The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-09-13
/ Z r EP u B Lie.
Progress of the Canvass.


day, and General PIERCE losing ground. This
will continue to be the case. The more Gen
eral ScoTr's character is examined, the better
it is for himself and the Wing cause. The
more General PIERcE's public course is scru-
tinized, the worse it is for him and his party.
We have done our best to be just, and even
generous, to the DEMOCRATIC candidate. We
were determined to give him full credit for his
military and civil services Soon after his
nomination We published from an official docu-
ment issued in the city of MEXICO list of the
battles in which he had been engaged. 1t
sent in those engagements, but his brigade on
ly. This was not our fault. Our statement
was copied by all the DEMOCRATIC papers.
When 1t was corrected, we were compelled to
publish the truth We have never written
line rejecting upon General PIERCE's personal
gallantry but we cannot falsify history from
an excess Of complaisance. In our judgment,
his military services, on thorough examination,
amount to just nothing a; all. His civil services
from the same examination We are compelled
to set down at less than nothing; for we can
not find single substantive measure that he
has ever urged to a successful termination.
We consider his votes against Harbor and
River bills, against all manner of Internal
Improvements. against the Army bills, against
West Point, against the grant to the widow of
WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON, and against
every thing that savored of liberalty and
a. ILL &c h,t inn CT
the reverse.
So with regard to the religious test of New
Hampshire. We stated that General PIERCE
had been liberal on this subject, and that he
had uniformly voted in favor of perfect reli-
gious federation and freedom. We say SO still.
But on examining General PIERcE's oppor'u
mites, and the votes of his party in New Hamp
shire, we cannot conscientiously say that we
think be has exercised his great influence in
his State in this regard with any energy or to
any beneficial purpose.
On the slavery question, We said that Gene
raj PIERcE's position in Congress was always
friendly to the South and the institution Of
slavery. Subsequent developments showed
that among his own people he had pursued
half way, inconclusive policy, which was
adopted with the view of keeping right with
the anti -slavery sentiment of his State, by al
leging on all occasions that he hated and de-
plored slavery as much as those who would
dissolve the Union on account of it. That this
has been the tenor of his speeches on this sub
ject is incontestably proved by testimony So
accumulated and so conclusive that no fair man
can resist or deny it. If this fact is calculated
to injure him in those quarters supposed to be
most friendly to him, We certainly shall not
conceal the fact on that account. He must
abide by the results of his own positive and
public course.
Once more. We have stated that General
PIERCE was friendly to the Compromise. Cir
cumstances have since shown that his sur
roundings are not so conservative in this re-
gard as we might desire. 1t turns out that
General PIERCE was the "creation and choice"
of Mr. SoULE, Mr.. FORSYTH, and other fire.
eating gentlemen of the South who had been
forward in the ranks of the Nashville Con-
ventionis;s. We saw MIR. SoULE put forward
conspicuonsly by the Baltimore Convention to
wait upon General PIERCE with the news Of
his nomination. We next saw Mr.. HENRY
b. STANTON, and Mr.. JOHN VAN buren,, and
the Buffalo Conventionists, rallying to his
support with "perfect gush of enthusiasm"
General PIERCE by himself is one thing; but
General PIERCE, with a Cabinet composed of
SoULE, VAN buren,, VENABLE, P. KING,
Governor CLEVELAND, and Governor BRowN,
would be another and very different thing.
General PIERCE, with such organs as the
Charleston Mercury at the South, and the
Ecening Post at the North, is by no means the
safe, conservative, reliable candidate that he
may have appeared at the first blush to the
more ultra Union men of both sections. This
view of the case we cannot avoid taking. 1t
strikes US as very important yiew--very con
elusive to our mind, when the only objection
that is urged against General SCOTT in this re,
gard is that he is supported and will be voted
tor by Governor SEWARD. To offset this, we
fnd the men who Matched treason at Nash
vile, and those VINO fomented the spirit of S
union al Buffalo, are now going together in
.'perfect gush Of enthusiasm" for General
Peace.
The truth 10 that General PIEReE's prinsd
taeie case was a good one Il; but il does not
bear examination. We confess that we thought
the Democracy had nominated their strongest
man. II never occurred 10 us that any person
could have filed the numerous offices that
have been filled BY General PIERCE without
tasking his mark somewhere. We cannot