The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1870-11-04
Concerning Rings .

To THE EDITOR OF THE COLUMBI-
AN.-Sir:--I have read the remarks
made by you upon the recent election
in this county, and also an article in
the Republican on the same subject and
you must allow mo to say with great
respect, that / think you are on u
wrong tack. [ imagine you do not
fully understand the people with whom
you deal, and for that reason treat them
with courtesy they do not deserve.
Their object is mischief, while yours is
peace. They proceed to strike, while
you philosophize and preach forbearance
and the forgiveness of injuries. You
pass by the main subject of radical at
tack, and of sore-head complaint, to in.
form us that certain causes operated at
the late election to defeat all the candi-
dates on the Democratic ticket who
were opposed, and that the volunteers
| who were elected are not particularly
Objectionable, but persons of much ami
ability, popular address, energy, &c.
Now all this is something like fight
| ing battle with rose. water. You dis
charge sweet odors while the enemy
| fire grape
But the writer in the Republican
| (whose position and animu5 are not TO
be mistakenly states to you the point of
attack in the plainest possible language.
He informs you that the true question
is, concerning a Ring: That the people
(meaning thereby the Republicans and
dissatisfied Democrats) struck at such a
supposed organization in the election,
| and put down its nominations as q re-
buke to it, and as lesson for the fu-
ture.
Will il not be we'll then to look lit
tie into this question concerning a
Ring" and discover if possible its true
significance aud bearings. Now, it is
true that prejudice against the county
town in rival towns and country dis
tricts was used in the late election as in
former ones, and with considerable
effect. And the occasion was improved
by our political opponents to denounce
leading men of our party, who do the
main work and bear most of the expense
of elections, in most emphatic language.
This is an old art of party warfare, and
we may expect the Republicans in their
unfortunate condition as q minority, to
resort to it upon all occasions for they
suppose that by weakening the influ-
ence of men who do the work upon our
side, they will strengthen themselves,
and improve their prospects for the fu-
ture. Hence the eloquence, energy and
| persistence of their denunciation of an
imaginary "Ring," "said to be composed
of active members of our party who
have contributed by their labors and
zeal to produce the large Democratic
majorities of recent years.
Perhaps if we shall look a little fur
ther we shall find that this is but an
old dodge which every one ought to
understand. The pickpocket fearful of
detection, raises the cry of "stop thief"
and rushes forward with hue and cry
in pursuit of the innocent citizen
There is no doubt Ring amongst us,
composed of somewhat discordant ma
terials, but united by common passions
and common purpose and it is the
very men who compose it, who are
screaming "Ring!" "Ring!" at their
neighbors. 1t is about time that this
association of "Black Spirits and Gray"
should be described little and its true
character and purposes laid bare for
public inspection. In succeeding COM
munication this duty will be underta-
ken and performed. A.