The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-12-19
MIR. Brown-his Dupes and his Defenders

MIR. Brown-his Dupes and his Defenders.
The Civilians had a maXm-Nemo
repente tvpissimuS-to the effect that no
man becomes very base on sudden. 1t
is this principle which admits testimony
to character on criminal trial. 1t is not
reasonable to suppose that a man pre-
viously unimpeached can be guilty of
very enormous offence. There are gra-
datons in niquity. Vice, the poet tells
US,
We first endure, then pity, then embrace"
We propose to apply these principles to
the case Of Mr.. Brown. We have seen
all the sections of the Opposition uniting
in the support of this gentleman for the
office of Speaker. Just as he is on the
point of being elected, plot is discovered
and exposed, the success of which, in
General BAYLY's opinion, would have
covered gentlemen on his side Of the
House with 'sload of obloquy." Mr..
BURT thinks that it would have been an
" insult" to ask his vote for Mr. BRowN,
if he had been aware of Mr.. Browns po-
sition. Similar views were expressed by
gentlemen acting with Mr.. BURT and
General BAYLY.
1t seems, then, that Mr. BRowN, in the
view of the most respectable Of his Demo-
cratic friends, has been guilty of base
action for nothing short of base action
could have justified the use of such Ian
guage from such quarter. We do not
conceive that Mr.. BRowN is relieved from
this imputation by the defence of the
Union. There are some journals whose
appreciation is the worst censure.
Now, did Mr.. Brown change his nature
in the interval between the first vote that
was thrown for him and the general rally
made by the Opposition in his favor' Did
he become repente turpissimus-suddenly
and superlatively base' He had served
long enough in Congress to acquire char
acter. He was pretty well known before
he came to Congress. He was well
known during the late Presidential can
vass, and occupied, by the favor of the Bal
timore convention, a conspicuous and com
handing position on the Democratic Execu-
tive committee, by the side Of Mr.. Senator
FooTE and Mr.. Commissioner BURKE.
Was it any secret that Mr.. Brown was
VIGOROUSLY capable of the very offence of
which he was guilty. Did not every man
in the House Of Representatives know
that he would buy and SELF Or might
not every man have known it who cared a
farthing for any thing but an Opposition
organzalion'
Take single instance, by way of Illus
tration. Mr.. ALLEN, of Massachusetts,
attended the Philadelphia Convention as a
WING. We presume that he practised
no imposition upon his constituents, and
that he was what he held himself out TO
be- He was dissatisfied with the nomi-
nation Of that convention, because General
TAYLOR was not Wing enough for him.
He found Mr.. VAN buren, Wing enough,
however, and voted accordingly. He
was elected to Congress, and, like his
brother Free-Soilers in Massachusetts,,
abused Mr.. WINTHROP for being too much
under southern influence. He had not
been ten days in Congress before he voted
for Mr.. BRowN for Speaker. Mr.. BRowN
was Wing enough for him, though General
/ TAYLOR was not. Mr.. BRowN was Free
Soil enough for him, though he had de.
clared his intention to sustain slavery ''to
the farthest EXTENT" and though he had
separated himself from all his Indiana
colleagues, and had voted against Mr..
WIsTHRoP's amendment to the Oregon
bill.
Now, Mr.. ALIENS case was that Of
many others in the House. Mr. ALLEN
might have known, if he chose, precisely
what Mr.. BRows was. But he did no
care straw what Mr.. BRowN was, MOI
what his opinions or votes had been, pro
yded he could aid in efecting an Opposi.
ton organization Of the House. We hardly
suppose that Mr.. ALLEN would have in.
suited his constituents, in view Of his owl
antecedents, by voting for Mr.. BRowN, il
he bad not postponed character, qualifica
tons, and principles, to the spirit Of Bitter
Endism.
The gentlemen, then, who voted fol
Mr.. BRowN knew him, or ought 10 have
known him, If they did not know him
il was because they did not inquire, anc
did not care to know him. But wher
Free-Soi voted for Mr.. BRowN, it was M
longer admissible, on the part of the De
mocracy proper, TO set up the plea o
/ ignorance The fraud w2s transparent
The greenest politician must have seer
through it at glance. And yet, after thes'
!