Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1839-11-13

rh.~. -, - - ing the signs and weoders |
of the present day. We are now 'n the cI,''' :" VIZ
Presidential election, to be determined In Nove"oe'
.ext wear On the Ilth Of next month"; WHICH Is the
second Wednesday OF December, a convention OF
delev,tes from opposition or wing party through
out the Union, will meet at harrsburg, Pennsyiva-
nia 10 make choice Of candidate 70 ran IN hostile
array 10 President Van Buren, This state on which
50 much depends, is engaged in the selection Of
next Tuesday the delegates 10 repre-
sent this city will be selected.
According to all and every appearance, the candi-
date Of the opposition will be HENRY CLAY Of Ken
lucky. No doubt but General Scott would be the
most popular candidate, but the trammels OF party
are too strongly intertwined with the former to af
ford any chance for less obnoxious and popa-
lar candidate. Around Mr. Clay are clustered a
band Of venturers, ece suckers, loafers, expect
ants, Just as numerous, hungry, veracious, as
unprinciped as those that congregate around Mr..
Van Buren,. Indeed, large section we're formerly
hungry expectants around General Jackson. They
are led by the hope Of public plumber, and will
destroy the chances Of such pure, untranmelled
man General Scott, rather than abandon their
favorite and their own hopes.
In such state Of things, it is much better for the
friends of General Scott to withdraw from the
test-let the present game Of roguery be played out
and wait with patience till time and fair weather RI
pen the fruit The result Of the election in this state
In which both parties SO nearly matched, will
only add 10 the pertinacity Of the friends of Mr..
Clay. The wsigs have imbibed belief that their
chances to defeat Mr. Van Buren, and elect Mr.. Clay
are very fair-Let them try it,
The Pledges aud Pledged Men-The Ancients
and ysodeRa~-Traxcdy and Farce.
There has been great deal Of abuse heaped upon
he lo1<v hc nod from bra
city as Assemblymen, and considerable sarcasm le-
yelled them for giving pledges Of whstthey intend
10 do hereafter, when the mantle Of Legislation is
thrown their shoulders. There is much that is
ridiculous in this system OF atterday pledges, yet
the practice has pretty respectable precedent, and
the sanction Of antiquity to back it. The earliest
set Of pledged men that we have correct account
Of in this country, met at ancient building called
Independence Hall, in Philadelphia, somewhere
about the 4th Of July, l776. They a very re-
spectacle party Of men, considering the times and the
circumstances by which they were surrounded and
as recollection serves 1--WE quote from
memory among the number Of those who pledged
themselves in that venerabe building, was one BY
the Of John Hancock, and two friends of his
named Samuel and John Adams; q person called
Familiarity Ben Franklin, also signed this pledges and
FIVE mistake not, one Thomas jefferson was inclu-
ded in the number Mcssrs. Stephen Hopkins,
Robert Morris, Philip Livingston, Benjamin Rush,
Thomas Mexican, Charles Carroll, and one Of the
Smiths also signed this the earliest pledge Of which
we have any authentic account in this country.
These spectabls old gentlemen met long brick
building, il is said, which still stands in Chestnut
street. Philadeph in front Of which is broad brick
pavement shaded with venerable old trees. Here they
drew up long string Of pretty good resolutions and
pledged theirves, their fortunes and their sacred
honors" 10 carry ont these resolutions. This res
pectable party, no doubt, were the huge paws and
sadoaniAbiss NJ those days, although history tells
ofno Paul Grout being amongstthe Nevertheless
they the brave and venerable buttenders Of TO
Such was the respectable origin OF the system Of
pledges from public in this country, and il must
be admitted that the precedent that not great
number Of our cosnrymen viii despise. II is trne
that the pledges Of these respectable old gentlemen
were shade more substantial than of those in
the present day They pledged their lives their for
tunes and their sacred honor Their lives were any
thing bat valueess; their fortunes were not to be
sneexed at and their sacred honor was affair Of
small worth. II is that the of the pledges
given by the buttenders OF the present day differs
somewhat in point Of intrinsic worth with those
Of the respectable old gentlemen mentioned
above. Some Of the huge paws pledge their
boots and brceches; that 10, those who arc for
tanate rs 10 have any. Paul Grout pledges-we
hardly know what-brt Grouts pretty nume-
rous and toerably valuable in their way, his pledge
worth something more than nothing Norman
Hickok pledges-let's see-what does he pledgea
Aye-he pledges six barrels Of tallow, which he
very well spare, and more beef from his own but
focks than any other man Of the party Msclay will
pledge all the unpaid briefs and judgments in his
possession. with the valuable materials Of lawyers
sfice, without a library Ulysses ID. French will
pledge genteel figure. amiable disposition, and
rising reputation. John J. Morgan will pledge .
quantity Of stock, asthma, fdgettiness, horses, kc
besides spiendid pew in st. Johns church. Mr..
Roosevelt pledges any quantity Of houses and real
estate, besides a very beautiful family. Hertteil
pledges lets see-he don't believe in much-so we
suppose he'll pledge large quantity Of unbelief in
high, low, rich, and poor, heaven and hell, banks
and beautiful women. Such are some Of the pledges
of the present day; they are amusing enough, but
,t they have the authority Of antiquity to sanction
them.
THE DrrrEREscE.-All who have travelled TO
Pniladelphia by way Of Awboy, have remarked the
extraordinary difference between the comfort and
oommodations Of the two steamboats, at the ends Of
the route; the Independence and the New Philad-
slphia On hoard the farmer ali IL civity comfort.