The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-11-23

Drought upon HlfnseI the EMMY OF nat
great portion of tae democracy Of the whole
country. who opposed the restoration of Mr.. Van
Buren, TO power. well as the unmitigated hos
tility of the old hunkers. Perhaps the future
may open a new and more brilliant career
TO Mr., Wright But while he suffers himself to
be so Justly considered the avenger of the
wrongs and mistortunes of Mr.. Van Buren,, he
has nothing to hope, either in this State, or from
the democracy OF the country. II there are
other leaders, who hope to rise Ph9nix-ke from
the ashes OF Van Burenism, they will do we'll to
be warned in time by the fate of Mr. Wright
Pennsylvania presents the names ofMr. Bucha-
nan and Mr. Dallas, the first of whom only has any
considerable number of partzans. Mr.. Buchanan
has an active body Of political friends in his native
State, and the prudent and successful manner in
which he has conducted our foreign relations, is
gradually giving him great strength, as public
man, in every part Of the country. But what
with the distraction in the party caused by the
tariff question, together with internal discussions
IN Pennsylvania, it is not probable that his friends
will urge him on the country for forty-eight, al
though all must confess that he has the abilities
and experience to make a splendid President.
Mr.. Calhoun, like MIR. Clay, has been before the
country as an asprant to the Chief Magistracy for
some thirty years, and, like his great rival, he has
been thwarted at every turn by cliqmes OF polt-
clans of the small po;atoe or sausage order. His
personal character is unexceptionablc, his man
ners engaging, and his powers of reasoning on ad.
mtted premises, altogether superior, Bnt in the
estimation of many, Mr.. Calhoun is a man of ex-
treme fixed ideas, which have at all times led his
mind to conclusions that have been beyond the
reach of the mass. He has had the undaunted
boldness to advance ideas that no other man
would or perhaps could advance. We have wit
messed him laboring for the annexation of Texas
and refusing to sustain war with Mexico, which
came upon us as the consequence of this annexa-
ton; and yet he has, probably, reasons for his po-
Icy His constitutional scruples will not permit
him to construct harbors to protect the commerce
OF the Lakes, but he has discovered that the great
rivers that empty into the Gulf of Mexico are in
land seas, and within the scope of constitu .onal
improvement Great as is the respect entertained
for the genius and character of Mr. Calhoun as a
man, his mind is probably too great and elevated
to ever place him in the presidential chair. We
believe, however, that his friends are determined
to run him in ls4S, at all hazards.
Mr.. Benton has somehow worked himself out
offavor with his own party. He is still sold Bull
lion," but the huge paws have not that love for
hi m that they once had 1t has been his great
error to yield nothing to the understanding of
other men, and to make his friends feel the lash of
his authority. Scarcely shadow of his once
great name can now be discerned on the political
horizon.
An interested few will not succeed in any attempt
to bring forward Mr.. Polk for reelection. 1t is
remarkable feature in the history of Mr.. Folks
political life, that he Las always been ambitious
OF consistency, integrity, truth d purity of mo-
tive. We wonder if he ha succeeded in all
these Add to these the settlement OF the Oregon
question, the extension Of our territory by the an
nexaton OF Texas, New Mexico, and California,
and the measure of his ambition, however great,
will be full and for all these, he is more indebted
to Messrs. Calhoun, Tyler, Upshur, and Bu-
chanan, than to himself. Without really be-
leving that such would be the case, Mr.. Folks
administration will, by adventurous circum-
stances, be one of the most glorious in the past
or future history of the country And Mr.. Polk
knows too well the value of the great reputation
he is destined to leave to history to sacrifice it
in vain effort to accomplish impossibitiss.
Still he may prove his weakness by attempting
to run for another term.
General Cass, of Michigan, has had the pecu-
liar good fortune to have been long conspicuously
connected with the political history of the coun-
try, without having been drawn into the angry
wrangles of party conflicts, and has therefore not
to encounter the dangers OF those personal hos.
tlites and friendships which are incident to
them. He enters the lists with acknowledged SUI
perior abilities, and long train OF military and
civil services. The public will not forget that to
General Cass this country and the world is in
debtsd, that the right OF search is not at this
ment the law Of nations. But in Cass we have
the embodiment of the 81 40 men, and that will
inJure him among the peace men of the extreme
right. Cass, however, seems to be the most ELI
giblc candidate for the democratic party, if we
take western view of his chances, as Nc
Lean is for the wings. These two men,
both children Of the great West, will dis
pute the paternal domain with nearly equal
chances of success. Any reasonable calculation
will concede the whole constellation OF Weste IN
States to either of these candidates, unless the
other is in the field. II either of them should be
taken up, the other, perhaps, must be brought
forward, as matter Of necessity, by the oppos-
ing party, to preserve anything like an equal con-
test, for the great West is now becoming the great
conservative power for the politician. Mclean
will probably be the second choice OF the friends
of Webster, Clay, and all the minor and hopeless
asprants among the wings, as Cass will probably
be OF the friends of Woodbury., Wright, Buchanan,
&c. We observe very general and decisive indi-
cations OF a disposition on the part of the late
friends of Governor Wright to fall back on Gen.
Cass, since the late election in this State.
The instinct of self preservation is no where so
strong as among politicians. Friendships and en-
nifty are alike forgotten; and that standard Is sure
to be followed which is most certain to win the
day. We, therefore, should not be surprised to
see Cass and Mclean the opposing candidates for
lSlS and no other selections offer the inte rest
of so much doubt as to the result
But other elements are to be introduced, nolens
poiens, into the contest--the Mexican war-t.e
acquisition of new territory--and slavery Hous-
ton, Crittenden, Clayton, "Old Rough and
Ready" are elements too powerful to be disre-
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