The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1873-09-19
Communications.
A RENEGADE

:, 4 "a % n
comparatively young politician whom once
knew might be of some use to Young men
particularly those imbued with political as
Z pIr2tions, as it may serve to illustrate how
one misstep may forever blast the most fiat
I tering political prospects, and stand as a
warning TO all against pursuing ways that
are dark" and indulgiug in tricks that are
vain.'
The circumstances to which l propose TO
refer date back some years. at which time
the writer hereof WIS about to cast his first
/ vote, and was carefully looking about him
/ for information from which he might draw
conclusions, and from those conclusions vote
as might best subserve the true interests of
his country. There We're but two political
parties in existence at that time, but had
there been d dozen the opposition to each
other could not have been more bitter and
unrelenting. y most careful canvass was
/ made by both parties, and presume there
! was scarcely voter who was not approached
/ Ivy the politicians of both parties, each pro
/ testing most earnestly against the opposition
! and arguing TO the best OF his ability that
the rival party was led by OF y-tOngued men
I who were insincere in every particular-that
the party was made up entirely of malice,
/ hatred and ill will-that the only object its
I leaders had in view was personal gain, and
that if they were allowed TO hold the reins
/. of government the country would soon go 20
/ destruction.
Prominent among these harping politicians
4 wsts certain young man who will be name
/ less, but who OutrIValled all others in the
/ earnestness with which he declared that he
/ believed in the principles of his party as
firmly as he believed in his religion (?). In
/ season and out OF season he reiterated that It
/ was the party of his first choice-that he had
/ an abiding faith in its principles and loved
/ them deariy-that although dark and threat
ening clouds were hanging over us, his par
| ty, and his party alone, could dispel those
clouds and save the country-that he would
rather his right hand should wither than
/ that it should ever cast vote for the oppo-
/ cit oil II. El.s =.
with words and phrases decidedly more en-
/ phatic than polite A. the same time he de-
nOuuced REEEGADES in the most unmeas-
ured terms, loudly Proclaiming that such
men were villains who would sell their coun-
try, as they had sold themselves, for money!
! which was the only argument in his opinion
/ the opposition had to make use OF.
Time moved on and the hero of the ''o'er
/ true tale after having served in an official
capacity OF a lesser grade, aspired to still
/ higher position, and not q few felt that his
/ political services, which they regarded as
/ sincere and earnest, were deserving of such
| a recognition. But, alas when the nomi-
/ mating convention met and performed its
/ labOrs, aspiring friend was not among
( the chosen ones. Still he was for the ticket
! 1t being as natural, as he himself expressed
/ it, for him to stick to his party as it was to
! eat his dinner. His friends, and many whom
/ he did not recognize IS friends, because they
/ had not been with him in the contest lust
I ended, felt that one faithful to his party
]
/ should the opportunity ever again present
/ itself, TO give him their united and cordial
/ support.
! But ere long the scenes shifted and the
/ scales turned. The opposition placed it's tic
ket IN the field, and from that moment our
/ hero began TO grow cold in the cause which
he had so long and yehemeUtly espOUsed.
! His high opinion of patty fealty seemed to
! be deserting him, and he began to grow fond
/ of the company of those he had SO lately de
nouuccd in unmeasured terms The princi-
/ Piles of the opposition became less OdiOus-in
! fact, were not 80 bad after all-and in gup-
| ing them down he cOnsoled himself with the
/ Thought, which was all his own, that the
! convention before which he had been IN as
] piraut had nominated "a veTg aCedE ticket.
/ Even then, however. the dose seemed TO
naUseate him, for he soon became depressed
! in mind and low in spirits, and a carriage
ride to n ueighbOriug town, in company with
a few of his newly found friends, was deemed
necessary for the benefit of his health. The
ride was accordingly taken, and when the
patient returned, which he did in day or
two, 10 and behold! he was supremely hap
py. He had indeed found a balm in Gilead,
and was thencetOrtE .OUd and earnest in the
declaration of the fact that his eyes had at
last been Opcned-that he had finally fonnd
the true political faith, and HGrjRg changed
his politics. was now -worshiPping at new
and better shrine. H ate, drank and slept
with his newly found bedfellOws, and late
and early did he work most assiduously for
the success of their ticket.
In uue course OF t1fne the eieCtlOn came
off, and when the votes were counted ii was
found, TO the great chagrin of our hero, that
the party which he had deserted had elected
its 1rtOle ticket By largely increased majority!
This aspiring politician, who without any
hHO7CH cause had COnspired against thS VTin-
ciples he had during all his previous life so
loudly advocated, then saw his great error
and deeply aeplorcd the fatal mistake he
had made. He tried hard to get back into
his old party and regain the confidence of his
J Ia Of a
''doubting Thomas" they refused to trust
him politically, and his new associates, hav-
ing no further use for him, gave him the
cold shoulder and hsving no others to do
him reverence, he passed forever into polit-
ical oblivion, a living example OF what over
leaping ambition will bring upon those who
DO not prove true to the last. His political
| friends, like the old maid family. were few.
in number after this unfortunate fiascO, and
all further efforts to regain his former polit-
ical status only met with the chilling re-
sponse 50 fttingly furnished by the poet
when ne says:
Hast thou not spoke like thunder On my
Been sworn my soldier-biddiug me depend
: Upon thy stars, thy fortune and thy strength?
, / And didst thou not fall over to mine foes?
, Thou wear st a lion 5 hide.-dOtf il for shame
Aud hang a cuffs skin on those recreant
limbs" BIOGRAPHER.
CARROLLTowE, Sept. Is, 1873.
Mp EDITOR-A radical colporteur from
, Ebensburg, who had been on political mis-
1 sion through Carroll township, and who
carried shotgun on his shoulder, thereby
frightening several timid old women and
many small children, strayed into our quiet
= village towards the close of last week. He
was evidently ashamed of his business, anG
f did not wish that his mother should know
, he was out. since he earnestly requested the
! | Deputy Sheriff, whom he met here, not L
: ! say anything in Ebensburg about having
I seen him in this Democratic stronghold
L He soon made it known that he wits on tht
I political war-path, and was in hot pursuit o
= the Democratic scalp of 4. Is. Criste. H
= said he was a warm friend of Tommy Grif
: fifth the radical candidate for County Treas
1 urer-that Griffith was very wealthy, apC
n had spent "a power of money in treating
= Democrats TO lager beer-that Criste wa