American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1867-07-17
GobIins Dann,d.


The cxpedients resorted to by Demo-
cratic teachers and leaders, to compel their
deluded and defeated followers TO con
form to their will aud to incite them to
action are various, and some of them
rather amusing. They puzzle their
brains to invent perils and dangers, very
much after the fashion of nursery maids,
vexed and worried by petulant and per-
verse infants. Bridget calls to her aid
fierce goblins and ugly ghouls. Her
otherwise intractable charge, afrighted
by the suggestion of visit from these
evil spirits, holds tenaciously to her
leading strings and yields 6 prompt
obedience to her will, whatever it may
be, whether to close its eyes in enforced
sIumber or close its mouth in constrained
silence. Bridget's strategy is closely
copied by Democratic teachers. Every
now and then they summon to their aid
some terrible hobgoblin, and parade il in
all its hideous deformity before the
imaginations of their followers. The
negro is their favorite ghouls, No elf or
fairy was ever half so potent in the
nursery as the negro in the fold of the
faithful. A single threat that this hid
eously ugly fellow will thrust himself un,
invited into the family and social circles,
has always constrained the Democracy
to yield an implicit obedience to general
orders. A belief in elves and FAIRIES
seems incident to childhood. One gen.
Grafton repeats just what was done by
that which preceded it. The children
ofto-day accept these evil spirits as reali-
ties, just as their grandames did before
them in their childhood, and tremble just
as much when they think them near
Humanity don't seem able to outgrow
this weakness. 1t is becoming SO with
Democracy in regard to the unfortunate
descendants of Ham, and artful leaders
practice upon their fears as regularly rs
their conventions meet. The last conven-
ton that met at Harrisburg varied the
thing little, but the prominent face in the
picture they drew is decidedly African
1t has the thick lip, fat nose and crimped
hair that are SO frightful in Democratic
eyes but the manner of his visitation is
changed. Heretofore he has been repre>
sented as half ape and half demon, striving
to find place among the families of men,
and to compel compainionship that would
be worse than death, prevented from the
attainment of these ends only by some
effcacious action on the part of the noble
and godlike Democracy. In this latest pic
ture his personal peculiarities are not chang
cd, but the danger is represented as more
imminent, inasmuch as he is furnished with
an ally, strong, indefatigible end u1scru,
pulous, who to torment and vex the sons
of men is bending all his energies to secure
the ultimate success Of this natural mons
frosty. The picture is frightful certainly
to weak minds and weak nerves. 1t will
operate like magic upon the faithful and
incite them to noble effort. They are
promised safety if they will only exert tnem-
selves Bridget feigning interse anxiety
and concern for her infantila charge; fright,
ened almost to death by its nurses stories,
snatches it nerveusly in her arms and cons
ceals it from the advancing goblin behind
the folds of her ginghani. Judge Black,
feiening great solicitude for the purity.
hoInogenity and social supremacy of his
race, calms the fears Of his followers, ex-
cited by his own devices, by resolving among
other things, that if his followers are only
faithful--this, of course, is implied-that
"we," meaning himself and the rest of the
apostles, +" shall resist to the last resort the
threatened measures of the leaders of the
Republican party, to interfere by acts of
Congress with the regulating Of the elective
franchise in the State of Pennsylvania"
Kind Bridget Considerate Judge You
shall both be held in grateful remembrance
by those you have so befriended and pros
tected. You need not wait long years for
some manifestation of this gratitude. 1t
follows speedily, even while the danger still
threatens. The timid, frightened young
ster all the while thinking the goblin at its
back imprints its kisses upon Budgets
hand. "We hail." says the Spirit, fright.
eued out of propriety, but somewhat relieved
BY the kind interposition of the Judge =
with special commendation this resolution
of our Convention" Submissive child
perturbed Spirit Bridget and the Judge
were only 10 fun. Cruel fun you say, but
you will laugh at it some day. There is a
time coming, we hope, when you will have
out grown your childish weakness, when
the throught of a goblin or tho sight of n,
negro can neither blanch your cheek nor
scar your eyeballs. Take hope.
-FrdnkHn Repository.