Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1852-10-21
From the Washington Cd. C., } Signal.
THE GAME OF BRAG.,

Gus exuliatIon of the Democrats boast
ing, they would call it moderation if they
could see the intelligence received in this
city from all parts of the Union, giving
the assurance of a complete and com.
manding majority for Pierce and King
in November.-Union of Saturday.
The Democrats are not novices in the
art of staggering. They have great
faith in braggadocio as an effective ins,ru-
ment in political warfare, and are not re.
strained from using 1t by superfious mod
est.v. If they have chance Of victory
in any direction, it is Inagnlfied until il
assumes colossal proportions; and where
they have no chance, they console them
selves for the deficiency by few touches
of wholesale exultation. There never
has been an election in which this "spon-
taneous" enthusiasm has not been man
iIested by the managers of the party
The manufacture OF it is part of their
vocation, and we may calculate upon its
presentation from time TO time with as
much precision as an astronomer can
predict the occurrence of an eclipse. 3
The passage we have taken from the
Union of Saturday is one of q thousand
that might be selected from current com.
menls in the PIERCE journals. They
are all of the same stripe exactly. They
leave no notwithstanding to the Dem.
ocratic view--of the election of PIERCE
a ,,
to the result, they say; and from now un-
ii, November the same will be altogether
in their hands! OH 50.
If these oracles now prophesied for
the first time we might suspect that they
meant all they said. But they have been
tried many times, and have been pro-
nounced false prophets. They have
shown themselves unable to read the ho-
roscope Alright, when the horison has
been not a whit more murky than it is
a. this moment; and we must therefore
be permitted to set down their present
boastings at point considerably below
par. They are the tricks of desperate
gamesters, and are designed to impart an
idea OF confidence whick has no real
existence.
As the Union just now plays the part
of prophet, we NAV without improprie,y
examine the value of its preiensions to
that character. We will turn, with this
view, to the prognostications of the same
Journal during the progress of the cam
paign Of 1913, and we shall thus ascer-
tain to what extent it is entitled to re-
spect and credence when it assumes the
province OF the seer. Here are a few
scraps from its articles on the Cass and
TAYLOR contest: .........
From the Union, Oct 30, ls4S.
"Victory is certain, for the Democra-
cy are now aroused. Each man is buck
ling on his armor for the desperate con-
flicl.' r.a
From the Union, Oct. 2I. 1s4s.
"The Old keystone is reused. She
is animated by pride and patriotism
T" She is perfectly safe"
From the Union, Oct. "a, 1913.
ave put down the vote of Penns vi.
vania, therefore as unguestionable. A
thousand circumstances confirm il. = =
= Who can despair! Our
prospects, indeed, are Frightening every
day in Tennessee.
From the Union, Oct. %, IS4s.
"Fillmore will kill Tay Tor stone dead
in Florida. The State is safe
for Cass and Butler by several hundred
majority. We speak by the card
Prom :he Union, Oct. 30, ls4S.
"In North Carolina all looks WELL"
From the Union, Nou. 1, lS4S.
"We dismiss all doubts and fears to
the winds. We fear not the re-
suit"
From the onion, Mop. 2, lS4S.
"At all times and at all hours, morn
ing and evening, early and late, our little
sanctum in the Union buildings has been
our citadel and our camping ground
We take all the consequences of
defeat, if il shall come upon us. Ii can
not be anticipated. We have no fears"
This was the style in which the I'm.
ion wrote in those days. lie, US turn
to the popular vote, aud ascertain how
far its specific boastings were justified
by the result:
Taylor Cass. T.Buren.
Pennsylvania lS5,730 l72,ls6 ll,l77
N. Carolina 43,5l9 34,s69 s5
Tennessee 64,7O5 56,4l9 -
Florida 1850 3,23S
Perhaps the best commentary on the
Unions success as a prophet, and the
best recommendation of The declaration
that stands at the head of this article, is
to be found in our contemporary's fle.--
We pick il out and Sc. it as jewel:
From the Union, Nov. IL, ls4S.
"Gen. Zachary Taylor has been elect.
ed President Of the United States. In
announcing this conclusion, we cannot
of course, conceal our DISAPPOINTMENT,
and our regret. Our friends an uarious
States hare been mistaken IN their cal
cuiatioas. They haze deceived us, and
zoe haze dsceiUed Others"
A journal "deceived", egregiously il
ls4s can scarcely claim infallibrli.y il
1859.