The Democratic press. (Eaton, Preble County, Ohio) 1860-1865, 1861-09-12
Hamilton, O., Sept. 6, 1861.
For lie Dcmocrniic Rleas

prior to your advent among us, |
thought I would drop you a line,
informing you of-the condition Of
certain things for at least a decade
past, and kindly ask that you will
through the medium Of you very
acceptable paper do, all within your
power toward restoring matters as
they stood in former times. For
several years next preceding the
1st day of January, 1861, at least
as often as once a fortnight, the
viIlageof Eaton was perfectly c!oc-
trifed by some "jiiacraat waadercr"
who delivered a most eloquent and
soul-stirring discourse upon the
wrongs Of African Slavery, every
shade, type and character Of this
"sum Of all iaiQuiies" was set forth
in such glowing colors and gildcd
tapestry as to render the scene lit
tie less than enchantment ITSELF
Nor were these priceless members
of society few, their name was "lc-
gioa." In fact they had become
one of the "frcd Institutions" Of
our land and country. We all
merely lived to hear them, they
were our comfort in the day and
our song by night, every lip lisped
their praise, every fresido received
them, and everybody gave them
a dime, and no one was efficiently
wise to calculate the good they
were confering upon country. This
was our golden age. Then was
Rome "cluitaJly governed and rise
u provided for" But by some
mysterious, incomprchensiblc, and
as yetunknown agency, these much
loved apostles have all suddenly
disappeared, nor can anything be
learned Of them save that they are
not. Where are they? That's
what'sthe matter! Was their mis-
sion a mistake? Were we all suck
ed i'll? Our town is as dead since
their departure as a mackcrel. A
universal gloom seems to pcrvadC
all hearts, and the mourners &C
about the streets. Now whatever
may have been my prediction
upon the subject, | confess that J
do not like to see OR old lane
marks, those distinguishing char,
actcristics Of our nations great
ness consigned to eternal oblivion
and obscurity in this summary
manner. Do, Mr.. Editor, through
the columns Of your paper in thu
name of suffering humanity, cause
some of those sacred apostlcs tt
return and shower upon our people
the yiyacity, the glory, and peace
full prosperity Of former ~days-thcy
shall have their dime. Again, 70.
the last six or seven years we wer,
blessed with any quantity of tn,
choicest and most rare literature
our country was literally delugoc
with it, There was "Un;lc Tom,
Cajia," "IEe White S}arc," "Drcd,'
"ITe Ecilcs Of Hortda," and tn,
!. celebrated "Crjsis' by Helper, an(
a host of others equally notorious
upon the same subject. These
most excellent books were con
stantly and t%earfully read by al
classes, and for their publication
and circulation to, and among til.
people, the minister gave the US
of his pulpit and his gig. TIL
. great moral change wrought anon,
r the people Of our nation through
these blessed instrumentalities i
more than a ~Pythagoras Or a New
, ton would ever have conceived
= But from some unforeseen cause
just at the moment when our PEG
t pie stood most in need Of tle sus
i tanning influence Of these deserved
] ly popular works, their publicatio
t wholly ceased, the reading an
c study Of them has become unpor
e ular, and the books themsGlve
have begun to be looked upon a
d "contraband Of war;" and our pee
# pie by reason thereof are fast rt
e lap8ing into barbarism. Now, NJ
S Editor, cannot something be don
c to stay these m%ercilesS onslaught
: upon the true Belle Lettrcs Of on
country, and at no distant day rc