Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1851-12-24
From the Lafayette tLouisiana) Statesman
What has President Fillmore
done.

done.
The official term of the present administra-
ton has neanAt clpired. The people will soon
be called upon dgain to choose chief execu
tive of the nation. We must, therefore, in
quire what has the leader of the party in pow
er done to signalize his executive career.
We can point with peculiar pride. if not with
exultation, to the results of democratic rule
Each democratic presidential term for the last
twelve years is marked by events which make
eras in our political history The country
during Jacksons, Van Burens, and Folks ad-
ministration, made extraordinary advancement
in wealth, power, and political consideration
amongst the nations of the world. The local
policy of these administrations was also mark
ed by important measures, whose influence
will be felt in future years. Under Gen. Jack
son, banks ceased to be omnipotant, and aris-
tocratic corporations fell, to rise no more to
Cypress the people with their former tyrannic
power. High protective tariffs disappeared,
and freedom of trade was ushered in through
the instrumentality of Van Buren, and Polk
The United States under democratic rule OBJ
tanned new territory equal to all her former
national domain, and discovered the seat of
mineral wealth excelling in richness all the
world had before imagined. States were born
in day. The rude wilderness was organized
into prosperous Territories. The world was
startled by the blaze of our military achieve
ments. Despots ceased to sneer at our weak
ness, and kingdoms began to feel our power
We need not attempt to particularize what
democratic Presidents have done it is craven
in the history Of the country-it is written in
the hearts of our people.
But, We ask, what has President Fillmore
done? What are the ededs Of the present whig
administration which Will illustrate our annals
IL is with modification that we answer, we car
point to no illustrious achievement; we can cite
nothing in the management of our foreign pol
icy-nothing in the guidance of our domestic
affairs-but what is the subject of chagrin rath
er than pride. ~ has quarrelled with tn
French consul OIL matter of etiquette; it ha.
bulied Portugal for the settlement of pecuniar,
claims, and then submitted many of them t.
the decision of hostile, bastard republican
prince; it has snubbed a minister of the Aus
trian empire, and uttered philippe agains
French Interference between us and Spain; i
has tamely suffered Mexico to violate its faith
confiscate American property and rights ant
with phlegmatic unconcern Witnessed Ameri
can citizens butchered by a colonial tyrant
and the American flag jnsulted by the guns Q
his snail paced steamers.
| A boyoo pr,yiJ.uca only c,yaJ II frop, IN
vo'ving the country in civil war 1t has orr
ginatcd no measure to increase our prosperit
or add to our power. 1t cannot even claim t
have Gained the waves of sectional strife whic
threatened to ingulf the nation in the vortex
ruin. Democracy came to the rescue, and il
strong arms were necessary to pilot it int
) safety. Again it may be asked, what has tn
administration done? 1t has done much-muc
! that it were better had never been done. Whe
Hungary wrestled for freedom with the Cigar
tic despots of Russia and Austria, it sent a
unofficial messenger to inquire into the stabi
ity of the new republic springing up from tt
ashes of thrones, instead of giving prompt Ell
! enlargement to nerve fainting hearts and sa,
} desperate fortunes. When Cuba spurned IL
despotism of decreipt, intolerant, bigoted SPAR
and cried for succor in this land of liberty an
hope, it issued procIamations denouncing tho'
who, with their lives in their hands, rushed ,
rescue. They were massacred under the ba
Of our republican President. They were den
. ed the common rights of humanity by his of
cial representative. Others drag out livir
death in foreign mines without executive r
monstrance or intcrposition. Where is tn
:, sympathy with the oppressed which even mo-
arches of the Old World showed us in Il
days of our birth-struggle? Where is that jea
ousy of national honor which signalzed Il
ancient republics. aud even our early histor.
Is the assertion II am an American" any pr
lection even against the outrages of the mo
:, imbecile monarchy, the most impotent repu
;, lie, or an island colossal government? o
!, power is known and acknowledged, but o
passive endurance is no less notorious. Bette
: far better, had it been for President Fillmo
had he made our national character respecte
y and obtained redress for our national greya
cies.
o The CENTRAL RAILROAD LOAN TO BE TAKEN
j. THE RoTuscHLDs.-We are informed by &c
= tleman just from Chicago, that A. Hyatt Smi,
who arrived in Chicago Thursday last, brin
- the agreeable information that Messrs. Neal a