The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-05-06

To prescribe the democrats, Proseribe prescription
that is The question Though the Executive weahercock
is frequently shifting the top OF the steepe and the
other day the Virginia election seemed to turn II par
italy round, and disposed il TO shift moderation and
orbearance yet the sophsns of the Office seekers and
the irresoluon Of the President, and still the
want of confidence of the cabinet in themselves
are now counteractng all the good effects which
such a warning calculated TO produce upon
firm and sagacious statesmen The sophist whose
ingenuity is sharpened by the lust OF office, is i'm.
pressing the Executive with the idea that fobearance is
no longer a virtue; that he spared the democratic Office
holders in Virginia. and yet she has voted against him
that it is idle to proptate the democrats and that his
only duty and only interest are, to bind the wings 10
his destiny by the cohesive force of public plumber"
The Executive will be able 10 Withstand the pressure
of its inpatient partisans The daughters OF the horse
eech still crying out 'Give give !" and the conse
quence s that Notwithstanding all his pledges and all hs
professions he will have TO gve give" until be has
but little more to give.
The misfortune of the President and his cabinet is
that they have little confidence in themselves; and worse
STILL scarcely any confidence in each other. The Pres.
dent confesses that he is statesman and of his
Secretaries are destitute OF political and experience
He had personal acquaintance with them when he
came on to Washington. And the President knows from
his military experience that regular troops have the
advantage of knowing each other, and have confidence
in each others bravery and skill that in of any
disaster in the battle every stands his ground
because he knows his right and left hand will all
stand together. Such, however, is not the situation of
the present cabinet They have little confidence in them
selves, and very little in each Others and this cicum-
stance emlnenty distinguishes them from the late cabi
net. The consequence of this, again, is, that the
public have not that confidence in them which is
necessary TO support them not only against the
democrats, but against the onslaught which gather
ing upon them from the dissatisfied legion of the
disappointed of Kentucky We feel for the situa
ton of the Presidents because his chair though were
envcoped in roses, would still be full OF thorns-and
he has the political force of character bear up
against the difficulties which to surround his career
But amid the present embarrassments of his sua.
ton beset by eager opportunities for Office on the one
hand, and his previous pledges the other how is he
plant his foot firmly down and adhere to the line of anti
proscrptve policy which his feelings might incline
him to pursue' Who wonder, then, at the fuctu.
alton of his councils Who be astonished that now
he rebukes prescription, and then he yields TO it,
We scarcely know whether our correspondent has
written the following communication in a vein OF irony
or of conviction We suspect the former; but certainly
he reminds us of the lady, who, in writing her letter.
We fear that his postscript foreshadows the doom to
which many oice-h holders destined, crafty the
appehtes OF the Office seekers.