The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1852-10-02
THE MINNES0TIAN.
Ex-Gov. Lucas, Of Iowa, for Scott.

As long ago as we can remember, the
name of ROBERT Lucas stood at the
head of all the great movements of the
Democratic party in our native State.
Before he was appointed the first Gov
ernor Of Iowa by Mr.. Van Buren, in
1888, he had been Member Of Congress
and Governor Of Ohio, and was always
regarded as one Of the first men in that
State. Read now what he says of the
present candidate of his party:
PLUM GROVE, Sept. 3, 1852.
DR.. S. M. BALLARD-Dear Sir: Your
letter of yesterday in relation to state
ments "in a number of Wing papers of
Iowa and elsewhere" concerning the po-
sition which l now occupy, and your en-
quiries as to my ''feelings and views" to-
wards General Winfield Scott and Frank
lin Pierce as candidates for the next
Presidency, is now before me.
And, in answer to it, permit me TO say
to you, that it is with no ordinary inter-
est view the contest now going on be-
tween the friends of Gen. Winfield Scott
and Gen. Pierce-the two prominent
men now candidates for the Presidential
Chair of the Union-the one nominated
by Wing National Convention, the other
by Convention of the Democratic party.
l have, sir, as you know, always been
democrat /; was born democrat, and
expect to live the balance of my days as
such, and then die democrat.
l supported Thomas Jefferson for the
Presidency. supported Mr.. Madison
for two terms, Mr.. Monroe twice, and
was one of the electors in Ohio that voted
for Monroe at the time Of his second
election. In 1924 l was placed at the
head of the Jackson electoral ticket in
Ohio in 1928 was chosen an elector in
that State, and gave my vote as such to
Gen. Andrew Jackson. / was President
of the Democratic National Convention at
Baltimore in 1882, which nominated Gen.
Jackson for reelection, and recommended
Martin Van Buren as candidate for
Vice President on the same ticket;
supported Mr.. Van Buren, for the Presi-
dency in '36 and 40. l voted for Gen.
Cass in '4S, and should freely vote for
him again, were he a candidate. These
are so many proofs of my title of demo-
crat. This title has been we'll earned,
and my right to it shall never be impaired.
But | cannot support Franklin Pierce, by
word or deed, for the important office Of
President, consistent with the principles
which | have ever as democrat enter
tanned, nor with the voluntary pledges
that made to the Democratic Convention
of Ohio, which nominated me, in 1884.
as candidate for reelection to the office
Of Governor of that hourishing State,
these pledges being as follows:
"My motto has ever been, Principles,
measures, and men that will carry princi-
Piles and measures into effect. And you
may rest assured that whatever may be
my station or situation in life, you will
always find me in the ranks of Democracy,
supporting the principles and measures
that were professed and acted upon in
the administration of a Jefferson, a Madi-
son, and Jackson, and such men as will
carry their principles and measures into
effect"
The position Mr.. Pierce has ever occu-
pied, in Congress or any other public
station, in reference to questions vital to
Western prosperity, has been antagonis-
tical to those which were advocated and
dearly cherished by those eminent states
men whose election to the Presidency l
most heartily and cordially advocated.
They taught, and have always believed,
that the Constitution vests in Congress
the power to open and repair harbors and
remove distractions from navigable riv-
ers; and that if it was expedient that
Congress should exercise such power
whenever such improvements are neces-
sary for common defence-for the protec-
tion and facility of commerce with other
nations or among the States-said i'm
provements being national and general in
their character. understand Mr.. Pierce
to superadd to the above doctrine, pro-
viso TO the effect that the waters on which
these Improvements are proposed to be
made, shall be salt, and that they shall be
moved by tides. He has, in effect, de-
clared that the depth of waters to be i'm
proved, not their capacity for trade among
the States, forms no criterion for just
demand upon federal protection. His
political history, as collected from hts
action in Congress, no less than from his
letter to the committee Of the Convention,
accepting his nomination to the Presidency
IN the terms set forth in the platform,
furnish evidence of his hostility to all
the prominent measures which tend to
Western prosperity-of which internal
improvements and domestic industry are
the most important.
AS Western man, therefore, and as
an original Jackson Democrat, as a friend
to Internal improvements, and to the pro-
lection and encouragement of American
industry, cannot and will not support
such a man as Franklin Pierce for the
Presidency. And as there are now but
two prominent candidates before the
American Deople. namelv Gapor,l W.;