The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-06-30

Military E1ectS0neerin9.
No Circumstance or action Of life is calculated
to deveope more fully, and bring into more active
play the qualities Of the human mind for general
ship, ingenuity, and tactics, than the periodical
return Of great election, in wch national, party,
and personal interests deeply involved. 1t is
an old and recognized maxim that " everything is
fair in war;" but 1t that the application Of IL
has quite much strength and appropriateness ia
regard to the bloodless, though not spoilless,
fict Of politics.
We are led into these remarks by the conduct Of
a certain section-the Seward-peace section-of the
whig party, in the present eecsionecring campaign,
and by the facility, dupcity and skill which they
exhibit in adapting themselves to circumstances,
and converting to their own purposes the very thing
TO the existence Of which they have been most an
aagonstic. These politicians, journals, and orators
at recent ratification meetings, seize With svdty,
and hold up to popular admiration, the brilliant
military services Of their Presidential candidate,
Winfield Scott. They extol his wisdom in counsel,
his proweS in the field, and his humanity
after victory; and on these qualities build up
their claims to the support Of the American
people at the polls next November. They re-
count oil the battles and sieges he has fought.
and his "hairbreadth Escapes in the imminent
deadly breach " and these they endeavor to
make the scaling ladders by which to ascend into
the citadel ofpower. Lundy's Lane and Chippewa,
and that brilliant series Of victories from Vera Cruz
to Chapultepec, chronicled and dressed up in
the grandes terms Of imagery, and given to the ed
miring public in the speeches and writings Of the
orators and Journalists who endeavor 10 mako them
re.awaken the popular enthusiasm, Ne echo to the
praises and sub,ervc to tho political aims Of their
great chieftain
Now, ell this laudation Of Gen. Winfield Scott is,
per Sc, perfectly appropriate and justifable. His
military achievements entitle him to the admiration
and gratitude Of his country They written on
tAs page Of history, and shed lustre the path of
this great republic. Therefore, we would not
seek to take one leaf from the laurel which en-
circles his brow. But We do question the candor and
consistency Of that particular party in relying solely
the military fame of General Scott, or any other
candidate to create popular hurrah in his favor,
and to carry him into Office on the enthusiasm ex-
cited by the recollection Of his glorious deeds To
the wariike career Of their chieftain they only mp
peal being allsufcient to secure his election by
the votes Of the people; and they are silent as to
those qualities Of sta'esmanshp which are nov In
dspensable to the proper discharge Of the functions
Of the chief magistrate Of this republic They do
not attempt to recommend him on his civil qudi-
ties. They make no declaration as to his political
principles, or what his administration will be, and
do not feel authorized TO disclose his views of pub
lie affairs, but simply conine themselves to chaunt-
ing pGans Mandatory Of biz genius and bravery in
tho field.
Now, in all this there is vast deal of insincerity
and inconsistency, however much it may tell for
the ingenuity and tactics Of the party, and for
the ability with which they adapt themselves
to circumstances which are even inimioAl in their
nature. 1t is very well known that the party
supporting General Scott opposed to the utter
most the policy which dictated both the wars
in which their present idol distinguished himself.
The war Of 1912 with Groat Britain, the results of
which encompassed his brow with laurels derived
from the battles Of Chippewa and Lundys Lane,
end that Of Mexico from which he has been accord
ed his honorary nom de guarre Of " Old Chapulte-
pee, both received the most unyelding opposition
and hostility from the very party who now eagerly
feize upon them, when they think they can manu-.
facure political influence cut Of them. Thisis, in
deed, singular instance Of inconsistency and aban
donment Of principles, and verifes our observation
as to the strange Developments Of character which
an electioneering campaign is sure to exhibit.
The first military candidate for the Presidency Of
the United States-we do not reckon Washington
in that cstegory-was Gen. Andrew jackson. He
was taken MP by the democratic party, and, by
the application Of whip and spur, was carried
into the White House by the tap Of the drum
The wings, seeing the experiment 30 successful with
their adversaries, began to consider that heroism
N.n.I~ n 4.
elcctioneering with, and resolved to adopt it or
their own hook. They therefore, in the following
campaign, abandoned all the great statesmen and
intellectual gcniuses of their party, negatived their
claims for the candidature, and nominated on the
military platform Gen. Harrison, whom they sue
ceeded in electing, not much, even by tho hurrah
of his martial fame, the qualities Of the hard
cider literally INDUCED in, as by the division and
want Of unSnimity in the democratic ranks. The
first experiment Of the wings in the military Prcsi-
dent line having thus been carried on. VIGOROUSLY
though Gen Harrison did not live long to enjoy
his elevation--they thought they would continue
to follow the path and for the next term they
took up Gen. Taylor. And certainly Old lacks
glory brighter and iresher than that Of his pre-
decessor and even than that of him whom the whig,
now bring forward as his succs ssor-Gcp. Scott.
But notwithstanding all the military enthusiasm
which was kinded throughout the Union in support
Of General Taylor, he never would have been
elected but for the detection in this State Of Van Blu
rem from the democratic party The wings, embold-
ened by their good fortune in these two Presidential
campaigns were, it seems resolved to stick to their
luck, and have again nominated military hero for
their candidate in 1862. They have selected &C.
neral Scott enerced he is by the halo of all his
great victories, and are now endeavoring, might and
main, to create prodigious popular excitement on
his renown military chieftian. They may, per-
haps, for week two, manage to arouse and keep
alive fvorc and enthusiasm in his favor, through
out the country, but it will necessarily be svsnSs-
cent, and sosn give place to rational and be-
coming sentiment in the public mind. His sup
porters are not acting with good policy or general
ship, in SO soon converting all his great battles int
political ammunition. They have been rather too |