Raftsman's Journal

Smoked Out.

The Rev. John Chambers has been smoked out at last. In his recent speech at Bedford, the reverend prelate boasted that he had a letter in his breeches pocket from Gov. Bigler, avowing himself favorable to a Prohibitory Law, while at the same time the evidence was against him, from the fact, that the Governor's letter to the Temperance Convention, proves him unfriendly to that measure. Since the notice of that politico-temperance lecture, loud and earnest calls have been made for the letter, and the Rev. gentleman has at length broken silence, and now we have a note from him in explanation. He recapitulates all he said upon that occasion, and candidly owns up to having asserted that Governor Bigler was a firm friend of the temperance movement, and would aid such a law as the prohibitionists desire, to the extent of his abilities. He also alludes to Bigler's great respect for the will of the people, which he (Bigler) considers only secondary to justice and right. Of that convincing letter, which he had in his pocket at the time the speech was made, he says nothing. Its existence then was probably in his mind's eye, or was one of the short-lived fantasies of a fertile imagination; and it would require the aid of a Spirit Rapper, or some other supernatural agency to call it forth now into being.

Instead of treating the public to the viands which this paper in common with other Whig papers requested him, this learned political divine, with powers of moral locomotion which enables him to change his place like figures upon a chess board, treats us to quite a different dish--a dish to which he has heretofore been an entire stranger. He delivers a violent tirade against the "Know Nothings," a society, the principles of which he is of course ignorant, except from hearsay. In 1844, he was on the other side of the hedge, persecuting the Catholics, while their churches were in flames. Now he preaches constitutional rights and religious liberty to all, with a zeal which is absolutely pathetic. Truly, time works wonders.