The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-05-31
The Presidential Election.

The great election for the Presidency, which
will take place on the seventh of November next,
may now be said to have commenced. The no.
limitations put forward by the Baltimore Conven-
ton, of Generals Cass and Butler is the first dis
tinct step towards the exciting canvass. These
nominations have been before the country for few
days. They have already drawn forth remarks
from all parties, calculated to excite public atten-
ton, and to fix the mind the probable results of
the contest.
We have observed that already many of the
wing journals attribute weakness to Gen. Cass, as
a candidate, and all sorts of offences as polit-
clan. Of course, opposition, of all kinds might
be expected from that quarter towards the nominal
tons of the democracy. There are, however, in
the ranks of the democratic party certain factions
full of discomfort and hatred, who are endeavor-
ing to instigate hostility to General Cass and his
associate, and to bring about state of things
that might give the victory to the nominations to
be put forward by the whig convention, which
will meet next week in Philadelphia Let us ex-
anime this matter.
These unkind feelings towards Gen Cass come
from various quarters beside the regular opposi-
tion. The special friends of the other candidates
at the Baltimore Convention-Mr Buchanan, Judge
Woodbury. and others-will not, of course, be able
10 reconcile themselves to this arrangement at the
first blush; but time and discussion, warm weather
and soda water, to say nothing of various other
emollients, will bring them about and make them
quite gentle and plant, before November Even
one of the Herald correspondents at Washington, is
bitterly savage, not against Gen. Cass personally,
but rather hostile TO his POSITION and to the in
trgues which he alleges have been the cause of his
successful nomination. To this there is a simple
reply When there is a number Of candidates of
any party, coming before either Congressional
caucus, or a popular convention, intrigue, and
probably considerable amount of corruption,
in the way of trafficking and bargaining, must take
place Democracy does not make men as pure as the
angels in heaven. Politicians may be Christians;
but they still sinners. Not even dispensation
from His Holiness the Pope, before his deposition
and the revolution, can prevent them from trading in
sin or spois. Weare perfectly satisfied that there
was no more, and no less, bargaining and corrup-
ton intrigue and management, at the recent con-
vention in Baltimore, than there has been at any
previous caucus or convention, before which seve-
raj opposing candidates appeared.
General Cass, as politician and a statesman, is
at least equal to any of his compatrots among the
democracy, or even among the wings. In private
life he is uncommonly PLAIN, unobrusive, friendly,
kind in his behaviour and general demeanor.
There are few great men at Washington who are
more unpretendlng or more gentle or kind in their
manner, towards all classes, than General Cass; and
we may add, also, his family. Some persons are
astonished at the influence which caused the con
vention to make this nomination. We attribute
the result partly to the invariably kind and unaf-
fected character of his public and private demean-
or throughout his whole life, in the West, in the
East, at Paris, at Washington, every place where
he has occupied important positlons-so different
from Van Buren--and not by any means to conup-
ton and unmanly intrigue, or bargaining with
politicians.
Gen. Case, in point of intellect, also, is not the
imbecile man that some of the journals represent
him. He may not be so refined or exact as a
statesman, but he is an uncommony well educated,
learned and intelligent man, in the fullest sense of
the word-far superior In this respect Van Buren,
or Polk Perhaps he is more ofa philosopher and
literary man than he is of politician or statesman;
but he is an accomplished man, In every light in
which he can be viewed, and as a democrat, pro-
badly of the strongest that could be selected by
the convention. If the wings or the barnburners
or any other faction or party, think to carry their
objects by undertaking his popularity, his acquire
ments his talents, or his position, they will make
q fatal mistake.
As to the barnbuners, notwithstanding the de-
claration they have put forth, of holding conven-
ton on the twenty-second June, we conceive that
from the position of parties, both they and EXPIRE
sident Van Buren, utterly and Overwhelmingly
annihllated by the convention at Baltimore in con-
nection with the action of the wing convention in
Philadelphia. They have announced their purpose O,
holding convention at Utica, on the 22d of June
Next week the wings will hold theirs in Philadel-
phia; and whatever nomination that convention
may make, 1t will produce such an effect on the
public mind as utterly TO annihilate the barnburn
ers, and place them in the condition of a mere
fragment or faction of parry. If the wbigs
should nominate Mr.. Clay, then General Cass will
come before the country one of the strongest
candidates The nomination Of Mr.. Clay and the
rejection OF General Taylor, would at once divide
the wing party, and might please the banburners,
by taking General Taylor into a sort of saving po-
siton, that might keep their light somewhere
burning fol few years longer; but if the wings
should-as 1t is probable they will--nominate
Gen. Taylor the barnburners may nominate any
man they please, and nothing would be heard of
them one way or the other, long before Novem-
Der.
We conceive, therefore, that the barnburners and
ex-President Van Buren's dynasty are utterly de-
molished, forever, in this country
Such we believe TO be the distinct position of
things at this moment. The wing politicians are
now in trouble. What will they dol What course
will they takel Will they persist in bringing for.
ward Mr. Clay with the defeats Of long life hang
ing around hun, or will they abandon him and put
forward Gen Taylor, with all the popularity that is
supposed 10 surround his name in the South and
Vest They are, indeed, placed in an awkward d.
lemms, and will find themselves so in their conven-