The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-12-18
The Martyr and the Gull-trap.


His biograPhers tell us that Lord BYRON
woke up one morning and found himself
famous in London. Mr.. WILLIAM J.
BRowN went to bed one night last week
with the reflection that he had made him
self notorious throughout a continent. He
had become the historical Brown. The
prefix of his baptismal name, or the attix
of his place Of residence, was no longer
necessary to distinguish him from all the
Browns, past, present and future. With
relation to the whole family, his name
shone forth like the moon among the lesser
fires. He was eminently, pre-eminently
BRowN.
The country was electrified by his sud-
den celebrity, when it was announced by
telegraph that Mr.. WILLIAM J. BRowN had
distanced all competitors, in the race for
the Speakership, and would the next day
undoubtedly reach the goal. 1t seemed
as if the nation, without knowing it, had
possessed precious jewel in the person Of
the gentleman from Indiana. He it was
who was to heal all differences, harmonic
all conflicting opinions, unite all discordant
sentiments, and embody in single cham
pion all the elements Of opposition TO Presl-
dent TAYLOR. Free-Soil was satisfied.
The extreme South was happy. Democ-
racy, pure and simple, was in state of
entusymusy Whiggery was in confusion.
The laurels OF Palo Alto and Buena Vista
were no more than weeds cast upon q
barren strand. They had lost their YER
dure-and all the world was Brown.
Confidence, we are told, is plant Of
slow growth; but in BRowN's case II had
grown up in a night. There were no
iealousies, 40 apprehenslons, in the ranks
Of the united opposition. 1t was re-
ceived fact that BRowN would do every
thing that was right. Even the Argus
eyed Union saw in BRowN admirable quail
ificahons to discharge the duties of the
Chair Ii hailed him as the "favorite
candidate Of the republican party" The
settle of the distinguished Democrats OF
Richmond" chopped to have the pleasure
Of announcing his election as the Demo
cratic Speaker. The case was not only
full of "interesting features" but also OF
.Iprofound interest" The small circle OF
recusants were notified that every eye
would watch their movements, and every
ear would eagerly catch their votes. 1t was
TO be another phase of "moral treason to
vote against BRowN. The thunders were
merely suspended The Union 'forbore"
to launch them at the devoted heads of all
such as should dare TO oppose the iavorite
candidate of the elite.
Now, j. it possible, in view OF these
facts. that the Opposition did not know
BRowxi They knew him just as well
the day before the explosion as the day
after. Mr. BRowN was nonew man. He
had been member Of Congress. He hac
been Assistant Postmaster General. lie
had distinguished himself in the late cam
paign against President Taylor. He haC
been associated with Mr.. Senator FooTI
and Mr. EDMuND BURKE, by the Natlona
Democratic Committee at the Baltimore
convention. az one OF the executive com
mittee at Washington, 20 prepare and cir
culate documents, and exercise a superyi
sorry power over party affairs, during tn
last Presidential canvass. He had trav
4led about making Cass speeches, while h
was stipendiary OF the Federal Govern
uent, in the receipt Of $4,000 a year
He had been heralded as the first marty
Of the new rfgime-though his martyrdor
consisted ia las voluntary resignation {
HE trust the moment that Judge CoLLANE
came into the Post Office. There was n
man better known than Mr. BRowH TO bi
colleagues, Mr.. FooTE and Mr.. BURKE
who were intimately connected with hir
for many months during long and exclt
ING political conflict Through these gen
tle,oen he must have been known, by re
port al least, to all the wing. Of the DE-
mocracy. Probably there was no one ma
IN the country Of whose principles, policy
and personal qualifications, the Democrat
had better means Of obtaining informatlo
Than they had Of the ''iavorite candida
OF tie republican party"
Mr.. BRows vas member OF the 2St
Congress-. His vote. in that body wei
no doubt thoroughly investigated and SER
t,nized BY beth sections Of the Opposite