Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1852-10-13
A Distinguished Accession.

Ex-Governor Lucas, of Ohio, one of the
most distinguished Democrats of the West,
but now President of Scott and Graham
Club in Iowa city, has come out in most
powerful letter declaring his intention to
give a cordial support to the Wing ticket.
He says:
was President of the Democratic Ma
tional Convention at Baltimore in 1882,
which nominated Gen, Jackson for rec
lection, and that recommended Martin Van
Buren, as candidate for Vice President
on the same ticket. supported Mr.. Van
Buren, for the Presidency in 1886 and lo4V;
/ voted for Gen. Cass in 184S, and should
freely vote for him again were he cand!-
date. These are so many proofs OF my t.,
tie of Democrat. This title has been we'll
earned, and my right to it shall never be
impaired. But cannot support Franklin
Fierce, by word or deed, for the office OF
President, consistent with principles which
have ever as Democrat entertained, nor
with the voluntary pledges that made to
the Democratic Convention Of Ohio which
nominated me in 1924 as candidate Tor
reelection to the office of Governor OF that
flourishing State; these pledges being as
follows:
"My motto has ever been principles,
measures, and men that ,riH carry principles
and me asures into effect, and you may rest
assured that whatever may be my station
or situation in life, YOU may always find
me in the ranks of Democracy, supporting
the principles and measures that were pro-
fessed and acted upon in the admnlstra-
ton of Jeferson, Madison, and Jack
son, and such men as will carry their prin-
cples and measures into effect"
The position Mr.. Pierce has ever occu-
pied, in Congress or any other public sta
ton, in reference to questions vital to Wes-
tern prosperity, has been antagonistical to
those which were advocated and dearly
cherished by those eminent statesmen whose
election to the Presidency l most heartily
and cordially advocated. They taught, and
have ever believed that the Constitution
vested in Congress the power TO open and
repair harbors and remove distractions
from navigable rivers and that it was ex-
pedient that Congress should exercise such
power when such improvements are neces-
sarv for the common defence, for the pro-
motion and facility of commerce with for
eign nations, or among the States-said i'm
provements being national and general In
their character. | understand Mr.. Pierce
to superadd to the above doctrine proviso
to the effect, that the waters on which these
improvements are to be made shall be sail,
and that they shall be moved by tides. He
has, in effect, declared that the depths of
the water to be improved, nor their capaci-
ty for trade among the States, form no cri-
terion for just demand upon federal pro-
lection. His political history as collected
from his action in Congress, no less than
from his letter to the committee of the Con-
vention, accepting his nomination to the
Presidency, in the terms set forth in the
platform, furnish evidences of his hostility
to all the prominent measures which tend
to Western prosperity of which internal
improvements and domestic industry are
the most prominent.
As Western man, therefore, and as an
origional Jackson Democrat, as friend to
internal improvements, and to the protec-
ton and encouragement of American in
dustry, / cannot and will not support such
a man as Franklin Pierce for the Presiden-
CIV. And as there are now but two proml-
nent candidates before the American peo-
pie, namely, Gen. Winfield Scott and
Franklin Pierce, one of whom will neces-
sarily be elected the next President | shall
most cheerfuly and freely give my vote
and influence to Gen. Scott believe him
bv far the best Democrat of the two, and
one whom every friend 10 the West partic-
ularly, and to internal improvements, and
to the promotion of American industry.
ought to prefer and to cordially support.