Portage Sentinel

The Whigs and Perfidy Blake.

As we expected, the whig leaders and presses generally, come up to the defence and justification of the miserable thing who has wormed his way into the chair of the Senate, and then violated his plighted honor, the Constitution of the State, his oath of office, and the rights of the people. And why should they not? Has he not become the miserable tool of the Taylor whigs, ever ready to obey their nod? Was not his last act of perfidy committed in their service? But with all their efforts at justification and defence, they cannot raise him from the deep political grave in which his corrupt carcass is buried. When such treachery can be justified, and such perjury excused, let no convicted felon despair.

That Senator Blake, in the presence of Senator Payne and Mr. Hamlin, entered into an agreement that, if Mr. Swift would vote for him for Speaker, and thus secure his election, he (Blake) as Speaker, would recognize the right of Senator Johnson to a seat, until the final trial on the report of the committee on privileges and elections, and that he would not recognize Mr. Broadwell, the testimony most fully and amply proves. On these conditions, and with this understanding he did receive the vote of Senator Swift, and was elected. From the day of his election till after the reading of the Journal on the morning of the 2d inst., he did recognize Mr. Johnson as a "Senator from Hamilton county," and as such he was permitted to vote, and his name was entered upon the Journal, which was read each morning and acquiesced in, the while Mr. Broadwell exercising none of the functions of a Senator. On the 2nd inst., in open and direct violation of his solemn pledges he recognized Mr. Broadwell and permitted him to speak and vote—thus recognizing 37 Senators when the Constitution authorizes but 36. And the Whig press and party leaders seek to justify such base treachery!

Again: Mr. Blake had solemnly sworn to support the Constitution of the State, and well knowing that that instrument authorizes but 36 members of that body, he ruled in a 37th, thus knowingly and wilfully adding perjury to treachery. But for all this he finds ready and willing apologists in the leaders and presses of the whig party! This was what we expected. The whig party that set out with the determination to set at defiance the supreme law of the State and to trample upon the rights of the people in order to perpetuate their rule, will seek to palliate and justify whatever means, however infamous and dishonorable, that shall serve to aid them in their wicked designs. But their days are numbered.