converted Dem n0Crat-aEc 2e-
ROugacc& sac Esr0-SE&Y-
eTy Party.
-tur the Potter JourBaI,

EHgua OF JouENAL--S.r, We're
YOU more or less of public man than a
journalist, or mpre of stranger to me, !
should uot presume to trouble YOU with
this communication. But occupying the
position you def a medigm to commu-
nicate with the public lhiak it cmi-
nently proper you should occasionally sub
init to such an inflc ron rs this.
The pride Of party and the fear Of cen
sure are the great opponents Of party re-
form. by the latter, honest and we'll
meaning men, when convinced Of error,
hesitate to avow it, lest cupidity and sin
Stcr motives be attributed to them whilst
the former, commencing with the early
prejudices Of YOUTH intimately woven with
our first actions as men, and clenched by
the captiouSuess Of that period of life, 50
wise only because 50 inexperienced with
commitments during contests, and the
conviyiaIity in succe>s,-too often pro
crastinate, if they do not entirely prevent
the ayowal of convictions which viii call
for actions hostile to former associates aud
crceds
You, Sir, probably think by this time.
that | am going to pitch into you with a
" forty-par<on- power No such thing
| merely wish to state that l think | have
been in this predicament, especially in re,
lation to the humanitarian policy which
seeks to confne slavery to its old aud ha-
bitual limits. There sir, | have said it,
and il you please to publish it my actions
shall not belle your types. Never in my
! life have |, or could |, utter one word iu
favor Of the diabolica! institution. ] have
ever considered it wroog,-wrong from
the beginning. wrong in all It's progress,
and preiudicial IN its moral, pccuniary and
social aspects; yet with this conviction |
could never before bring myself to rank
myself with those who thought a.
thought, but differed from me in this
they acted as | thought I have read
Helpers book, and cordially endorse il
50 far as it does not conflict with She Con.
stitution and Laws. Indeed, | DO not
now have in my mind any recommends
ton for the violation of either.
What must be the condition Of that
people whose uneasy slumhers are disturb
cd by the thought that the morning may
!. find them wcltering in their oun blood
shed by a property, merchandise. the
utensils, as it were, Of their business =? L
our pI9ws we're at any time liable or lIkel>
to raise their coulters against US, or oul
horses their heels oar scythes to turn theil
edges upon US, or our COWS their horns
what sort Of pleasure and contcEtmen
would be ours? Or what must theirs b,
whore tho advent of a stranger Is looked
upon with suspicion, if not as criminal
and ii lie chance to be native to i sec.ioI
Of country in which slavery Is looked up
on with peculiar horroY, the prison, tn,
whip, or the tar-baoket and feather-sacl
are the gentle hints that d magazine is il
danger of explosion from the luciter toucl
of white oak ham or Z wooden nutmeg
Or theirs in which the honest expression
Of an opinion adverse TO any cheushe,
notion, is followed by an ostracism which
hardly finds its parallel in that Of tn
- just Anthenian ?' I doubt not bu
there are thousands more who, if the
would give themselves to thinl, upon thes
things, and could divest themselves 0
those two "lioas in the path" the Prid
Of Party and Fear of Ccnsure, would b
convicted, like the Apostle, in blaze Q