The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-06-09

in the courtroom, and tho statesman in the
Cabinet
If the Wing party should be generally of this
mind. their choice would be at once narrowed down
to the selection of either Mr.. WEBSTER or MIR.
FILLMORE. IL is impossible to think of such a
choice without feeling fret of gratitude to God
that he has made such men, and given them TO US
for our service; next OF honest pride that they have
grown up, and could only have become what they
under the institutions which our fathers estab-
lished and maintained, with the intent and purpose
Of giving fair play to such minds, and training up
such characters; and still further, we cannot but
feel that, select whichever we may, if we should
succeed, the country would be safe, would be care
fully guarded from harm, either external inter
nal, az far as human agency could protect it, and
that should be the track Of security and pro-
gross. Having two men, either of whom is album
dainty competent to the duty to be performed it is
| allowable, and indeed it is inevitable, that we
should be guided in choice by other coDsidera-
tions than mere competency.
We cannot avoid looking, if would to the
effect upon the candidates. and Of their relative
claims upon to the qualification of laudablc, a
noble ambition. Ii both desire the place, let it be
given to him who has done the most for his coun :
try; who has earned it by the longest service. In
| other departments, supcrseding the older officer
by the younger is hard blow to the former, which
can only be mitigated, in certain degree, by the
conviction that the younger is in some important
respect his superior. But can any thing of the sort
be said here?
President FILLMORE is man to whom the afTec
tionate respect of the whole country is due, and
who enjoys, we are happy to believe the gratitude
and attachment of an immense majority of his
countrymen for the wisdom, firmness, Impair
TALLY, and moderation with which he has con-
Quoted the Government through the prodigious
difficulties that have surrounded it. II ia not by
depressing competitor that any friends of DAM
lei WEBSTER can desire to elevate him. On the
contrary, the greater those that are compared with
him the more does his greatness impress US; the
higher the elevation on which they stand the more
striking is his eIninence. We delight to think and
speak of the great services President FILLMORE has
rendered to his country, and indeed to mankind,
by his udicious efforts to the Union Of these
States. to carry out the provisions Of the Constu-
ton, and maintain the reputation and advance
the interests of the country. He has deserved
and he has gained, we have intimated before. a
very elevated rank among the great and the good.
Ills ambition, If not much more inordinate than it
appears to be, may well be satisfied with the com
Parison which has been 30 often instituted between
him and Washington, for conscientious integrity,
careful elaboration, unfiinching frmness, cir
cumspecton, wisdom, dignity, and truth. His
Administration ID cure to be Of no small re-
nown to him. through all future time and if it
were not that ambition is apt "to grow by what il
feeds on" one would say here enough to
crafty any moderate man. And in his case there
10 evidence that it is 3d. at least, that he ia not
desirous OF retaining his place to wish to pre-
vent MIR. WEBsTER from succeeding to it. One
must have paid little attention to the course of
the Administration, not to have perceived that no
efforts appear to have been made, as have been
not unfrequenuy made by other administrations,
to maneuvre, by appointments articles, plots
for an underground popularity, to produce effect
on the masses favorable to election of the Prosi
dent; and it has been very observable upon how
many public occasions Mr. FILLMORE has yield.
ed precedence to Mr.. WEBSTER, and how often the
credit OF public measures has been quietly allowed
TO remain with him. This is justice, a ma gna-
pimity, which not all men could practice and it
creates feeling of personal attachment to Mr..
FILLMORE, and Of admiration of his disinterested-
ness, in all who have observed il, which nothing
else could produce Mr. WKRsrER will unques-
tionably receive Mr.. FnLMoRK's vote. Shall he
not then, receive that Of all persons who support
them both in their measured