The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1852-05-21
" AVAILABILITY THE TWO THIRDS
RULE-GEN. CASS."

RULE-GEN. CASS."
The Augusta Constitutonalist," leading
democratic journal in the South, and whnSe
editor frequently displays a good deal OF
frankness and candor in discussing matters
pertaining to his own political household,
has an article with the above caption, in
late number of his paper. Passing by the
fling" at Tippccanoe," {" Buena Visit"
"Cerro Gordo," the ''hasty plate of soup," and
the charge of "humbuggery and clap-trap
against the wing party, there is something
in the editors views, as expressed below,
that strikes the mind with good deal OF
force, and strengthen the belief that If Gen.
Cass and Gen. Scott are the nominees, the
former will again be badly beaten. That is
our opinion, decidedly, and we entirely agree
with him as far as he goes. But if the de-
mocracy cannot elect Gen. Cass against Gen.
Scott, what hope can they have with any
one else? Our opinion is that he will, if
nominated, beat any nag democracy can start.
The following is the Constitutonalist's arti-
Gle:
1.-THE democrat who believes that our can
ddate for President has only to be announced
to be elected that he will be carried triumph
antly in on the booming tide of Democracy
because large majority of the Americas So
tiers are democrats has moderated the Diff
cuties in the case. A majority Of the Amer
lean people were democrats in 1913, MS they
were also in 1910. Yet, gun-powder pOpu-
larity on the part of the wing Generals, and
general unpopuarity on the part of the demo-
cratic candidates, gave the victory in each
case, to the former.
And so will it be again, if the democrats re-
" too much on the strength OF their cause,
and too little on the popularity of their can
ddnte. Gen. Scott can beat an unpopular
democrat, and it will be no holiday pastime to
beat him with the most popular. "Tppeca-
noe" even with the drawback of "Tyler too"
is typical of what military enthusiasm will do
among n military people to upset the wisest
calculations of astute politicians. "Bueno
VISTA" inscribed on party burners, has given
some faint foreshadowing Of the effect that
Chippema,"" Ccrro Gordo,"" Chepultepec" and
"Merico," will produce in 1852. These catch
words, associated as they are, inseparably,
with the military glories Of our country, are
decidedly available particularly in the hands
of a party that understands the science Of
clap-trap and humbug to perfection.
Now, the democrats must likewise look
carefully to ardiHJiHty. In doing so, they
will have to come to the conclusion that Gen.
Cass is not available. The lustrous G cries Of
his broken sword and THE halo of military
heroism that hovers around that old hollow
stump upon which that trenchent blade was
slivered, if it be not all an apocryphal tale,
did not avail against the immortal light that
flashed from Buena Vista. Even the truly
splendid triumph of diplomacy, unsurpassed
in its intellectual yigor and its successful
boldness, the Illustration of the QulniupIe
treaty, could not vie with the astute and
recherche skill which guided the Taylor cores
pondence, (the celebrated horse letter always
excepted)
How, then, can the defeated candidate Of
lS48, hope to wave triumphant banner over
the political field of 1852. with such . hero
for his antagonist as the brilliant and r,asss
ni6cent General Scott! Even had Gen. Cass
the epistolary powers Of Gov Marcy super
added to his other gifts, they would not avail
against the racy author of the hasty plate OF
soup letter.
Now, it would prolong this article unne-
cessarly, were we to 90 into detail to show
that Gen. Cass was stronger in lS48, than he
is now. The fact is notorious. His squatter
sovereignty doctrine, and the duplex con-
struction of his Nicholson letter, which in
volved in its mysterious folds that curious
doctrine; and his remaining mum in his seal,
and thus refusing TO vote upon the fugitive
slave bill have seriously damaged his popu-
larity in the South since lS48. Should The
Constitutional Union party in Georgia, Ala
bama and Mississippi, run an independent
candidate, as it may do, Gen. Cass would pro.
badly not carry either of those three demo-
cratic States. There is not one of those
Southern States that he lost in lS48, that he
has any better chance Of getting in 1852;
while his chances for South Carolina may be
set down as Just equal to nothing at all.
1t is said that his friends who may be in q
bare majority in the Baltimore Convention,
will, in order to secure his nomination, repu-
date the two-thirds rule. Nothing could be
more suicidal-not for his prospects alone,
DUl IOT tHc uclnOCIduC pdlty tndl SuCH
procedure. 1t would burst the party into
fragments. That rule has become time-hon-
ored. 1t is the common law of the party
TO abolish it would be an outrage that would
be fiercely and bitterly resented, and those
who would feel outraged by it, would take a
stern delight in seeing the candidate defeated
for whose sake it was done. 1t is very plain
that the man who does not sufficiently unite
in himself the elements of popularity to get
the nomination by two-thirds vote, is not
popular enough to be elected. He caanot
enlist the sympathies and active efforts of the
whole party, and this is absolutely requisite
to his success. Gen. Cass got twn-.lisds
vote, and vet failed in 1913. How couis he
succeed in 1852, when more than one-thrd
of the party are unalterably resolved that
il is nomination not fit to be made"
BALTIMORE, May 10.
The U. S. House of Representatives adopt
cd to day by a vote of LOT to Sc the Home