The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-02-15
The Whlg NsHAinatisns--Websts and
Seott-ClcerO and Cesar.


The whis party Is on the eve Of . terrible inter
nal struggle on candidate for the Presidescy
Several great men have been talked Of, such ~
Fillmore, Corwin, and Crittenden, but Webster
and Scott are the most prominent the most lead
ing, and the most anita sonstic. Both these lstter
mighty men have already been named, in various
shapes. Webster has received the nomiua alton of
a Boston convention, Scott that of Maine con
veution, and also Rochester nomination, and
both seem to form the principal contest among the
whig journals, and will be the point of dispute up
to the " Slaughter House Convention to be held
at Philadelphia on the 18th Of Jane In this d.
lemma and dispute, seemingly as bad as the demo.
Gratis, We hardly know what advice to give the
wings; even If we look at historical authority such
as that Of the Roman republic-nct the French re.
pubrs-we are equally At loss 10 determine
which is which, or who is who % just let us try.
Two Of the greatest men of Rome, In their day,
were Cicero and C@sar-the greatest Of Roman
orators, and the greatest Of Roman generals They
fioarished cotemporaneously, about half q century
before the Christian era, and considering that they
were not blessed with the light Of the Christian
dspensation, they were two very extraordinary and
remarkable men. They were an honor to Rome,
an honor to the age in which they lived, and sn
honor 20 any age. The one, by his commanding
eloquence, controlled the Roman Senate, and saved
the State from open rebellion and civil war, but
yet he was corrupt and rottea-the other, by
bis proves in arms, enlarged the boundaries
OF the republic in every direction, extending his
explorations and conquests even to the Island of
Great Britain, defeating oil his rivals at home, and
upon the strength OF his sword, elevating himself
to the proud and imposing title OF Imperial Die.
tator. And yet, with all the glory which these
ilustrious men shed upon the Roman ms ne, with
al the power and majesty and grandeur which
they added to Rome, they each died a violent
DEATH the one By the assassins Of unprincipled
enemy, and tie other by the treachery Of his
friends
Webster and Scott remind US, in many respects
Of Cicero and Caesar. Cicero was not more dis
tinguished in the Senate Of Rome than Webster
in the Senate of the United States; and the most
brilliant military campaigns Of Caesar are even
transcribed by the splendid line Of victories
achieved by General Scott, from Vera Crax to the
city Of Mexico. Cicero, in his day, protested
that he had saved Rome, and Webster has
saved, or helped TO save, the Union. Caesar
established the inyiacibility Of the Roman ar.
mics; Scott has done the same for the Amerl
can volunteers. Cicero was eloquent and ire
sistible in the cause of his country OF his client;
and Webster has not been found wanting. The
great orator of Rome was also some what luxurious,
ndulgiDg in the baths of Lucca, in his town house.
and Mt his country seat, like the true philosopher,
who believes that the pleasures Of the world are
worth enjoying. The great American orator over
tops the example Of his iustrious pre- decsssor;"
be spends the income of a millionaire on the
salary Of clerk, and is always poor. He
lives modossly at Washington, and is . farmer
at Marsh6eld, and yet thousand dollars are
TO him as one cent, and one cent as thousand
dollars. Caesar was declared to be vain, ambitious,
and corrupt; while Scott 10 also considered as
having full share of self conceit, "fuss and
feathers and aspirations for the White House;
but no man can charge him with corruption. Here
the parallel between him and the Roman falls to
the ground. In enc point, Caesar was far the
superior Ct Scott-in the art Of letter writing; but
his dinner was never curtailed to hasty plate Of
SOUP" and he had no Secretary Marcy sitting in
savage Judgment over his literary productions and
cutting them to pieces by his bulletins from the
War Office. 1t is doubtless from this cause that
Scott has become disguised with et.sr writing;
while Cesar, never having been restricted, wrote
IS han dsomely as ne fought. If he won a battle
by superior skill and discipline. he described it in
style Of equal superiority over all competitors.
The parallel might be further pursued, even to
the unnatural fate Of the two distinguished Ro-
mana. Scott, like Caesar, has very fair prossec.
of being elevated, upon his military glory, to the
head Of the government; and after reaching tina.
exalted station, he may possibly, like Cesar, and
"Tippecanoe, and Taylor tos," be murdered BY
his friends. True, there is some difference between
killing by poinardS, and killing by kindness; bat
the results about the same, an the funeral ex-
penses alike. AS for Mr.. Webster, il is to
be feared that, like Cicero, after having ved
the country, and saved the oountry--after hav-
ing waited in patience so long, for "the good
time coming" he will yet be destroyed by his enc.
mics. Cicero was assassinated while attempting
to escape, in litter from the vengeance OF Antony;
and Mr.. Webster, No fear, will have to be carried
OF in q litter from the Philadelphia /" Slaughter
House Convention, the following being tho pail
bearers-Messrs. j. w. Webb, Edward Curtis,
Tom Marsh, & Co.
How instructive is hstory-how curious in its
striking parallels Of grea. epochs and grea. oha-
racters! How very curious the parallel between
Cicero and Caesar Of Rome and Scott and Web
ster Of this mighty republicl Bat the comparison
cannot be completed short Of the cleo.
ton. Webster and Scott may both be permitted,
like Henry Clay to retire to the shades Of private
life; they canpet both be elected; only one can be
nominated, and, even If nomin ated, he may be dc.
feated. And here the parallel viii be destroyed.
The fact is, we cannot settle the Presidential cleo
tion by Roman history. In the approaching cam
paign, Cicero will be CT little service to Webster
and C@sar but poor ally Of General Scott. There
is one Roman fact, However, upon which VIC may
rely" the public plumber will be taken care OF.
no matter who may succeed, Cesar, or Cicero, OK
any body else SO II ote it be-
RENTS AND HoueE LETTING Nov is the season
for tenants taking stores AMI houses, and for land
lords renting their tenements. short time ago We
stated, with some degree Of accuracy, that rents
had not varied much, in the aggregate, during the