The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-09-16
THE CANVASS.

to an extra copy.
THE CANVASS
In our recent travels in New York and New
England We should not have known, from any
indications Of popular feeling that Presiden-
tial election was pending. No enthusiasm pre-
vailed among the masses. no anxiety was mani
Tested as to the result of the contest; nobody
seemed to imagine that the price of stocks the
course of trade the great interests of the coun-
try would be more affected by the success Of
one Party than of the other The general I'M
preston was, that there was no longer any
issue Of Importance between them; that the
~tanialIy settled, and that whatever might be
the popular decision on the claims of their can
dldate, the policy of the country would remain
unchanged.
This prevailing indifference was not shared
by those who had taken n special interest in
the question Of Slavery. 1t was felt by them
that on this question both the old parties had
taken ground adversely to Northern Scnti-
ment. The liberal Democrat was humbled at
the position Of his party, disgusted with the
platform and cold towards the candidates: the
liberal Wing could no longer plead that his
was the true Anti-Slavery Party and whenever
he would speak for its candidates, was gagged
at his acceptance of the miserable Pro-Savery
platform
Such was the condition Of the political mind
ut the North recently. 1t may undergo n
change. Members of Congress returning to
their homes may kindle II little excitement
among their constituents, but it will be hard
work.
A contest between two Parties for place and
power where no political question of moment
is involved, has no feature to commend it to
intelligent sOber.minded men 1t is without
dignity it naturally runs into low partisan
ship, and its appropriate weapons are misrep-
resentation and personalities In the absence
Of any real topics relating to important inter
ests false reports and inhammatory appeals
are constantly put forth, or the whole contest
is made to turn upon the relative personal
claims of candidates Look at the manner in
which the present campaign is carried on by
managers in the Wing and Democratic Parties
Their first effort is, to propitatc the Slave
Power sectional, exceptional, and OdiOus In
tercst 10y striving to demonstrate the superior
devotion of their respective candidates to its
will and policy. Then we have dissertations
an the comparative bravery of Scott and Pierce
one party enlarging upon the fact that the
latter fell from his horse just before an engage
ment and never did any fighting at all while
the other triumphantly retorts that Scott would
not fight Jackson The Democrat talks of the
kindness Of heart ami private beneyolence of
his candidatc-thc Wing boasts Of the hand
some bcncfcencc of his towards the wounded
soldier in Mexico The Wing gets out II series
of pictures, of bloody fields and imminent dead
ly breaches, in all of which Scott moves to and
fro, conquerng and unconquerable Forthwith
the Democrat in the columns Of his monthly
review, issues II series of caricatures represent
ing the conqueror in all sorts of grotesque
ridiculous and degrading forms, calculated to
awaken derisiOn and contempt And next fol
low investigations into the amount of moneys
which each candidate has received from the
Treasury, with view TO create the suspicion
of extravaganza, luxury proAigacy or dishon-
esty as few who read the schedule of expenses
will take the trouble to inquire for what ser.
vices the moneys have been paid.
Could there be- II more ignoble warfare
Would men resort to a mode of elcctioneering
80 insulting to popular intelligence, and so de-
Inoralizing. did the cause they advocate admit
of other arguments! Their conduct proves
that there is no great political question in con-
trovcrSy between them.
Look now at the position and course of the
Independent Democratic Organization. Its
candidates and advocates resort to no such
indulging in personal abuse of their opponents
in miserable misrepresentation, in appeals to
grovellng passion. That organization aims
at objects affecting the interests and destinics of
the Countrywide Standardization of Slavery,
the placing of tie Government, in It's external
and internal relations, uniformly on the side of
Liberty. the securing of the Public Domain to
actual settlers and against monopoly and
speculation, and the restoration of political
power to the hands Of the People wherever
they have been deprived of it by the institution
of intermediate bodies, interposng between the
elected and the electors Neither of the old par
ties occupies its ground upon these subjects, and
it therefore has a controversy with both. The
controversy is great one, involves great prin'
ciples, and rises above mere craftsmanship and
political trickery, There is no motive, there Is
no temptation to vituperation aud misrepre-
sentation If the new Party succeed at all, it
must succeed in virtue of its principles, on the