Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1844-12-05
From The National lntelligencer.
The Presidential Election.


tionsbeld for Electors Of President and
Vicel President Of the United States,
Elec clors have been chosen OF whom a
majority will cast their votes for Mr.
Polk for the first, and Mr.. Dallas for the
seconh of these offices. So that, in ef-
feet, James X Polk, Of Tennessee, has
been chosen President, and George Nj.
Dallas, of Pennsylvania, Vice President
of the United States, for four years from
and alter the 4th day of March next.
Looking into the particulars Of the
vote by which these citizens have thus
been chosen to fill the chief Executive Q
offices, we shall find that they have not
received the vote by many thousands, Of a
majority Of the voters ; that, probably,
making a just allowance for frauds noto-
riously perpe,raled in the elections, it is
doubtful, to say the least Of it, whether
they have rightluily received even u
plurality Of the votes. The results Of
the election in each State, however,
(excebt South Carolina, that may be set
down bg ainst US, and whose vote could
not iHany case change the result, have
been declared, and we hear Of no inten-
lion 80 dispute them. They give to
Clay and Frelinghuysen one hundred
and five electoral votes, and 10 Polk and
Dallas Quo hundred and seventy.
The disappointment and pain with
which this result Of the late animated
canvass has filled our breasts It would be
mere aiieciation in as to deny, or to at
tempt to conceal lrou our readers.-
Wholly unexpected, the event took US
completely by surprise. Not even for
a moment appIehended, the blow came
upon Us with staggering force.
From the force of that blow we con-
fess ourselves to be hardly yet sufficiently
recovered to determine certainly 10
whom or TO what influence we are in
debted for it. That the judgment which
has been rendered is not that of the in
lteligence Of the country, no one will,
wo presume, be hardy enough to deny.
Neither, we suppose, can any doubt be
reasonably entertained that far the iarg-
er portion of the educated and informed
people Of the land voted for Clay and
Frelinghuysen, and much the larger
portion of those neither educated nor
well-informed voted for their successful
opponents. The decision can hardly be
referred to an overruliDg Providence,
for il is not the voice even Of the ma orr
ty olthe people, which is commonly {but
impiously) said TO be the voice of God |
/ { any event fraught with consequences
so possibly momentous to millions of men |
can be properly attributed to accident,
such surely is that which we are now
speaking Of
Upon the combination OF causes which /
have produced this accident, even so
far as we are able to comprehend them,
We shall refrain from animadversion,
rather leaving them to be developed and
discussed by our contemporaries in the |
several States in which they occurred.
TO make single exception, however,
we may be allowed to say (he vote off
the State Of New York being known to
have determined the election) that we
bays suoSloubt, upon such information as
has reached US, that the loss of the vote
Of that State to the Wing candidates is
to several causes, the alb
sence of either one Of which would have H
given the vote Of the State TO Clay and
Freinghuysen. OF these causes we
nay specify, first, the vote of the mass
IF that class of persons who even in
nonarchcal Governments are precluded
rom interfering in elections in any man
,er whatever that is to say, the depend
ants upon Executive patronage, such as
contractors, custom-house
officers, soldiers in the army, and sea-
men in the navy /; secondly, the increase
)f the foreign vote within the last four
years by fraudulent naturalization, in
at which the judicial au,hori-
les Of that State have culpably neglect
ed their duty thirdly, the wilful mis-
of Mr.. Clay's views in
regard TO the annexation OF Texas and /
tou,thly, the even more wiltul misrepre-
,entation, by his own supporters, Of the
opinion of Mr.. Polk in regard TO a pro-
ectve tariff. Thus much only for the
present on this head though much
more might be said.
We grieve over the issue Of this cleo
ion, less from apprehension of the ac-
ual danger to be apprehended, under
all the circumstances, from mal-adminls-
ration of the Government during the en-
suing Presidential term, than from the
fearful lesson which it affords Of tho vani-
y Of all reliance for success upon intel
ectual greatness, unimpeachable probi-
y, or ialthlulness OF service IN the can
lidate for national prolerment. Was il /
not in prophetic spirt-ihough certain
y with entire innocence on our part, for \
We at that time entertained not a doubt
IF the election ofthe Wing candidates.
hat, two months before the election, ION
September Cd, adverting TO "Ihe ex.
ample Of those old Republics, over whose
history every student, from the veteran
statesman down TO the boy at school,
,aJJens at the wild humors Of an un-
aught populace," we asked this qucs-
ion "But are IRE, in the new freedom
which enlightenment has produced-in
his era OF universal intelligence amidst
Institutions the hope and the pride Of the
yoI!d-with a people whose boas, is
knowledge Of what is good in Govern
ncnt, TO present no better, no more en-
:ouraging examples Z" And We thus
pursued the train or thought suggested
y this question Like the Athcuians,
We have n statesman truly great, long
he stay, the prop Of the Slate whenever
ndangered, lie has upheld the coun-
~ ia war he has twice, by prudence
nd patriotism cqualled by no other in
is day, saved us from that scourge in