The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-11-11
THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ITS RESULT.

native of Virginia, which boasts Of being the
mother of majority of our Presidents. Eight
Presidents had been elected from the South
only three from the North not one from New
! Hampshire The weight Of precedent was
| therefore in favor of Scott
But he labOred under certain disadvantages
His military education and habits separated
him from the People. His military exploits
awakened admiration, but the aristocratic
hauteur of the camp repealed popular sympathy.
He was great man, but unfortunately def
cient in that mOdesty or tact which, especially
in Republic, is necessary to render greatness
t0lerabe to the self-lOve Of the masses On
grave occasions he was a wise man, on light
occasions anything but wise. To almost any
crisis requiring powerful executive ability, he
has been found equal where there has been
no call for the higher energies of his nature,
his conduct has too often been marked by van
ty and weakness
His competitor, ON the other hand, was nei-
thcr great man, nor pretender to great
ness he had the reputation of sound judg-
mcnt respectable talents, political consistency
but his fame was not such IA to excite envy,
nor had he committed any sin against the self
love of others. One Of the People, he attested
to them his patriotism by his voluntary ser
wees in the war with Mexico, and did enough
to prove his courage, without solatng himself,
as a mere soldier from their sympathies.
So much for their personal attributes. AS
to their relative political circumstances, the ad-
vantage was all on the side of Pierce
The Wings advocated Scott on the ground
of his own merits; he was a great man, a
marvellous soldier, grand beneiactor of his
country. Such claims naturally disguised the
other candidates who had been set aside, and
were calculated to provoke a kind of antago-
nism in the public mind Pierce was urged,
not for anything he had said, done, or was
entitled to, but simply as man who fairly
represented the principles Of his party, and
had never made himself obnoxious to any fac.
ton in it and whose election would be credit.
ed not to any merit in himself but alone to the
strength of his party. This was enough to
satisfy the selEloye Of the score of rejected
candidates who solacng themselves with the
idea that intrinslcally they were more worthy
thnn the chosen standardbeare compromised
neither their dignity nor claims, by cordially
supporting him. On the contrary, Webster
and his friends were alienated by the extraya-
CANT claims set up for General Scott and even
the friends of the placid Mr.. Fillmore, gave
but a reluctant support to the nomination.
Several causes conspircd to turn the weight
Of the naturalized vote against Scott He
could not blot out the memory of his former
proclytics to Nativism and his liberal decla-
rations ON this subject during the canvass were
considered mere eloctionecring devices, while
they Disguised the more bigotcd Of the M
tives The resolution of the Wing Convention
Mt Baltimore, fatty rejecting the prayer of
European rcvolutionists, and repudating the
policy of Intervention in any form, Mt any
time, was used with great effect against him
among our naturalized citizens especially the
with many highly intelligent men among them,
who, while admitting that the position of the
Democrats on the subject of Intervention was
wholly unsatisfactory still earnestly labored
for their success, on the ground that their tri-
umph would encourage the Revolutionists, and
mtimidate the dcspotic authorities of Europe,
to whom the name, Democracy was a reality
and who were under the impression that the
Democrats of America were the real progress
4 i've, revolutionary party, while the Wings were
! the Conservative That the natur;ilizcd vote ex-
crtcd powerful influence on the result is no.
torous; to what extent. however, it is yet i'm.
possible to say.
BY some 1t may be supposed that the al.
legged extravaganza and corruption of the
Wing Administration under Taylor and Fill
more, had II great deal to do in arousing the
People to the necessity Of placing the Govern
mcnt in Democratic hands but we can zee ne
evidence Of this It is true the Washington
Un'on acclaimed loudly about Galphinism ant
Gardinersm but the People understand pref
ty we'll 10y this time that 40 long as revenue
shall be raised by imports, and not drec
taxes 20 long as So much patronage shal
be lodged in the hands of the Federal Execu
tive, and 20 long rs Congress shall yield itscl
up to log-rolling combinations, and postpone
the consideration of its great appropriation
bills till near the close of the session, wher
members, tired ont and anxious to get home
are willing to act without deliberaton, Their
must and will be extravaganza and corrrup
ton, whatever may be the Administration,
II any of the old issues entered into the can
yass and produced any influence, it WAS til,
Tariff; and SO far as this was concerned tn,
great majority of the American People hav,
voted their assent to the policy of 1916,
But it will be found, we think, that the posi-
ton in which General Scott was placed ON til,
question Of Slavery, contributed more than any
single cause to his overthrow
The Wings of the North few years ago
and during the early period of the Wilmo
Proviso agitation, were loud in their Anti la
very professions, gave countenance to tn,
spread of Anti.Slavery sentiment aud availe,
themselves of il in their party struggle Ever