Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1871-09-06
From Bennington.

EDITOR CHRONICLE 81 ask a little
space in the CHRoNIcLEto correcta very
wrong impression which has gone tc
the ends Of the county, in regard to the
recent canvass in Pennington upon can.
didates for Commissioner.
A few individuals opposed to the
nomination Of Col. Hatch, used the ar
gument, with those likely to be infur
enced by it, that the bringing out of Mr..
Hatch was a s~piritualistic movement,
done by a secret conclave or caucus" OF
spiritualists and their sympathizers,
with the distinct avowal, both in caucus
and by those working for Hatch, that
this was ga trial Of the strength between
spiritualism and christianity" Thus
many good men, not behind the scenes,
who cordially united with the spiritual
lists a year or two since, to rebuke the
idea Of discriminating in political mat
tiers on account of a mans religious
opinions, were led to suppose that the
s~piritualists had become so base as to
adopt the very measure they had so
zsalously opposed but a short time since;
and with this idea voted, most fttingly
and properly, against Col. Hstch's dele
gates.
Now I say, Nth emphasis, no caucus
whatever was held in the interest of Col.
Hatch nor wa the religious question
once spoken Of by me, or by any n TO
~ . ,or "a, 7 f,Ia gDir;fualigf ~ torn
(and I have enquired Of nearly ALL who
does not deny emphatically that religion
in any form was once spoken Of to them
by Col. Hatch. or shy one in his interest,
in connection with the canvass.
Now if there is a man in Pennington,
of acknowledged responsibility and
character, who will come out in the
CHRONICLE, over his own signature, and
deny the above statements, and offer his
proofs that a caucus was held, and
name the person who asked votes for
Hatch on religious grounds, and the per-
son or persons to whom such appeal
was made, I will pay you advertising
rates for publishing the article, and will
pay the writer the same sum for writing
it.
Let it be understood, now, that promi-
nent persons in F. admit to me, in per-
sonal conversation, that they did use
this argument to obtain votes against
Hatch; and upon what they supposed
.justifsble authority. I ask them to give
publicly their authority, that the dele
gates who went home from Warren on
the 22d, chuckling over the dea that
christianity and spiritualism had met in
deadly array in F. and the latter was
vanquished, may judge for Themselves,
upon the proofs, whether there s0ds any
such contest; " whether, in fact, the
wish was not father TO the thought, with
those opposed to DIR. Hatch, and they
made unjustifsble haste in using this
argument.
And make the appeal, now, to those
gentlemen, that they are iR duty bound
10 show to the public justification for
their course, or to say in a word, that
hey were in error, and that the friends
Col. Hatch did not make any such
.ssue.
We had to endure the modification,
IN the day of the convention, of hearing
gentlemen from different parts Of the
county speak Of the discontinue Of
5piritualism in F. Gentlemen and neigh
oors, will you make good your sllega-
ions, or acknowledge your errorf
Yours for justice,
E. F. CURTIS.
Esrnoin0tou AuO % 1871