The republic., 1851-06-12

the opponents OF the Administration as purely one
forelcctioneering purposes. Should no other good
result from it, the giving TO the country the senti
mcnts Of the members Of the Cabinet upon the
question of the day, and the great strengthening
Of the bonds OF Union which those sentiments ne
cessarily will cause, will moro than compensate
Mr.. Fillmore and his advisers for the vials Of vitu-
peration and abuse which have been or may be
heapcd upon their heads
Correspondence Of The Philadelphia Lsdger.I
How tho Thing was Done-Thc Conse-
quences.
READING. June 7, 1851.
After great historical event it becomes men
to inquire into the causes which produced it, as
the best means Of Judging of the consequences
that may ensue. Every public act has its his
tory and its philosophy, and it is only in COM
bining the two that we are permitted to enjoy
glance at the future.
There can be no doubt in the mind Of an Impair
tial observer that in the Reading convention the
friends Of Mr.. Buchanan have had decided ad-
vantage the friends of all other candidates for
the Presidency. The South seemed to have desig-
mated MIR. Buchanan their favorite; Pennsylva-
mia was merely called upon to ratify the choice;
and, under this impression, majority Of the con-
venton, from all parts of the State, felt exceeding
ly unwilling to murder their own offspring. Mr.
Buchanan ia an intelligent, worthy, upright son
of Pennsylvania, and it was not for Pennsylvania
strike down her own child. after the South had
given it such conspicuous marks of her confidence.
In other respects, too, Mr.. Buchanan was the fa-
vorite Of fortune Colonel Reah Frazer, wealthy
and distinguished citizen of Lancaster, tempted
by the alurements of power, had, in evil hour,
suffered his name to be used in connexion with the
governorship of this State. Colonel Blgler had
long ago been the almost unanimous choice of the
Democratic party Of Pennsylvanin; and the wing
| of the Lancaster Democracy, commanded by Colo
mel Frazer, was, therefore, considered hostile
the general movement for the governorshp, and
marring the prospects of tho Democratic party.
MIR. Buchanan too experienced an old gen.
eral not to take advantage Of this movement;
and with great skill and tact succeeded in COM
bining not only highly respectable portion of the
Democracy OF Lancaster, but Of the whole State,
against what appeared to be the individual aspra-
tions of an otherwise unexceptionabe member of
the Democratic family Mr. Buchanan's friends
instantly put themselves at the head of the Bigler
movement" and thus succeeded in denouncfng
Frazer as a rebel in the Democratic camp. Had
Fruxer at once declined being candidate, he
would have avoided the false position in which he
was placed, and would, no doubt, have evinced
greater strength in the convention. His uncondi-
tional surrender too, at the convention ITSELF pre-
cipitated the vote against him. He looked to the
generosity OF party, when his experience might
have told him that partisan leaders are only valued
according TO the force they are able to command,
and the degree OF skill manifested in their mnn9u-
vres. Fear is a much stronger passion than sym
pathy, and far more catching.
Another adventitious circumstance, skifully i'm
proved by the friends of Mir Buchanan in the city
and county of Philadelphia, is the struggle for the
judgeship. A party opposed to Mr.. Buchanan for
the Presidency, at the same time opposes Judge
Campbell for the supreme bench, and forthwith the
friends of Mr.. Buchanan became the champions of
L CamDbeam. Thus. the dele ga ca Of the cit NJ
county, who were elected as Campbell candidates,
voted with the friends Of Mr.. Buchanan in conven-
| ton. The exclusion of the Frazer delegates
| carried by the aid of the delegates from the city
| and county; and. strengthened by the admission
of Mr.. Buchanan's delegates from Lancaster it
an easy matter for the Buchanan leaders to carry
every thing their own way. Had an issue been
| made in Philadelphia between the friends of MIR.
Dallas and Mr.. Buchanan, respectively the result
might have been very different one from the
chroniclcd the other day Mr.. Dallas stands
fair in the South any northern candidate for the
| Presidency. He was, during the lifetime of John
C.. Calhoun, the favorite Of that distinguished
| southern statesman for the Presidency, though, at
no time, approving the acts of the secessionists;
| and it is we'll known that Mr.. Dallas could unite
| the two wings Of the Democratic party in New
York, without the vote of which it ia sheer mad
ness for any Democratic candidate to cherish a
| hope Of being elected by the people. In word,
then, had the struggle in Philadelphia been di-
rect one between Dallas and Buchanan, or between
the respective friends of these distinguished states
men, instead OF turning on mere local election of
Judges the result might have been very different,
| and the action of the convention might have ex
/ hibited different aspect.
The strength of Mr.. Buchanan in the southern
Statcs is, in great measure. owing to circum-
stances. He is stronger, perhaps, with the ultras,
that IL, with the anti Com promise men, than with
those who do battle for the Compromise; his popu-
larity with them being founded on his prediction
in favor of the line Of 36o 30, expressed in his
| Harvest home letter to Reading. Many moderate
men of the South naturally say that s'it is good
fault in northern statesman to be the friend OF the
southern utras because the South has the worst of
1t any how; and q statesman who is willing to give
| to the South more than the North will generally
concedc, is not likely to become an aggrcs sor on
| southern rights" In this manner is Mr.. Buchan-
| an, by his popularity with the southern ultras, an
unexceptionabc candidate with southern mode
radios.
As to the threat of the southern ultras. that the
cotton States will not send delegates to the
ton, it is a mere political trick. Whether they
send delegates not, the convention will transact
it's usual business If the Union stands, the south
orn ultras will and must be schippsd; and if the
| Union is dissolved, (of which there is good
chance as OF the dissolution Of the Rocky mount
ains,) there is need of convention.
But there is yet another fact worthy Of notice.
The bulk of the Union men of the South ia com
posed Of Uhigs; while the seccss.onists in the
ton States (and there are real sscessionists out
of the cotton States) for the part leading
Democrats. II is this state Of things which has
created the Union party in Georgia, Alabama, Mis-
slssppi and latterly also In South Carolina II the
Union party triumphs, as it undoubtedly will, then
the Democratic party of the South must necessarily
be weakened in its organization, and the nullify-
ing portion Of it scattered to the winds OF heaven
The cotton States therefore, while they play very
| dexterous game of Isgsrdemain before the Demo-
cratic National Convention, will have very little to
| say for themselves after the nomination is made,
and will not be able to support the nominee by ac-
| tual votes.
Neither must we, in this canvass, forget the in
crease OF population and consequent representation
oil the northwestern States. Illinois, Indiana, Mis-
souri, Michigan, Ohio, have largely gained since
the last census; while Virginia and South Carolina
have lost The northwest, therefore, if it should
unite with New York, will have controlling vote
in tho baltimore Convention, and the leading men
| nomination. Onsrnvra
BALTIMORE AND ONO RAILROAD The revenue