The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1844-06-19
THE DEMOCRATIC" NOM
NATION.

vention of our political opponents has
succeeded in making a nomination for
the Presidency. JAMES K. POLK. of Tenn
essee, is the designated individual nomin-
ated as the competi tor of HENRY CLAY
for that high office.
The selection of Mr.. Polk was the re-
suit apparently of something like desper-
alton. After fruitless efforts and much
angry excitement-after canvassing the
whole list of names originally submiite d
TO the Convention names known and
favored by the various constituencies rep>
resented in that body-the new name of
Mr.. POLK, recommended by no constitu-
ency for the Presidential nomination, was
united upon as that of the leader of the
forlorn hope Of the party.
Mr.. VAN buren, has been given up.
The adoption of the rule requiring a vote
of two thirds 10 make a nomination proved
destructive TO the pretensions Of that gem
tleman--as il was designed to be. In the
adoption of that rule, which was carried
by majority vote simply, some of his
nominal friends played him false at the
outset. He is given up-abandoned-leit
to subside into political notwithstanding
very unjust fate, perhaps. although hardly
merited at the hands of his friends.
But in casting Mr. Van Buren, aside the
party has shrunk from the old issue of Is.
40. Until within few weeks past it
was the standing proclamation of that
party that the election of 1910 had been
decided unfairly, and that in order to
atone the "wrong" then done, as they
were pleased to call it, to the principles of
what they denominate "democracy," it
was necessary that the man who had
fallen with the "principles" should be res.
tored with them. But it appears that the
''principles'' have not been adequate to
give popularity to the man.-The results
of recent elections in various States--the
opening triumphs of the Wings which
have lately shown forth as the glorious
harbinger of the coming slendour of com.
plete success throughout The Union-have
opened the eyes of the most deluded 10
the fact that the Wing victory of 1s40
was about TO be repeated again with still
greater brilliancy in 1914, unless some.
thing could be done either TO mend the
principles" which were then put down,
or TO get better man TO uphold the '.prin-
ciples
The party has endeavored TO do both.
1t has sought to take from Mr.. Tyler his
Texas "principle' to add TO the worn out
catalogue of its roll-call of words, and 1t
has thrust out Mr.. Van Buren,, as a politi>
cal Jonah from its sinking ship to SUBJ
stitute another pilot from the school Of the
Hermitage.--The new Palinurus comes
holding in his hand piece of the helm
which be grasped when The State of
Tennessee threw him from her own steer.
age; and with that memento of his un-
sklliulness he is enstalled to guide the
shattered National bark with a divided
crew through a more troubled sea than
that in which be was so lately swamped.
How the nomination of Mr. Polk will
be received by the party IN whose name
he is put forward, is an affair Ct their
own concern, in which we feel no solicit
ude. Ii mattered nothing to thu Wings
from the first who should be the candi-
date of their opponents. No candidate
can give unity TO the discordant elements
of that party, torn assunder by its own
misunderstanding no common princi>
pie upon which 10 stand--agreeing upon
no great measures of national policy. 1t
is party of negatives. 1t can tell what
it is opposed TO, so soon as it ascertains
what they Wings are in favor of. 1t can
denonnce the Tarf--decry the National
Bank--oppose the Distribution of the
proceeds Of the Public Land sales-but il
proposes nothing; it has no positive posi-
lion. To impede the efforts of the
Wings when they attempt to carry out
beneficent policy-this they can do, and
they strive TO do this to the extent of
their power. The history of the doings
of that party in the House of Representa-.
tives of the present Congress is mostly in
cluded in the record of their labors to
overthrow the Wing Tariff of ls42-and
that specimen of their exertions is a toll
erab!y. fair illustration of their general
movements since the defeat of the Sub.
Treasury.
But now their Presidential candidate is
nominated. From the recesses of the
Egyptian Tomb" as it was called bv one
of them, in which the Convention sat,
voice has come forth-"a dolelul sound;"-
from the Egyptian darkness" as the
same gentlemen styled it, which envel.
oped the deliberations of the conclave,
faint ray has emerged dimly shining with
a reflected light from the declining sun of
Andrew jackson 1t must "pale its in
effectua fire. before the refulgent glory
which heralds the elimination of the Star
of the West, which shines with no borrow
ed lustre.
The canvass will no doubt begin very
soon, since both parties are now arrayed
under their appointed leaders. The
Wings are quite ready for it; they be-
lieve that they foresee the result of it all
ready. The unanimity which spoke forth
in the nominations of Henry Clay and
Theodore Frelinghuysen, gave but pres.
age of that unanimiiy which shall call
both TO the highest office of the Govern.
ment. If the two Conventions of the
two parties are to be taken as the sym. |