Rensselaer Union, Volume 10, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 April 1878 — THE NATIONALS OF JASPER COUNTY. [ARTICLE]

THE NATIONALS OF JASPER COUNTY.

. 'Hie conversion held In this town lust Saturday', bv the independent greenback voters 6/ Jasper county, was respectable in numbers and coniposition. The managers estimate that about 129 people were In the (ionic room at"some time during the Session, Possibly flinty persons participated in its deliberations, which were conducted in harmony and marked with dignity and good order throughout. The prediction of THE Unlox two' weeks before that the democracy would not be comforted by it, was completely verified. Tlie presiding officer of tlie convention and the gentleman who was chosen to be tho president of their county committee Were abolitionists in antebellum days, and tho secretary of lh« convention, who was also honored with l be appointment of secretary of the county committee, is of abolition stock and antecedents. Tlie body of the convention proper contained a few liberal men of progressive tendencies from' the democracy proper—a few bucli gentlemen as flip Welches, who declare their final emancipation from Bourbon ism and its characteristics—but by fur tlie largest number were of those who sloughed off from the republican party in the Greeley campaign or the subsequent Granger fiasco of 1874.- Most of them have been the allies of tlie democracy ol late years, but becoming disgusted with tbe imbecility of the democracy of this county, the hypocrisy and brazen demagogism of the state democracy, and of tlie rebel-courting of the national democracy, they adopted a very blunt resolution declaring that they would support no men f<>r office who did not advocate tlie doctriues of their Toledo platform. This is a thrust made at the democratic party in general, but is especially aimed at Mr. Barkley, the auditor of Jasper county, an old-time copperhead democrat, who under false pretentions of independence was elected to office, and immediately inaugurated a system of tho most offensive Bourbon tactics to deliver the county into democratic control. He at once ignored tho greenbackers of repub/can antecedents hi all of liis minor appointments selecting none for these positions but unswerving democrats- To such afl extent was this hostility carried that lie imported a carpet-bagger for his deputy. Still farther: because Hon. G. H. Brown when a member of the General Assembly remained steadfast to tlie principles upon which he had been elected, and refused to betray his constituency, this auditor who was elected upon the same ticket pursued him with unrelenting hatred. That resolution means him. It also means the democratic party, for It is witti the democratic party that tlie gentle' men who adopted it have been acting during late years; besides, they subsequently modified the sweeping nature of the resolution for tlie express and announced purpose of advocating tlie re-election of Judge Hammond whom they do not claim as a subscriber to the Toledo dogmas. The next tiling of significanctrdoiie by the convention was to change the name from “independent greenback” to “national.” In oilier localities tbe nationals hold secret meetings; have signs, grips, pass-words, etc.; and woik with ritual. In this respect they resemble tlie know-nothings or Americans of 1850. Not a gentleman of foreign birth we believe was appointed on their committees. Possibly this was an oversight, as it is understood that they expect to draw to them a number 'of Irish democrats. About the worst mistake they made after adopting tlie Toledo communistic platform was to evade fixing upon a timo to nominate a local ticket, and turning this matter over to a committee many of whom were appointed without consultation with them—without their knowledge or consent. This action is indicative of conscious numerical weakness, of pitiable cowardice, of insincerity, of a desire to coalesce and willingness to trade, notwithstanding their loud protestations of political chastity. We sincerely trust these appearances misrepresent them, and that their practice will be a true reflex of their Utopian theory. So far as practical results are concerned they may be estimated about like this; When tho leaves are falling next October there may be polled in Jasper county from one hundred to one hundred and fifty national votes. Of these, ninety-five per cent, have Jtitherto acted directly or indlreetly with tlie democratic party. It is a vast improvement upon what they liavo left, and wo feel like heartily congratulating them upon their resolution not to support their old allies for office.

Messrs. F. J. Sears ft Co. announce the resumption of gold pnymeuts over their counters. They are probably the first mercantile firm in the stateof Indiana.to do so. Tally one for Rensselaer, and carry the news to the Sentinel. For it’s “a trick of the ■fillylocks to head ott' the opposition to the resumption actl” Now read the a miouncemeut in their ad vert isentenf. Itn t trick, or no trick, they will do wliat they pronihe. 5k ft