The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-06-10
The Very Manu-

It's INST head, as the embodiment Of all that is
wise sd pure in the ranks OF the Democracy
Paper that have battled with equal zeal for
DoUGAs, toss aside their pet with as little
ceremsy, and Join in singing praises to PIERCE,
and Chose who brought his great merits TO
the ligt, Others, that have expended columns
in glowing eulogies of the patriotism and states
manslp of CAss, suddenly find that they reck-
oned u.hout their host, and now console them
selvesvith the reflection that PIERCE is CAss's
choice
W,menilon the circumstance. not as slig-
ma uon the party fealty Of the presses in
questin, but as timely illustration Of their
want of discenment, and their inability to
measre the current of Democratic feeling.
The doption of PIERCE is of course right
enoug, now that the convention have endorsed
his prtensions; but what are we to think of
the Determination of recognised public instruc-
tors wo for half year vow that they have
caughrhe proper candidate, and then, upon
few miutes' acquaintanceship with MI. PIERCE,
wheel ound, lorsake their old love without
sigh, ad do homage to the newly found candi-
date as''the very mani"
"Te very man" for what2 Not to fulfil
the idas of craftsmanship cherished by the
party, OF the party had concentrated attention
upon cher men. Not to realize the notion Mat
the Presidency should be reserved for unknown
greatness, for the party had already declared
that known greatness was necessary passport
=, no h.nnr in rocarvo Not ia nrntact ho in
tGesls of the country, for Democratic legis-
laors and journalists have assured US that the
puty had fixed its gaze on men singled out
frm the ranks on account Of established quail
fic:tions.
Why, we ask again, is Mr.. PIERCE "the
veT man2". Is he ADLER or more experienced
than Mr. CAss? More conservative than Gen
era HoUsroN? More progressive than Mr..
DUGLAs? More honest than Mr.. DICKlNsoN2
MGe acceptable to Freesoilers than General
BurLER, or to Fire eaters than Mr.. b.
cH.NAN2 If Mr.. PIERCE possess the combined
eIoellencies of these various candidates, how
is itthat no whisper of his name was ever
head out of his native State? If he be not
equal to them, why is he carried above their
heas to the position for which they have la
bored? Are we to conclude that greatness has
no Place amongst the Democracy, and that
"illBtrious obscurity" is the strongest recon-
menhtion to their favor2 Pray, gentlemen
journalists, enlighten US upon these points.
We ire solicitous to know how it happens that
three figures, conveyed by telegraph. have
sufficsd to set aside the results of months Of
menul toll, and to bring to view the only
man--"the very man"-to meet the party's
wants.
If not apprehensive Of being suspected Of
inqusitiveness, we might further inquire whe
Their Mr.. PIERCE's title to be called ''the very
man" does not arise from the fact that the De
nocratlc party is just now mass OF fragments,
and that the only chance Of holding them to-
geiher till November next consists in the pre-
sentation of one whose friends can make him
call things to all men?" But there Is, in
truth, little necessity for an inquiry that has
received an anticipatory answer from writer
in the Epening Post. Here is the reply re-
frrred 10:
II. King is looked upon as almost proyidentiai 40
lufion of The dGicrtie, tohioh be,tt the democratic
party, and affords another striking illustration Of
the great fundamental principle Of representative
government, that the people always much
wiser than any one man among them. Such
mnation not only not generally anticipated,
but to ordinary observers would not have appeared
within the range Of probabilities. II resulted from
a combination OF forces and influences which no
one person could have made, but Of which. when
made, every person recognises the propriety and
wisdom General Pierce seems 10 be almost The
only man that could haze been noHsd ,oho stands-
geographically speaking-upon the political CEN
ire equidistsnt from all the several discordant in
terests in the Democratic party"
"The very man" means, then, in Demo
cratic phrase, "blank sheet Of paper" ready
to receive any impressions hat the varying sec
tions Of the party may desire to make. The
Post grows pious, and traces the choice to more
than human wisdom. The Pittsburgh Post,
the Washington Union, and others Of more
vulgar faith, put their trust in "luck, !" and bet
on PrrRcr as the trusp card, turned up by
chance.
The New York Post is the first that we
know of to turn Mr.. PIERcI's supposed "blank"
character TO account. He is Hunker, it ad-
mits, but still there is grain or two of Free
soil salt in his composition:
"MIr. Pierce voted, when in Congress, to respect
the right Of petition exercised by the Abolition
ists In 1897, when, after having served his State
in the House Of Representatives, he had taken his
scat az a member Of the United States Senate, he
voted 10 receive. in the usual manner, petition
asking for the abolition OF slavery in the District
Of Columbia, and sustained bis vote by his voice
He took the ground with Mr.. Adams as TO
the proprioty Of the abolition OF slavery in the
District. bot declared that he would give no vote
which might be construed into DENIAL Of the right
OF petition That was time when the influence
Of slavery was in the ascendant, when 1t was the
fashion to toss back such petitions with contempt
in the faces Of those who presented them, and it
required some courage in politician Of the Demo
cratic school TO confront and defy the imperious
demand OF the South, that all memorials md APP
plicstons Of this nature should be rigidly excluded
from the notice Of Congress Tho right TO ask for
he extinction Of slavery in the District Of um-