New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-08-09
ID. II. BUTLER ON PIERCE.

cited very general sensation, our friend
John Van Buren, (whose letters to JESSE
therein given, could not be commended as
models of classic purity of stylc) is said to
have tersely remarked that 1.-The public
seemed considerably more shocked at But
ler's piety than at his [John'sl profanity
We think The Justice of this remark has
now received a fresh illustration.
John, in his Cleveland Speech OF l8l5'
rs also in various others, explicitly pledged
himself to emphatic and eternal war on
Human Slavery, wherever existing or
however fortified. In 1849, he wrote that
the Democratic party had been dissotred
on this question of Slavery. No man ever
stood before the public more thoroughly
committed to a course of action than he TO
unidentified, amending hostility to the
Slave Power and all organizations con-
trolled and used by it. Yet, when Pierce
and King were nominated, standing on the
extreme ground of pro-Savery despotism'
and both known as among the bitterest and
most proscriptive antagonists of all such
ideas rs John had started for the last four
wears. John made haste not only to endorse
the nominees but TO accept the PLATFORM
and has since been stumping zcalously in
their favor. But, seeing it is only Prince
John, nobody was essentially astonished,
and none thought of being indignant. They
understood that Anti-Slavery, having
proved an Improbable speculation, he had
sold out his stock in if, as with his Nor
ris and other iancies in the palmy days Of
Jesse, and was now investing in the Cotton
line. And if anything should happen to
turn up favoling the speculation, we
shall all be glad to see Johns ticket in it
come out fat prize. Hell clever fellow
any how, and we shall be glad to see him
recompcnsed for the good he has done,
even though Nicholas the Ancient should
be paymaster.
Mr.. Benz. F. Butler of course follows
in Johns footsteps, though (as in the Sandy
Hill days. with a difference. His letter.
appears in the last Erening Post, filling
nearly five columns of that large journal.
He goes for Pierce and King, while he re-
pudiates the Platform on which they were
planted and which they have all their lives
been educating their party to adopt. No
body can pretend Of them, as Messrs.
Toombs a. Co. assert of Gen. Scott that
they merely accept the Platform because
they muSt-that they take it as an incum-
brance on the nomination which they can
not shake of-that their Hunkeri,m is
constructive and superimposcd-all are
aware that, bad as that Platform is, the
candidates are, if any thing, still worse.
How, then, does Nh. Butler cOntrive to
swallow them! Let Us see. He Is an
.wering Senator Chase of Ohio, and says !:
"The objections are that each of these gentlemen Is
An extreme supporter of slavery that each has treated
Free Soil Democrats with intolerance, and denounced
them in terms of hardness and severity and that In
their letters of acceptance they declared their decided
approval Of the Baltimore PLATFORM
aWhle | regard these things as no recommendation
of the candidates. cannot 'ciLOu mourning myself ne
Sujh Of intolerance, magnify them into ground Of dig
qualification They have but exercised In the way
which they doubtless have thought right that freedom
of thought Of utterance and of action, which as seems
10 me- those who prepared the Bua platform should
be the lait to deny or abrldge.'
Let Us cOnsidesr the facts: John At
wood, a life-l long and jealous adhercnt ofthe
Democratic party, was nOminatedby it for
Governor of New-Hampshirc. During the
canvass which followed, he wrote a letter
in reply to one of inquiry, mildly express
sing disapproval of some features of the
Fugitive Slave Law. Instantly, Frank
Pierce and conlederatcs called him to ac-
count, cornered him, and compelled him
to sign most humiiating retraction. Es-
capped from their presence, Mr.. Atwood
renewed the expression ofhis original SEN
timent>. ThereupOn Pierce & Co. calledto-
Ccther the Convention which had nominal
ed him, put him off the ticket, nominated
another i'll his stead, and thus (through
the Lcgislature) accomplished his defeat
and political destruction. Ii was not pre-
tended that he had said, done, or thought
anything Objectionable beyond the avowaI
of his dissatisfaction with the Fugitive
Slave Law, and this sealed his doom at
the hands Of Pierce Il Co. Yet this, Mr..
Butler says, it would be intOIcrant in him
TO regard Is a reason for opposing Pierce.
election to the Presidency. Can any
stretch Of charity, any breadth Of allow
ance for human infrmity, make you be-
lieye, reader. that Mr.. Butler really thinks
so! Or if he does, can you suppose that