Franklin Repository

A person should scarcely be astonished at anything to be met with in the world of politics; yet there are occurrences which, notwithstanding our constant expectations for something calculated to startle the staid, fill us with surprise.

The Spirit of last week contains some beautiful specimens of ground and lofty tumbling. The burthen of its song seems to be a desire to harmonize the two wings of its party, and, in the same article, uses the most insulting language toward some of the best men, in its party, to be found in this community. It has a strange notion of harmony.

The editorials in the last Spirit remind us very much of a story we once heard, and which, for its special benefit, we will relate:

Two old neighbors, deacons in the same church, once had a difference of opinion about the color of a chameleon, which one of them had seen upon a piece of board painted red, and the other had seen upon a block of wood painted green. The little animal, as every person knows, or should know, has the power of changing its color to suit circumstances--very much like the political chameleon, STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS, about whom the two wings of the Nigger Democracy are now disputing--and each one of the deacons contended that it was the color it had assumed when he saw it. From words they came to blows; but, some of their friends being at hand, they were parted before either had seriously injured the other. The difficulty, however did not end there.

About midnight, soon after the fight, Deacon A. awoke from an uneasy sleep and, after pondering the matter for some time, came to the conclusion that the only thing which could disturb his slumbers was his quarrel with Deacon B; consequently he resolved upon having a reconciliation with his adversary--late his warmest personal friend. No sooner had he formed his resolve that he set about putting its accomplishments into execution. He rose from his bed, put on his clothes and went the house of Deacon B. After some little time he succeeded in arousing his neighbor. Deacon B. put his head out of the window when Deacon A. said to him: "My dear old friend why should we be at enmity; I cannot rest till all is as it used to be." This appeal at once softened the heart of Deacon B., who hastened to dress himself and admit his brother in the church into his house.

No sooner had the old men met and shaken hands than Deacon A. commenced relating all about his own uneasiness of mind while tossing about upon a sleepless couch, and determination to be good friends with his life-long neighbor at all risks and at all hazards ending by saying: "Dear brother B. do not be so obstinate, only say the chameleon was red, as you know it was, and the trouble will all be over."

Thus it is with the Spirit; it counsels harmony and peace--only it undertakes to dictate terms. It says to the Douglasites we ought to be friends, and if you go for the Cresson ticket (which is an anti-Douglas arrangement,) all will be well, and we will be good friends again. But at the same time it lets loose its billingsgate upon the best men in the ranks of Locofocoism in this place. This is, really a strange style of harmony.

It seems natural for aristocratic Locofocos to hate poor white men; their love for "Sambo" being so great that it overrides all their sympathies for the poor and unfortunate of their own race, causing them to look down upon honest industry, if white men are engaged therein, and are benefitted thereby.

A Locofoco United States Senator--WIGFALL, of Texas--impudently, and without rebuke from his brother Locofoco Senators, dared to call poor white men "criminals," for being poor.

Another of the same stripe of Politicians--Senator HAMMOND, of South Carolina,--called Northern working men "mud sills," and no Northern Locofoco Senator called him to order; nor does any one of their papers rebuke him.

Senator GREEN, of Missouri, another leader of that party, says of a poor white man that he is nothing but one of the "lazaroni."

One of the Locofoco candidates for Vice President, HERSHEL V. JOHNSON, said that the "normal condition of poor men without regard to color, is Slavery." "That capital should own, rather than hire, its labor."

DELUSION SMITH, late Locofoco Senator from Oregon, a colleague of the other Locofoco candidate for Vice President, in a recent speech in Oregon City, said:

"I WOULD RATHER BE A DECENT MAN'S NIGGER AT THE SOUTH, THAN A POOR WHITE LABORER AT THE NORTH."

And, last and least, we have the Editor of the Douglas Journal of this place, The Times, (The Spirit calls it by the significant name of "The Shetter Weed") calling the occupation of publishing a Republican newspaper "disreputable:" and, doubtless, it expects a large portion of its patronage to come from Republicans.

What is it that makes the publishing of a Republican paper "disreputable?" Is it because white men are engaged in all such enterprises? It is a part of the general system of denouncing labor, and those whose hands are accustomed to toil, which Locofoco orators so glibly sneer at, which causes these kid-glove gentlemen to turn up their noses at honest mechanical industry? or, is it because Republican newspapers, which, after all, seems to be the "disreputable" business, urged the passage of a Homestead Bill, which provides Free Homes for poor white men; that they advocate the passage of a Tariff, that protects the labor of free whites in America against ruinous competition in other lands; that they are in favor of keeping negroes out of our smiling Territories, and filing them up with industrious, poor whites; that they are doing all in their power to carry out the objects of the framers of our Government, that these haters of Republicanism, (which, in plain English, means haters of a Republican form of government) and advocates of aristocracy all agree in decrying every kind of labor but that done by slaves?

On Saturday last a portion of this spirited company of Republicans received their uniforms, consisting of a black glazed cap and cape, and a neat, convenient torch--a swinging lamp, on a pole about six feet long.

The Association met at the Hotel of Mr. P. Harlacher, on West Market street, and held an election for officers to fill the unfilled offices, which resulted in the election of Capt. P. B. Housum, as Captain; H. C. Fortescue as First Lieutenant, G. H. Merklein as Second Lieutenant, K. Shannon Taylor as Third Lieutenant, and Dr. Jacob S. H. R. Maurer as Fourth Lieutenant.

After the election, the Association formed in procession, under the command of the newly elected officers, and preceded by the Band, marched through the principal streets of the town--those in uniform making quite an attractive display. We expect to be able to turn out about an hundred in uniform on Monday evening next, on the occasion of the meeting to listen to the speech of Morton M'Michael, Esq., of Philadelphia.

The Association met again, at the Hotel of Mr. John Riley, also on West Market street, on Monday evening of this week. One of the Vice Presidents, Mr. Jacob N. Snider, having been elected, at a former meeting, one of the Executive Committee, resigned his post of Vice President. An election was immediately entered into, which resulted in the unanimous election of Mr. John G. A. Dennerline as a Vice President of the Association. The Association then adjourned to meet at the call of the Executive Committee.