The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1852-06-30

The result Of the two last nominations
for the Presidency, has placed in strong
relief the practical peculiarities of our po-
litical system. The theory of the Ameri-
constitution assuredly is, that talent and
civil services should prevail in the highest
Executive office, for the dignity of comman-
der-in-Chief is only nominal. Twas never
in the contemplation of the trainers of
that instrument, that the test for this emi-
nent station should come to be military
and not civil ability and service. We had,
it is true, been conducted through the rev.
olution by military commander, who
was elected to the Presidency by the agen-
cy, in a great degree, of those who assis-
ted in forming the constitution and putting
the government into operation, yet the
elevation of Washington was as much for
tried judgement in civil affairs as his mil
itary services. His case stood alone
Those that occupied that high seat, his
immediate SUCCESSORS, were exclusively civ
ilians. The elder and younger Adams,
Madison and Monroe, never acted in mil
itary capacity, with the exception of the
latter, and he never held higher than a
Colonelcy III the revolution.
1t was the second war and tho battle
of New Orleans that broke this line ofcivil
Precedents. 1t was the eminent military
services of General Jackson united to his
popularity, that gave undue prominence
to the military over the civil qualities, in
thepopular choice. 1t was the Mexican war
that strengthened this popular preference
OF the untested soldier to the tried states
man. Generals Harrison, Taylor and
Scott, have been successfully chosen by
whigConventions, whilst civilians have been
nominated by three successive democratic
Conventions, in the persons ofMr Van Bu-
n,Mr. Polk, and Mr.. Pierce, for the latter is
not eminently soldier In two of the
elections which followed, military men of
eminence were chosen, Generals Harrison
and Taylor Mr.. Polk triumphed over
Gen. Cass, but Gen. Cass' distinction as
a soldier is only titular. If General Scott
should be elected, it would be entirely at
tributable to his merits and services rs n
commander
The solution of this phenomenon is
found of course in the popular inclination.
as these military personages, untried in
civil affairs, would not have been selected
as candidates unless they had been pop
ulariy available. But what complicates
the question, when we proceed step fur
ther, is that the foreign element in our
population has as much to do, if not more,
IN producing the result than the domestic.
Among the masses Of Germans in Pennsyl-
vaina, and, We believe, in some other States,
it is understood that no candidate for the
Presidency will receive solarg a number of
suffrages as he who is invested with a
military Presting. Now, If this feeling is
shared by other portions of our foreign
population, how is it that this inclination
for military Presidents is associated in the
explanation Of this fact, with the lust of
conquest and the popularity of military
leaders, attributed to the American char
acter?
How does the foreign ele ment combine
so readily with the native in giving pre-
dominence to military over civic services
MIR. Webster who has grown grey in the
public service-wbose talents are pre-emi-
nent-whose experience is undisputed-
received in the late convention twenty
eight and twenty-nine votes, and the con-
test, in reality, was between the individual
who was in possession, and one whose
public life had been almost exclusively mil
itary. How Is it that our military chief.
tains so uniformity mount on the shoulders
OF our most distinguished and tried civ
hans i--Southern Standard.