Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-07-01
WASHINGTON.
Liberty and Union, now and forever, one and
inseparaDle.v
SATURDAY, JULY /, ls4s.
THE DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE
AND HIS POLITICAL PROFESSIONS.

| AMI HIS fOLlllCAL FhOr
We had occasion, some days ago, to examine not
only the workmanship but the materials Of the
democratic Platform" recently knocked together
in the city of Baltimore. very curious structure
il was; of very odd device, incongruous materials,
and disjointed execution: and, on the whole, won
deriul reproduction of Burke's description of a
parti-colored, patchwork, peeled, pebald Admin
israton in his day, whose principles were per-
perfect mosaic-work of opposite hues-here a bit of
black, there bit of white, but not safe to handle,
selated pavement was is this Platform" saving
only that his was in marble, and this is Of clap
boards.
After our review Of q the Platform we met with
the Letter of Gen. CAss in which he accepts the party
nomination rendered to him by the late Baltimore
Convention; and, in doing this, in express terms
declares that his political faith is precisely that
which is required of him by the infallible decree,
the papal bull, Of this grand conclave at Baltimore
He stands forth, therefore, superior and sole, the
great occupant Of the PLATFORM and not a
plank, not stick of it. but is henceforth his
forever, no matter what opposite principles he
had heretofore professed or practsed. So he him
self asseverates that it is and shall be, in the fol-
lowing sentence: ~ haze carefully read the Re
i" tion, laying do,On The PLATFORM Of our political
!" faith, and adhere TO them as firmly as 4 ap-
" prooe then, cordially" And, having thus ac-
cepted them entire, the beginning and end Of his
public creed, he adds, little after This letter.
" gentlemen, closes my profession Of political
"taith."
If, then, the political opinions of Gen. CAss
were, until now, in an unsettled and quasi fluid
state, like lime and sand before they have set
into mortar, like liquid salts before they have
shot into crystals, they have now, by the chemical
virtue Of the Baltimore Resolutions hardened in an
instant into consistency and soldity; and should
some convulsion of nature of politics bury
them thousand fathoms deep, they will, when
dug up again, Gf ever they are,) only come out
grand and perfect neurological specimens for
future Cabinets, not Of Government, but of Natural
History.
Considering that it was as much matter Of
chance as the turning up of "cross or piles on
the tossing of penny, what should, on many
points of faith, be orthodox or be hereca accord
ing to this creed of Baltimore; it being notorious.
too, that the axoms of Locofocoism are one thing
this evening and just the opposite tomorrow morn
ing seeing all this, we say, it is nice question to
consider 0hat Gen. CAss' sopinions wouldjust now
be, if, by some mysterious dispensaton Of Provi-
dence at Baltimore, the bishops and fathers of Loco
focoism there had CHANGED to re-establsh the TRUTH
which was once true, that Protective Policy is
iDise and republican, or that National Bank is
the very test Of democratic righteousness with
Gen. Jackson in 1892 that Subtreasury scas
damaable or with the Van Buren, Admins
tration Of 1881 that the .Annerafion of Ierds
Would be national crime and misfortune. 1t
being now grown perfectly evident that there is
hardly any thing ,ohich may NOT become highly
Democratic, why should not these things be De-
mocratc, along with many others till lately
dreamed Of! Or, indeed, the principles of old
any chance or change, be democratic again If,
them it be admitted las we think it musD that the
great ecumenical Council at Baltimore might have
backslidden into some of the " mmutable" repub-
lican truths of ten or twenty, or thirty, or forty
years ago, would Gen. CAss's constitutional no.
tons till then liquid have suddenly CONCEALED into
solids very different from what the galvanic action
of the Platform" has fixed them in Or is the
chosen embodiment of Democracy so very demo-
cratic that even if, by accident, there should be
Locofoco Convention winch Numbered back into the
leading ideas of Jefferson, Madison, Monroe,
Lowndes, Crawford, Calhoun, Jackson, and Van
Buren,, Gen. CAss would not and could mott
But if these be curious speculatons odd ideolo-
gica problems, have in reserve still nicer one
The readers Of the National Intelligencer are Of
course aware that on the River and Harbor I'm.
provement Bill, vetoed by Mr.. Polk, Gen. CAss
voted in the Senate on the opposite side to thai
which the Platform" lays down as the genuin,
Democratic doctrine and that, in like manner, as
has lately been proved in open Senate, he was
originally jealous advocate of what is called The
Wilmot proviso," meant to be disavowed and de
nounced by the same /" Platform" In firmly ant
cordially adhering" to the Democratic PLATFORM
Gen. CAss therefore denounces, on these two CAPT
tai points, himself. We wish to know, therefore
yhat mould haze been has political faifh"-
now, as he AYERS closed y that is, fixed and set
tied forever-if the Baltimore decision had happen