The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-05-27


stability and virtues of the people. This problem
was again to be submitted to the test Of experiment
Il was now to be seen whether the people, TO whom
this government belongs, and TO whom belongs the
power of giving and taking away the highest Office
in the republic, were able to elect the chief mags-
trate whom their immediate delegates had seected
from their own body Never was more important
issue tried in this country. We had not only to
correct the prejudiccs which had been produced by
the result in ls4O, and to restore the confidence
which so many had lost in the people, but TO teach
the sublime lesson for the future, that they could
lect their own President without the nrigues or
piraiions of ambitious leaders. Elect Mr.. Polk,
and we should az ain select our candidate for our
selves. Let him be defeated, and we should be
thrown back again upon that dangerous rock, on
which many free States had split the intrgues Of
ambitious men, who or whose friends would first
bring them forward for election and then their
success by unworthy expedents. How much was
saked upon the issue, indeed, is not necessary for
US to say-rot only this moral lesson Of the man
Of the election, but the great principles which
divided the two parties Of the country. II is still
less necessary for us to describe the progress
of the campaign or the vehemence Of the strug-
gle The wings, still confident Of the victory,
ridiculed our chances Of success, and wagered i'm
mense sums at great odds upon the election Of Mr.
Clay. We need not describe the suspense, the
anxiety which prevailed for FIVE monthsthe tricks,
the humbugs, and arts of opposition--the money
which they poured out--the presses which they
,b.;d Al ,,,h,ch thaxy
over the land-the disgraceful expedients to which
they resorted down to the bran-bread, which they
had brought to this metropolis to be circulated over
the country to alarm an enlightened people. AT
length, the contest is decided. The wings are de-
feated; and the haunting question "Who is James
X. Polk" is triumphantly answered by the people
themselves, ''He is now the President of these
United States"
How many interesting events, we repeat, have
been crowded into the last twelve months Had
the result been otherwise than it was, and had Mr.
Clay been elected President Of the United States how
strangely different would have been the situation Of
the country a, this moment Texas would never have
been reunited to our Union The "lonc star"
would hare wandered, like the lost Pleiad, stripped
off from the American constellation, to which she
properly belonged. The whole moneyed interest
would have received Fictitious impulse from the
prospect of establishing a great national bank. A
mad spirit of enterprise would have displayed itself
in the excess of mercantile speculations and in the
manufacturing mania Factories would have been
spread over the whole country, until the distended
bubble would have burst into thin air. The bene-
fits and burdens of the Union could never have
been tolerably cqualized. The expressions Of the
present tariff system would never have been correct
ed The rich would have enjoyed an advantage
over the poor The North would have preyed still
more upon the South. A national bank-an OPP
pressive tarff-an insdious distribution of the pro-
ceeds of the public lands-a Fictitious and uncon-
stitutional system, alike derogatory to the rights Of
the States and injurious to the great interests of the
people, might have ingulfed in vortex almoseve-
ry principle which the republicans had held sacred
would have constituted part Of the spectacle Of
Mr. Clay's administration. Who, too, does not
believe that the spirit of prescription would have
ragged like hurricane over the face Of the land,
sweeping almost every democrat from Office, filling
their places with the dolaters of Mr.. Clay, and
creating new Offices to glut the ravenous appctites
Of his devoted crcaturess
Such were the important issues depending upon
the fate of the campaign. So many were the inte-
resting events which were crowded into the last
twelve months! But another remarkable twelve
month is opened upon us---and how many momen-
tous events are also to be crowded into its COM
pass! We may now defy national bank; distribu-
ton Of the proceeds Of the public ands oppressive
tarif.-a bankrupt law--the wild rage of proscrip-
ton. We have it now in our power to make the
moral lesson complete, which the last campaign has
success by carrying out the pledges under which il
was elected, and the principles of the republican
party, and the voluntary choice Of the people will
again supersede the eager movements of distinguish
ed aspirants. This is point gained which is indeed
beyond all price. This present twevemonth is al
ready opening upon with the brightest auspices.
Texas is ours; and at that name every honest and
liberal American heart leaps with joy. This vcto-
ry lends us moral force enough to gain others.
Texas must open the road to Oregon.
fair and equal adjustment of the tariff must fol-
low Letus repeat that "the Secretary of the Treas
ury is proverbia for his industry, and marked for
his sagacity. He, too, is constant in the execution
Of his duties; and it gives more pleasure to state,
than we can well express, that he is actively en-
gagged in collecting from all parts of the country
every information that may be necessary to assist
him in the management of our finances. We have
no doubt that he will be prepared to lay before Con-
gress large body Of the most useful statistics, SO
as to enable them, without loss of time and with the
aid of the best materials, to proceed in forming the
best, and wisest, and most nearly equal system Of
revenue that can be adopted. We have little doubt
that the secretary will at least do his part in bring
ing the treasury back to fair, equal and just
nue. standard, and in equalizing the public burdens
The present tariff can scarcely stand as the per-
manent system of this great country II is too
unequal in itself-too oppressive upon some in
terests, too partial to otherstoo favorable to the
rich, too burdcnsome to the poorer classes Of