Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1849-03-08
GEN. SHIELDS.

high character
y GEN. SHIELDS.
The extraordinary character of the correspondence be
tween Gen. SIellS, the present. and Mr. Breese the
lae. Senator from nos i, calculated to arrest the al
teniln Of the public and make an impression rot very
favorable to the character Of lie former. The truth is,
that the General is somewhat ola humbug. Mr. Polk
made him. what nature never intended him to BE- Cen
eral-pary because he was an ilishman. and partly be
cause his appointment vacatcda valuable Office at WASH
lugton. with which 10 reward parizan. He did not
display, during His very brief military service any Pc
culla qualification for the calling. At Cerro G,rdo he
, received dreadful wound, which he was frtunate
. complementary all exnectaton-to survive. As
o the extent and nature Of this wound and the degree Of
his suferings, he has enlightened TIE puhc il long TT
terwr en- in very bad taste which took the rounds the
papers and excited the laughter Of his comrades. MT
coLeut with this, in canvassng the State olnls for
His present OIL he failed III His addresses To all
late upon his wound. and make it the almost exclusive
basis Of his claims to support. we verify believe that
ne made more capital out ofthl grape shot through his
breast than made Of al the wounds received BY All
tile officers of the army Gen Pillow excepted during
The war We doubt not Gen. Shields is brave--the ianI
Of his birth And the land Of lis adoption give him
double claim to he consideration his bravery is
accompanied with thit m,desty which forms cons picu
and delightful trait in the character Of nine tenths OF
the officers IF army. lie i vain, boastfu and ego
ustic.
We have nothing to do wiz, and care milling about,
Mr.. Breese's treatment of Gen Shields. The doctrine
however, which The gallant General lays down, in His
card the National nelligencer, is utterly indefe9sibe
lie alleges That Mr. Breese Crcgatei saunders against
him, ana that, failing in his tleclon he would have re-
gardcd the success Of his com1ar IL an 'endorseInei''
Of these requiring ats hands signal vengeance
Such doctrine would bring. in nine cases oa Of tan.
every political canvass ID Tie ultimate arbitramen VI the
sword or pistol. Mr. Polk Ought acc riding to these new
notions VI hom5r, INSTEAD ii ;uaby giving lin mag
nifcent dinner, call Gen Taylor, or at least: to
put him ia moral pillory" II tie rough manner in
which Western canvasslng is carried on, dare say the
candidates said hard things Of each other. If GEN
Shields badly treated and knew aught affecting the
honor Or integrity Of Mr. Beese Why did he not dvulge
it during the canvass. He owed IT, revelation as duty
to the people Failing make it hen, the most obvious
dictate Of honor, Us. would have sealed lis
Iips in the event Of his conpetitus success. General
Shields notions directly the reverse.
We gladly accept Gen. Shields disclaimer Of threat
Of assassination But the language is certainly such as
TO warrant the idea Of personal violence. of some Kind, be
ing in con Plaon Of the writer, when he swore in
heart, that the triumph of his rival should avail him.
The solemny Of the conclusion Of his letter. if referring
merely to intention to expose disrepntable con
duet the part Of Mr.. Breese exquisitey ludcrous
One word more and have done. Gen. Shields
tells Mr.. Breese,
lyon published an article in the st. louis Republican
charging the with neligbiIity- doing that which |
thought in United States would have been
mean enough TO do in my if had been rua.
II is evident, then that Cen Shields seriously believes
that provision Of the Constitution should be set aside
in favor of his wouud-and that though not naturazed
and therefore disqualified from holding seat in the Sen
ale, it would be degree Of meanness which he cannot
imagine, for any person to alege this disqualification
against who had poured ont his blood like on
the battle fields Of his country. Was this intended as
Intimidation to the Senate fair notice that the
Constitutional disqualification under which he labors, as
foreigner shall prevent him from being a candidate
for the Presidency, to which he doubtless aspres.
On the whole the affair calcula ed to prepossess
the public mind in favor of the Senator His letter
displays bad TASTE bad temper bad moral sense and bad
judgment.