Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1848-06-14
GENERAL CASS.

ainlly, good nelghbor, an agreeable associate and
in every way adapted to be an ornament of society.
We will not now stop to enquire into the proprety
Of dvorcing mans prirate from his public charac-
ter, nor will we insist upon the axiom (or to us it
appears such) that he who would commit great
political misdemeanor in his public capacity. would
not be apt Stand on triiles. as private man,
were the inducement sufficient 1t is fatal thing
for public happiness, when the rogue in public life
comes to be regarded as the estimabe man in pri-
vale HE; when line of distinction is drawn be-
tween two species Of guilt of precisely the same
character, upon the ground that one was political
and the other personal when political ingratitude
and treachery TO be excused because the ndi-
vldual is an indulgent father and has never been
known to whip his wife, or turn his children out of
doors. We shall content ourselves with pursuing
Gen. Cass through his public career There is e.
nough 10 comment upon IN the acts which form
portion of the countIy's history, without going any
farther 10 seek food for animadversion.
His first appearance on the stage of life, was ac-
cordng to the Louisville Journal (whose editor is
rarely mistaken upon points of political biography
slgnazeG by 4 series of terocious attacks upon Mr.
Jetfe rson, in a seres of papers written in New
Hampshire. which the same editor says will short
ly be republshed, and which we should like to see
placed side by side with some of his later produc-
tions. We next find him in Burlington the teach
IL
federalist an officer in John Adams standing army,
and wiihal heightened gentleman of the Old
School, who had done the State golden service in
The Revolution, superintendent the recruiting ser
vice. Tie had risen 10 the rank of Major, and from
the fact that his son was sufficiently educated to be
at that day the principal of an Academy the pub
Tic VIII be able to estimate the value of those pre-
tensions set forth In the Loco Foco papers in his
favor. He self made man. they say: mean
m SDIf 10 inf Inn NH 4,
ucation he had worked his way purely by the force
OF his own intellect. like Franklin, Ewing, Cor
win and hundreds OF others. On the contrary as
the son OF Revolutionary officer of high rank and
iavorlte OF the Executive, his birth was what i'm
this country, may he called arstocratic and his ed
ncation appears TO have been at least as good as
that OF any OF the young men of his day. True TO
the preceptS of his worthy father at this stage of
his life he appears TO have been thorough federal
ist, even to the mounting of the Black Cockade-
Ills convictions, however, as of late ON the Will
mot Proviso, soon underwent change.
when quite young man, he removed 10 the
State OF ONO. and was there elected as n Federal
ISL 10 the Legislature; an occasion sgnallzed by the
hrst somerset in the career of politician who has
since oustripped all his contemporaries in the art
OF still vauling. Finding the principles of the old
Republican party in the ascendant. he gave his old
friends specimen of his skill. and lit upon his feet
In due time, he was. appointed Indian Aren't to
Michigan, during the administration of Mr. Jelfer-
son, whom he had asSaled some wears before. and
was kept in Office by Messrs Madison. Monroe
Adams and Jackson. until the latter appointed him
Secretary Of War. The life of him in circulation.
and adopted by the Union. points with great tr
umph TO his employment by Jefferson Monroe and
jackson but most disngenuously passes over in ST.
fence, the fact that he was retained in office by
In LII. ii
or OF Michigan and Superintendent of the Northern
indIans) yielded him an annual income of $40. 900
and contributed 10 swell the bulk Of the enormous
fortune which owns him as lis master The truth
Is, that during the administration of Mr. Adams.
ne was an Adams man, but true to his instinct,
when he found that the popularity Of his patron
was less than he had supposed it, he lost no time
IN changing sides. Gen. jackson, as reward for
his aposiacy, kept him in office as Indian Agent
ana afterwards made him Secretary of War. He
does not appear 10 have been the man. however. to
suit old Hickory in that capacity, and he transfer
red him to the Court of the Tuillerics, as Envoy
Extraordinary and Minister Penipotentary to the
Government of his Majesty Louis Philippe. King
OF the French. Here he appears TO have been i'm
his element. surrounded by Princes and Dukes. and
the delightful impression made upon his mind by
the atmosphere of the Court, is apparent in the
Iose-coored description of the same, with which he
Democratic Review.
When. in 1910, being still continued in France
by Van Buren,. he was requested to bear testimony
TO the personal courage of Gen. Harrison, who had
been charged with the basest cowardce by the 90
cotoco Press, he declined doing 50. on the ground
that he was public officer, and did not choose "a
interfere In party contests. As soon as Gen Har,
rison, however, was elected, his tone changed and
when the news Of his death reached Paris, the
Wings, it was thought, being then in the as
cendancy, he delivered funeral Grafton in hi:
praise. The thing did not take with the Wings
however, who understood his newborn zeal per
fectly we'll and laughed at him to his face, while
the curses of these very men, who are now called
on 10 support him, Were the deeper and the more
bitter from their beng smohered.
As soon as the Wings quarrelled with TYLER
and lost their majority in Congress- like the verita
bic Vicar of Bray, who alone Is his rival in the ar
OF retaining office, he changed again. and forthwith
got himself into a very pretty little quarrel witt
Mr.. Webster, at that time Secretary of State
our readers have forgotten the merciless fayinu a
live Of which he was the victim at that time, W,
may venture TO say that he himself will remembe
1t to the end of his days, though his life should b
protracted 10 the age Of the patriarchs. Finding
that he must be removed, he made virtue of ne
cessiy, and taking time by the forelock, returned
home, 10 run as an extreme LocoRoco for the Presi
dency. His letter to the Indiana Legislature il
lS43, is the most curious specimen Of non commit
tai on the subject of the tariff that ever fell unde
our observation, and he must be better skilled il
reading riddles than we, who can say whether HI
was then free trade man or not. Now however
he is understood 10 be thoroughly free trade.
When the annexation Of Texas was first uropos
ed, he was against it; but when the current bepar
TO set in its favor he became Of its most violen
advocates. When the Three Million Bill was un
der consideration, he made speech upon it. anC
distinctly avowed his appreciation Of the Wilmo
Proviso; now he is opposed to it, but proposes
plan by which all that the Wilmot Proyiso mel
Int.irn La, ,l.I ,nL