The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-12-19

lAfLoR Nloidte the SAINT plcuSc ny seek
ing to equalize the public employments by
giving their full proportion of them to the
WIGS?
MIR. Brown-his Dupes and his Defenders.
The Civilians had a maxim-.Nemo
repe'lte tuptSSamuS-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 man pre-
viously unimpeached can be guilty of
very enormous offence. There are gra-
dations in iniquity. Vice, the poet tells
US,
eve 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 load 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.. BRowN'S 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 fayor' Did
he become repenfe tnpiSsimus-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 onthe 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 sell' Or might
not every man have known it who cared
farthing for any thing but an Opposition
organizations
Take single instance, by way of Illus
tration. Mr.. ALLEN, of Massachusetts,
attended the Philadelphia Convention as
WING. We presume that he practised
no imposition upon his constituents, and
that he was what he held himself out TO
I be. He was dissatisfied with the nom-
\ 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
1 TAYLOR was not. MIR. 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.. Brown was But he did not
care a straw what Mr. BRowH was, nor
what his opinions or votes had been, pro-
yded he could aid in cfecting an Opposi-
ton organization Of the House. We hardly
suppose that Mr.. ALLEN would have in
suited his constituents, in view Of his own
antecedents, by voting for Mr.. BRowN, if
he had not postponed character, qualifca-
tons, and principles, 10 the spirit of Bitter
Endism.
The gentlemen, then, who voted for
/ Mr.. BRowN knew him, or ought 10 have
known him If they did not know him,
il was because they did not inquire, and
did not care TO know him. But when
! Free-Soil voted for Mr. BRowN, it was no
l5nger admissible, on the part Of the De-
] roonrzYy y,ropor IN spt IN tho nlea of