Loudon free press. (Loudon, Tenn.) 1852-1855, 1852-10-27
GEN. SCOTS Personal MERITS.

IN the New York Commercial Advertiser, hay-
ing been addressed to that paper, as it says, by
"a gentlemen known in publiclife, and esteemed
IN private, and not politically an adherent of the
wing candidate
The communication signed Constant Read
er, and the remarks which it elected from you,
in the Commercial Advertiser of Oct, 6, were
both well put and well timed. The moral and
religious character of those who are presented
as candidates for public office has been too
much dlsregarded among ourselves, and men,
though this neglect of judicious scrutiny, are
frequently placed in important public trusts who
could not, perhaps, find one among the voters
by whom they were put in office who would con-
hide any trhing private interest to their manage
ment. Hence so much of real corruption in of
fetal station and so much of accusation and
suspicion gifts existence even where the grounds
are not real. No one will deny that this lack of
insisting upon the fair moral character as re-
qulrement for Office is an evil of great magn-
tude5 and yet how entirely has it>been overlook
ed among us: or, if adverted to at all, brought
IN only as a make-weight in party vituperation,
and used only so far as the blackening of an
adversary's fair name might be made subservi-
ent to defeating his political aspirations.
This, repeat, is wrong. The mode of scru-
tiny is bad-the motive is almost every instance
worse. The writer of this would never rake up
for public gaze the irregularities of what may be
termed the Youthful period of life; still less
would he visit the sins of that season of passion
upon the mature age or hoary head of him who
has turned from its evil, so far as man can see;
he would pass over in a spirit of charity, acts
even OF the period of subdued passion, into
which the actor may have been surprised at the
festive board, or any other occasion. But am
not called upon as good citizen. as a good citi-
zen, as conscientious man, responsible both to
my country and my God for the consequences of
my actions, to considLt all such cases where full
ly authenticated, and give them that weight, in
declaring on matters which effect the common
veal that would in those affecting Immediately
or only my own? The writer thinks there can
be no doubt the plain line of duty on this ques-
ton. In the one case the consequences may, it
Is true, be remote; in the other immediate. An
immoral public offices may only affect me by
exciting my indignation or contempt, where
bad private agent may njure my substance; still
am the less bound to take all proper precau-
items in oh osing the one than the other? Ger
tainly not.
The writer of this is no political partisan. He
has a strong feeling of nationality; a desire to
see his country prosperous, physically and NOR
ring a salutary fea-. These conditions of the
State, without which it must come corrupt and
soon sink into insignifcance, he believes must
depend, under Providence, in no small degree
upon the character of It's rulers, and particular
ly of its chief executive officer, Believing this,
he feels himself bound by every consideration,po-
tical and social, to discard all merely sectional
or industrial interests in question so purely ma
tIonal is that of the choice OF the Chief Mag
istrate, and to give his voice to that man only
who offers him the best guarantees for future
good conduct; those of a life uniformly spent in
obedience and respect to the laws of Gcd and
the laws Of the land, and in promoting every
thing by which good order is maintained in So
ciety, and its most sacred interests are secured
in the social and domestic relations. He asks
no better pledges than these; no profession of
political faith, and no promises, written or spo-
ken. unless they are accompanied by these guar
antees can secure his confidence. 4
The two great parties of the country now
present for our suffrages two citizens, each hav-
ing previously held public offices; for each of
whom full confidence is claimed by their res
pective partisans. What am | to do? To vote
purely as party man or to vote conscientiously,
after candid examination of the character and
past life and services of each of the individuals
presented? Whatever others may do as 10y
al son of the Republic, looking to her welfare
as paramount to all other considerations, must
take TIE latter course. This | must do; and in
so doing, will briefly give my reasons for the
choice | shall make, without attempting to dis
parage the other party. My choice is Winfield
Scott, on national grounds, on social grounds
and on domestic grounds.
On national grounds, whose name stands high /.
Al III I. L II.
time of danger either foreign or domestic,
could we find such tower of strength? What
man now living can exhibit such services rem
dered to the State? OF his military services it
is scarcely needful to speak, for none but the
most reckless partisans pretends to question or
disparage them. On this point Winfield Scott s
has fame enough to satisfy the cravings of the
Hottest ambition. He who, while mere strip s
ping, a rudy, haxen-haired youth, with the
down still on his chin, dipped the victorious ban
ners of his country in the spary of Niagara,
and Their raised dropping; Respondent nation
from the depts of apprehension to confident
holiness who, at the age of sixty his hair now
whtened, his brow furrowed with the cares of J.
nations safety, his well known stalwart from
having replaced the fragile frame of YOUTH bore
the same banners from victory from the Gulf
of Mexico to the foot Of the Andes, has surely :
had glory enough to satisfy any man. His fame 8
has gone out to the ends of the earth. Deep
has answered unto deep, and mountain echoed /.
unto mountain, the name of Winfield Scott
The worlds wonders-the roaring Niagara and 5
the leviathan Andes-bear testimony to his
powers as a man of war. As man of peace,
The people of the United States are called upon Z
to say whether he was well served by averting :
foreign war by al lying domestic excitement;
whether in all they have entrusted to him he has
not fully justified their confidence. They are z
called upon to say whether there is any other Z
man to whom, in a moment of danger, they s
would look with such confidence as to Winfield {
Scott. q
He is even now, it is true, accused of morbid 8
ambition. We are told to be ware of another ]
Caesar. But where are the proofs? Displaced S
from command while at tbe head of an army
flushed with unparalleled success denied by the {
Government the triumph he had justly and glo- q
-iously won, with every petty insult that party :
revenge could devise heaped on him to madden s
his generous spirit-what did Caesar the Sec 3
2nd? He submitted as the meanest soldier to &
court of inquiry instituted to destroy his fair z
ame And when the people came eagerly to {
10 meet him with voluntary ovation, he retired !
md hid himself in his humble abode. Ney :
York alone, forced him from his retreat, to era
fy the OVERLOOKING hearts of her citizens toward 4
he now war-worn soldier s.
On social grounds who stands fairer? Is1