Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1852-08-27
TuE TWO rMEnDs RULE.

doubly proper to hold up Janus-faced efforts, no
matter whence they come; still we regret that the
attention of the great body of the people is not
more prominently invited to an examination OF the
cardinal points of difference presented by the plat
forms of the two parties, and to fair and candid
discussion of the principles therein set forth. Be-
Ieying that it is to the interest of all, that such
course should be pursued, we shall attempt III
few short articles to pave the way at least for such
an examination as that proposed and ultimately
elicit from some more able pen than ours, full and
impartial examination into the principles of the
two parties We plant ourselves in fact where
he Democracy do in profession. We prefer prin-
ciples to men, if either to be abandoned, but
we have no hesitancy in saying, that in a country
tike ours, where statesmen are as numerous as IN
any place or the GLOBE there is, and there can be
no proiey, far less necessity, in sacrificing either
principles or men. We support then, principles
and men, because we have them both. Indeed,
nothing can be more disastrous in its ultimate eff
fects upon the councils of country than the UNI
fortunate rule which our Democratic friends have
introduced into their Presidential conventions
High attainments, long services and marked states
manship now, SO far from being recommendations,
arc absolutely injurious to their possessor. One
who has been prominent before the people, enters
the convention with his fast and fixed friends men
who have enlisted in his support from high con-
victions of his capacity and craftsmanship, and is
there met by a competitor equally able and quail
fed, and with body of friends equally enthusiast
tic and devoted. Either may have majority, nei
ther two thirds. Both supported to the last by
their friends and by force of the two thirds rule,
new man, not obnoxious, because unknown, to the
Il censure of either; is taken up and nominated, and
thus it happens that old and tried public servants,
when brought forward for the highest Office, when
in sight, were, of the goal towards which they
have directed their footsteps from the first moments
of their public career, which has prompted their
powers and stimulated their actions, which has
been the beckoning beacon to life of toll; are cast
aside because they have labored too long and are
known too well.
The tendency of such course is too obvious to
need explanation. The highest Office in thegift of
he people may safely be assumed as the goal to-
wards which all our statesmen bend their steps in
their political career. Heretofore he, who could
make the most imposing appearance before the
country, who had served longest and best, who had
been ready to and serve with ability, in
the leading ranks of statesmen and public servants
whole people was the man upon whom the voters
of the land invited to bestow their highest
ward Washington was twice called to the pres
idential post, after he had rivaled all human
achievement in the magnitude, brlliancy and pa
triotism actions. The position could confer no
honor upon him. He honored the nation by nc
cepting its chief magistracy. The elder Adams
had been the most noted of the early revolutionary
agitators. He had played most conspicuous
and prominent part in all the Massachusetts diff
cuties preceding the great revolutionary struggle
He had bearded the HutchinSon's, bafled the crown
officers and carried through the Mas, achusets as
sembly measures, at open variance with the die
tates of the Crown. He had been member and a
prominent member of the different sessions of the
Continental Congress, anterior to the declaration of
Independence, end so great was his zeal in that
assembly foy direct and open declaration of In
dependence, even for years prior to ITO, that he
was openly pointed at by men, pure and tried pa
triots afterwards, who then regarded him as dan
gerous, and too ardent for American freedom. AT
forwards he was proven to have been then right
In the Congress of 1776, he was first among the
foremost for Independence, was one of the general
committee to whom Mr.. Lees resolution fos indie
pendence was referred, and one of the sub-com-
mittee of three appointed to draft the celebrated
declaration, which alone would transmit the name
of its author to all future ages. His services as
minister to France, and in every capacity in which
his country placed him, established his claims to
the suffrages ofthe people.
Mr. jefferson needs no recording pen to name
the services on which he rested his claims to the
high distinction. His services in the Virginia house
zf p,,rrae.a, ;n tb, Continental Conpre.ss gov
ro1 OF Virginia, and in almost every civil capac-
ty. stamp him as the prominent statesman OF his
TIM
Mr.SIadison was but little, if any, his inferior.
Possesseof a deep, rejecting mind, capable OF
examining nd eludicatng in his clcseteyery propo-
sition which might be presented to HIM, we may
safely say thalps statesman he never had his su-
perior among hisgotemporaries.
He was pre-ehnently distinguished for his
GOODNESS and freedolntrom personal pique OF mo-
tive; and to this qualtsqre we chiefly indebted for
some of the soundest statS papers, which have eY
e1 eminated from the pen of N American. He was
one of the two fathers of our lderal Constitution,
and deserves the greatest creh, for the clearness
and foresight of his project of unit laid before the
American people, before the meethy of the Fed
oral Convention. His pre-eminent oams to the
HIGHEST bonors, stand forth undispute, and &C.
!, knowledred by all. James Monroe was oe of the
i, most prominent statesmen of his time. Rough
mot so intellectual as the two Virgnans of Won
OF !. have last spoken yet he had served in varies
!, "a in the highest civil posswith distinctions ant
be satisfaction of all; and when the period APP
shed for selecting successor to Mr. Madison,
.e4tonroe occupied, in the estimation of the
Abody of the American people, the position