The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-03-18

II
decisive blow ia the great battle which resulte
, ia the election of Mr. Polk, aud whose ilnmens
consequences are fl by this Country aud th
, world So
have shown that there is no colorado pretex
for calling him mum candidate. In truth, he la
not avowed himself Il candidate at all TIL
Democracy of Kentucky have put forward hi
name in respectful terms, and with il a certai
platform; that is ALL What would the gentle
man have? What would Others have? Woul
they have him TO roam over the country, clamor
ing for support, and spreading his sails to ever
breeze of popular excitement? Would the
have him. with indecent anxiety issuing proca
/ nations like bulletins on campaign, and maxim.
new character every fortnight TO suit the shift
ling temper of the times? Would they hay,
these things? General Butler has remained
with quiet dignity, at his home Ia Kentucky; h,
has not mingled in this Presidential strife. Il,
\ my mind. sir, it is noble spectacle. It is th,
homage he pays to the good sense and 'capacit,
of his countrymen. This course carries the
mind back to the earlier and purer days of th.
republic, and recalls the memory of those reall,
great men who neither sought nor declined th.
Presidency. The aydity with which high of
fees are sought -a.days, regard as the
4 worst, the very worst, symptoms of the times
From it, as from cop Gus fountain, flow cor
/ ruption, extravaganza, proligacy, national dis
grace. The admonitions of history upon this
point are full Of instruction. Choose where
/ you will, sir, the moral is always the same
We learn that the Pr@torian. bands used to sci
aIup the Roman empire at auction, and enforce
htheir bargains by the sword but sometimes the
arts and schemes that spring ont of corrupt
civilization furnish means of Legitimate ad.
yancement not less effective than arms. II will
/ be time for honest men to despair of the repub.
lie when aspirants struggle after the same fash
ion, and struggle successfully, for the highest
and lowest offices in the land. hope that the
Chief Magistrate of this Union will ever be
designated by the spontaneous voice of the
people, and that the citizen who is honored by
the public choice may deserve the place for his
services, his virtues, and bis modesty.
! Now, sir, OF the opinions and course of Gen.
Butler in the past have spoken: if the gentle
man from Florida is in doubt as to the future, |
have one more suggestion for his comfort The
Democrats will hold convention at Baltimore,
and lay down written platform 1t is their
custom to do so--a custom which / most re-
specially recommend to the other side If,
among the names from which the selection may
be made, the choice of that convention should
fall on General Butler, | venture to assure the
gentleman from Florida that he will stand upon
the platform of his party or not stand at all. If
ne cannot approve whatever resolutions may be
adopted, he will, like an honest man, repudiate
them and stay at home.
| Having thus disposed of the attack of the
| gentleman from Florida, will notice for mo-
ment certain rnmors having no responsible au
thor, but of late very industriousy circulated
| in this city and elsewhere. They are vague !;
they are intangible; they are supported by no
facts; they are traceabe 10 no authentic source !:
! yet a hundred busy tongues, impeled by inter
est or the mere love of falsehood, have given
them currency. These rumors would be en-.
tirely unworthy Of notice. but that these are ir
ritable times, and honest men might be deceived
1t is rumored that General Butler is himself n
Freesoiler; that he is the peculiar candidate of
the Freesoil portion of the Democratic party;
that he has come under obligations to and en-
tered into engagements with Messrs. Benton
Blair, and Van Buren, ; that Mr. Benton would
be his Secretary of State; and that the patron
age of the administration would be thrown in
that direction. This, / believe, is the SUN of
these rumors. If they were true, General But.
Ter would be eternally dishonored because the
public man betrays his party who comes under
obligations to less than the whole; and he who
makes agreements with factions or sections
bhC COuiluciCc Vi III Tie rest. they
are not true. In the name of the sKentucky
Democracy, deny them. | meet them recoil-
ing from the spotless character of their object,
and ! trample them beneath my feet. They are
fase-false separately-false IN the aggregate
false as the hearts in whose morbid recesses
they were engendered. General Butler has not
contracted and will not contract, alliances, en-
gagements, or obligations with any class, sec
ton, faction, or individual. He stands immove-
ably where he has ever stood--a State. Rights
Democrat; and the unbending integrity of his
character repels this tide Of calumny as The rock
throws back the wave. Kentucky heard these
things, and the action of her convention is her
commentary upon them.
Mr.. Chairman, have attempted TO yindcate
the action of the Kentucky Democracy. have
met the charges Of the gentleman from Florida,
as well as the current-but baseless-rumors of
the day. have shown that the dishonoring in.
ferences which spring from both do not attach
to the choice Of the Kentucky Democracy.
now tell the gentleman from Florida, and others
engaged in the attacks Of which General Butler
has been the object more than any other public
man, during the last three months, that they do
not know the man at whom they throw their
random accusations. | will give them his char.
acter in single sentence, and appeal to all who
have ever known him for its truth. He is man
pure and inconuptible, Democrat Of forty
years standing, and OF the Jackson temper, a
statesman without guile, sir, and as a soldier
why, the very Bayard Of bis country-the knight
without fear and without reproach
Mr.. Chairman, / have been defending this
gentleman against wing attack. Il now be-
comes my disagreeable duty TO notice one pro.
ceeding from a Democratic source-if that can
be called Democratic source which traduces all
the best and most honorable names in the party.
1t is well now TO talk plainly, and il is as well
TO have these things understood in the begin
ming. We are all in trouble, Wings and Dem.
ocrats. There is no doubt about IL; and why
not say SOL [Laughter But the way for the
Democrats 70 get ont Of trouble is not for a
part to fight out by attempting to mount up on
the PROSTATE bodies Of all the best men in the
party. Now, sir, my apology for noticing this
attack IS 10 be found in the character heretofore
sustained by the periodical which contains il,
and in some other circumstances that make the
whole affair quite an era in American politics
The Democratic ReU,ep has been heretofore