Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-07-01
How ID was Done!

huence upon the Wing party throughout the
Union, occasoned by the result OF the Guberna.
torial election in that State n month before the
election of President came on, and its exhilara.
ting effect upon their opponents, Mr.. Polk would
never have been elected. We have heard great
deal of "Whig Roerbdcks," and that party has
been sometimes unlustly charged with having re
sorted 10 unworthy articles in order to secure
the election Of Mr.. Clay But the annals of par.
~ warfare do not furnish parallel for the artfu-
ly devised and well-sustained scheme of fraud by
which the people of Pennsylvania were induced
tn cast their vote for James X Polk, rs the espe-
cial champion of the Tariff of 1912, the fate of
which they were assured would be endangered bv
the election of Mr.. Clay! Criminal as was this
concerted scheme 10 mslead the people of that
State, there is yet darker hue impaired to it by
the fact that its authors and the instruments en-
ployed in its consumnation, were not obscure and
characterless partzans, but that they were men
occupying elevated stations in the country, who
should have dlsdaned to participate in such des-
pcable work, and who must even now blush
when they remember that the official honors thew
enjoy obtained by means so discreditable,
not to say infamous.
The first move in this game of deception was
the Janus-faced letter written by Mr. Polk 10
James X. Kane, Esq. of Philadelphia, who has
recently received the reward of his agency in
this conspiracy, by lucrative Judicial appoint.
mcnt. That letter susceptible of widely diff
ferent constructions-and II was written for the
very uses that were afterwards made of it-ouo
led in the Tariff States to show that its author
in favor of discriminating for protection ~
while in the States opposed to the Tariff il was
construed to mean directly the reverse We
might in charity to Mr.. Polk, suppose that it was
not his intention TO deceive any portion of his
countrymen by the artful manner in which that
letter was written, were it not for the fact, that
although he was aware of the opposite intcrpreta.
lions thus given TO his language in opposite Sec
lions of the Union, he obstinatey refused to re-
ply 10 committees of his fellow citizens, who af
Ter apprizing him of the conflicting opinions as
cribed to him, consequent upon the ambiguity of
his letter, endeavored in vain TO induce him TO an
swcr pointed and direct interrogatories in such
terms as should leave no room for eguvocation on
his part, or for doubt upon theirs. That refusal
satisfied us then that it his design to involve
his real sentiments this vital question in obscu
Iiiy and doubt for the express purpose of deceiv.
ing the people of Pennsylvania, and of profiting
by that deception.
Yet, Mr.. Folks letter alone would not perhaps
have been deemed sufficient guarantee of his
friendship for the interests of Pennsylvania
Ii was obscure enough in its meaning TO
prevent his being assaulted as an enc
my Of the Protective system-but it was
not explicit as to satisfy them that he would be
their jealous supporter. Hence the necessity of
sending among the people learned commentators
al, .r, al:
violation; and they, it seems, were readily found ;
and among the most conspicuous of them were
James A. Bdlack, whose reward has been the
mission to Bogota, and JAMES BUCHANAN
now Secretary of State, and who, if report be
true, is soon to be promoted to lileestatc Office
on the bench of the Supreme Court. "On every
busting in Pennsylvania, remarked Mr.. Pollock,
of that State, in his speech in the House of Re.
representatives. on Saturday last, the question dis
cussed before the people had been, Dhich Uas The
better tariff man, JAMES X. Polk, or HENRY
CLAY" On that point the Presidential election
in that State turned it may be said, almost ex.
cusively. On the ccctionecring banners of the
Democratic party, was inscribed these words
"PoLK AND THE TARIFF OF 1912 :" and Mr. Pol.
lock states that in procession formed by the De-
mocrats on great political occasion, the banner
carried before them contained these words (:
''Jdmes II. Polk and he Tariff Of ls42-wE
DARE THE WIVES TO REFEAL RIP Can it be
believed that such man as James Buchanan lent
himself TO this deliberate game of deception Mr.
Pollock replies to this question: by stating that in
his own section Of the State, she had personally
attended large public meeting, and heard that
meeting addressed by Pennsy lvania's talented md
favOrite son, James Buchanan. Knowing, rs
Mr.. =. did, the which the canvass had ia
ken ia that State aud being aware that Mr.. Blu
chauan must be we'll acquainted with the opinions
Of both candidates, having been long intimately
acquainted with them, ne had felt great curiosity
aud interest to hear what that gentleman would
say" And what did he say We cannot ad.
init, AZ Mr. Pollock says he is forced to conclude,
that Mr.. Buchanan was himself deceived" That
- impossible. He had been too long intimate
both with Mr.. Clay and Mr.. Polk, TO Justify such
admission and besides, If Mr.. Polk had so
grossly deceived him, he would assuredly have
had too much selfrespect afterwards 10 become a
member Of his Cabinet. We arc therefore con.
strained to believe that he only enacted the part
assigned him in the plot, when, as Mr.. Pollock
tells u.s. she did state, that occasion that no had
served in Congress both with Mr.. Polk and Mr..
Clay; that he was personally intimate with them
both, aud nae nell acquainted Nth their opinions ;
and he then went on to declare that JAMES X.
PoLK WAS METER TAHITI NAN THAN Mn.
Cav, and that he believed rHE TAHFF Of 1912
WOULD BE SAFER IN Nh. PoLKs HANDS
THAN w NV. CLaY's." We arc not surprised
that this declaration, made by member Of Con.
grcss in his place, created, as the Reporter says,
great sensation :" add that voices wcro heard,
erclaiming, "Did you hear that :" "Did you hear
him say 20 :" "Is that possible P-inducing Mr..
r. 10 repeat the statement and TO re.asser that
he had himself heard Mr.. Buchanan use these
words. ], was indeed well calculated to excite
sensation to hear the Secretary Of State charged
by Member Of Congress with an act 50 unwor.